Very short first chapter, yes I know, but it's just an intro. The next will be longer. Read, crit, and enjoy!!

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-----------------------------Prologue------------------------------------

Two soft hands are pressed firmly against one another beneath a weightless cloud of blue bubbles and warm bathwater. The fingers intertwine with one another as the combined hands swirl around in the pool. She hums a jolly tune and uses her free hand to run a sopping cloth over the jagged scars of his back. Her grip on his hand then loosens, letting his own float to the base of the tub.

Upon the sill sits four glowing candles, their bright flames and the pouring light of the moon fill the room with a dim light. The candle flames flicker and crackle as though they are making their own music to go along with her happy song. Outside it rained cats and dogs, a true fierce storm. Thunder roared ferociously, echoing down the road, and lightning seemed to flash bright enough to light up the whole town.

Quietly she chuckles to herself and bends down near his ear, gently laying his head back into the nook of her arm; she whispers soothingly, “You should really take it easy when you go outside, kiddo, you play too rough.”

Like a typical four year old, he found her comment silly and so decided to laugh, “I don’t play rough. I just go out and have fun! You wouldn’t understand; you’re too old.”

At this, she gasps and stares in shock before taking one hand and giving him a light splash to the face with the bathwater, “Hey!” she giggled, gently squeezing his nose between her middle and index finger, “I am not old, little man!”

He laughs and splashes her back, but with much more of an effort to soak her, “I’m not little!” The playing continued until one of the candles snubbed out; he gasped, “What happened?”

She took a dry towel and dried both of their faces as she looked around the room, wondering the same thing. The door was locked, the window was closed, and the fan wasn’t blowing, “I don’t know, sweetie.” She shrugged and patted the top of his head, “I’m sure it was nothing. Now up, up, up, you, it’s time to get out.”

Without a word, he stood up and shook like a wet dog. Using the same towel she dried their faces off with before, the woman patted him down to keep any excess water from dripping before using it to lift him up and out of the tub.

Another candle was extinguished.

She stopped drying and stared confusedly at the thin string of smoke rising in place of the fire; the young boy gasped again and clung to her leg, whimpering with enlarged eyes, “Mommy, what’s going on? What’s going on, Mommy?” When she continued to stare at the two remaining candles, he looked up at her and tugged the heavy sleeve of her robe, “Mommy? Mommy, what happened to the light? What happened to the light, Mommy?”

“Hmm what?” she shook her head slowly, as if to clear her thoughts, and picked him up. She placed him firmly on her hip and pulled the plug so the water would drain, “There must be a draft or something. Oh well.” She turned to the door and opened it as the third flame blew out; he clutched her shoulders tightly and nestled his face against the side of her neck.

With hesitant steps, she moved to the last candle, her son still pressed against her hip. She glanced to her left, right, and back to her left again; no one was around. Quickly, she inhaled and puffed out; the room immediately faded to darkness. Still, nothing, nor no one, moved, ‘I’m worrying too much.’ She thought, reassuringly, ‘There’s no one in here.’

The woman readjusted the light weight boy on her side and turned away from the candle. Taking one last look around the bathroom, she decided they truly were alone and left the room to tuck her son in bed for the night.

She closed the door behind her, not knowing that as soon as she left, all four candles were alight once again and the tub was refilled with steamy bathwater; the same tune she hummed when washing her son was sung in the dim lit bathroom, but this time by the deep voice of a man.

More to come.....