Chapter 1

Ivy Henderson rested behind an old pine desk that sat cattycornered to an electric piano. The wood floor was stained with years of rolling her chair from the desk to the piano. Her beautiful green eyes scanned the page before her intently. She sighed and counted the marks her pencil had made.

“8… but that’s not right.” She pushed the chair from the desk and it the old wheels slid across the floor following almost the exact path the black curving lines did.

Ivy positioned the paper she had been working on into the music holder.

“1…2…3…4” She counted as she pecked at the keys. “Ah ha! How could I have been so blind? It’s so obvious!” She gawked, as she rolled her chair back to the desk. She made a few makes on the paper then rolled back to the piano. To nearly anyone else the work would have been dull, monotonous labor, but to Ivy it was an escape.

“Ivy! Ivy baby please open the door.” A sweet gentle voice sounded from the other side of the locked door. Ivy glanced up briefly and scanned the door it, like everything else in the house was old and the paint was fading. She sighed, she didn’t want to get up and let her mother in.

“Can I finish this line please?” She begged as she bent over the paper again.

“Ivy, I know how long it takes you to write one line of those things!” Her mom groaned “You’ve written enough to fill the entire music store.”

“Mom,” Ivy laughed. “I’ve only written eighteen pieces. And the only reason Dr. Van Diesel has plastered my pieces all over the wall of his store is because I’m his good friend”

“And…”

“And I have won a scholarship to the most prestigious music school of our times.” Ivy grinned widely as she opened the door.

“Why yes, that famous fifteen year old musician is my daughter why do you ask?” Her mother asked an imaginary person. “And she gets pretty every year!” She cupped Ivy’s chin in her hands and smiled fondly. After a moment she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I came up to tell you that its time for your appointment.”

“Appointment? Oh yea… Dr. Wolfe. Mom, please call it off today. Three months, I’ve gone to that man and nothing is happening my dreams are still the same the feelings haven’t lessened. He isn’t doing any good.”

“Your fear is concerning to me, sweetie! But you’re right… by now he should have given us something, anything!”

“So you’ll call it off? Please mom,” Her mom sighed

“Yes, today I’ll call it off.”

“And maybe we can go get some chocolate afterwards?”

“Sounds like a plan, come on, baby, let’s go.”

Chapter 2

“Mrs. Henderson? May I have a word with you?” The old man asked in a chilling voice

“Yes, of course Dr. Wolfe, is something wrong?” Ivy’s mother asked as she stepped into the man’s cold, dimly lit office.

“No, at least I can’t find anything wrong. You see Mrs. Henderson, your daughter’s description of how she feels is rather disturbing, but that’s all it is: a description. I can’t find any cause, rhyme, or reason for what she has told me. For the last three months I’ve tried every method I know to burrow down to the cause, but I’ve come up with nothing!” He paused and ran his fingers through his slightly graying hair. “I’ve even talked to my friends and partners. They are just as baffled. Mrs. Henderson, I hate to say it, but I don’t think I can help her. Therapy isn’t your answer, and I’m afraid I can’t tell you what would be. I’m sorry, I really am.” The man bowed his head with a look on his face as if he had a signed a deed to cancel his entire business.

“Mr. Wolfe, I know you did everything you could do. And I really do appreciate you for trying your best.” She sighed. “Well… I suppose this is good bye. Here is your check for these last two times. I’ve believe that’s all I owe you?” She waited for him to nod. And when he did she continued. “Thank you, very much, and I know it’s not your fault.” She got up and showed herself out. The meeting had flustered her in more ways then one. First: Her daughter’s problems had proven unsolvable. Second: She had expected to drop out, but him dropping them…was startling.

“Shall we go for that chocolate now?” Ivy asked happily as her mother emerged.

“Yes,” Her mom managed through her bouncing thoughts.

“What’s wrong? Did he get mad at you for leaving with out the problem solved?”

“No… he dumped us.”

“What? Why?”

“He gave up…”

“Well that just makes me feel good!” Ivy grumbled loudly as they reached the car.

“Let’s just try not to think about it. Besides you, missy, have been awarded a scholarship!”

“Yea!” Ivy squealed.

A dark fudge slab was the treat she chose when her mother asked her “Just what chocolate would you like?” They bought enough for an army then they drove to the park. Sitting under the shady Bradford Pairs, enjoying the delightful treat, was heavenly. But when the last crumb was eaten the two had to go back to their house. Not surprisingly the rest of the day flew by, as Ivy stayed in her room all day finishing up the music she had left.

But when night came it felt like time stopped. Ivy sighed and tossed about in her bed. She loved the darkness, she loved being alone, but this was unbearable. The stark white walls seamed to close in on her, but she was afraid to go to sleep because she knew he’d be waiting for her in her dreams. She felt his presence all day, but then she could keep busy enough to ignore it. Her heart longed to see him, yet feared him more than death itself. And yet she had no idea who this man was that haunted her dreams. Whose face was it that was etched so deeply with-in her memory that she could see him so clearly when she closed her eyes. The image was so real she could count the number of hairs on his head. His beady, cold eyes bore into her.

She gasped and shot up.

“What was that?” She whispered out loud but regretted it. Her voice vanished into the cold air. Its sound bouncing off no ones ear, reminding her she was alone, alone and vulnerable. The bright moon cast eerie shadows on her walls. She could see clearly. She could see she was helpless.

She ground her teeth and clenched her fists. ‘He’s not real! Nothing … no one is out there to get me’ she assured herself, but even her thoughts sounded shallow. Her logic was no match to her abounding fear. ‘It’s never this bad!’ She cried out in her mind. ‘It was just normal fear but this… I can’t live with this!’ She contemplated going to her mom’s room as she had years ago. She remembered doing it nearly every night. Her heart pounded. She recalled the comfort her mom had given her. Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow.

Suddenly she swung her legs over the edge. The chill bit at her skin. And as soon as her feet touched the icy floor, she bolted. Fear tore at her heart and soul she needed relief from this nightmare!

She flung open the door and burst down the hall. But she stopped short at the top of the stairs… the shadows around her danced. She held her breath. ‘It’s my imagination.’ She assured herself silently. Taking a deep breath she forced her foot forward. Suddenly, a man was in front of her, blocking her path. She screamed, but his hand shot up to her mouth with inhuman speed, muffling her cries.

“Going somewhere?” He asked his dripping with a thick German accent.

Ivy’s heart fluttered and her world turned black.