Chapter 1: Prologue.....
Mother Nature wept her sorrow at the greatest loss of mankind for which mankind itself was responsible. The sky was dark and low with ominous black clouds that hung over the city. At first it was just a few occasional droplets but then all of a sudden it drenched the city beneath. People ran for cover outside and umbrellas were opened as the clouds spat out their beads of water. Puddles began plinking as the rain became heavier and heavier. The city became chaotic with people running around for shelter, poor traffic, delayed trains and people being stuck in various places along with power cut . But Mother Nature didn't care for a thing, she wept her sorrow even harder. She wept at the cruelty she has witnessed in this city, she wept for those innocent lives that now lay ruined in this city. She wept for those whom she knew none will weep for.
Inside of a certain small house deep in the forest far away from the city over which Mother Nature wept her sorrow was a little girl sitting in front of her bedroom window watching Mother Nature cry. She too was crying silently for her loss. Her face was still a little swollen and filled with dark bruises which was a complete contrast to her milky white baby like skin.
Beep!! Beep!! Beep!!
The small digit clock on the bedside table showed it was midnight. The little girl glanced at the clock and then turned back outside the window. She was left all alone in the house with her little companion Bobo who was a pug puppy. Bobo was a gift the little girl's mother gave her three months ago on her tenth birthday .The little girl loved the adorable puppy and took care of it diligently. The little creature too understood the love and care it's owner gave it. The two quickly bonded with Bobo becoming the apple of her eye.
They say that dogs are man's most loyal companions and the little guy proved it with it's actions. Though young Bobo was, it had seen it's owner's love in her best days and now stood unwaveringly by her side in her most difficult times.
Curled up in the little girl's lap it too was watching the rain by the window.
The entire house was pitch black and felt like a grave yard with none as it's residents , except for the little girl and her four legged companion. The little girl who was named Li Meilin sat by the window waiting patiently for her father to return home. It has been more than three days since her father left the house and had yet to return home.
As she waited, she remembered the good old days when she was living happily with her family. She remembered her mother who suddenly passed away, her sister who disappeared without a trace and her father who ever since he returned from aboard after hearing about her mother's accident changed as a person completely.
She remembered how until two months earlier her life was just like any other normal kid of her age. But on a certain ill ommened day two months ago everything changed for ever .That day her elder sister received a phone call in her school saying that their mother met with an accident and was admitted to the hospital where their father previously worked. Once they arrived at the hospital they were only told that their mother was in a critical state but none other details were revealed to them. The hospital was well acquainted with them and so they didn't need to worry about fees since their father represented their country for an big international project. The hospital also informed their father Dr. Li Yujin about his wife's accident. From the time of admission no one except for medical staff was allowed to see Mrs.Li. Dr. Li Yujin arrived the next morning. He ordered the girls to go back home. There was something different about him, the girls could feel it but they didn't say anything.
Two days later, the news arrived stating that Mrs. Li was no more. The girls were devastated but Dr. Li was far worst. At the funeral Meilin cried over her mother's coffin while Li Yuki, her elder sister tried her best to console her. But little Meilin didn't know at the time that all of this was not even the beginning and that it was not even a fragment of the reality.
The girls were able to sense the change in their father's attitude ever since he arrived back to the country, but after the death of Mrs. Li it turned for the worst. The girls couldn't recognise their father. The calm, peaceful, fun-loving genius surgeon no longer existed and was replaced by a madman. Dr. Li after the death of his wife hardly ever stayed in the house. He would stay outside for two-three days. Even by any chance he stayed back he would simply stay in the study engrossed with some documents. The girls tried their best cope with their mother's absence and their father's change of behaviour . Little Meilin was too hurt by their father's change of attitude as she was always doted the most by her parents but she didn't knew that more was yet to come.
A month and a half after their mother passed away little Meilin fell sick with high fever after coming back from school. Li Yuki saw how sick her younger sister was and left to buy some emergency medicine with the little money that was left with them, only to never return again. Meilin fell asleep after Yuki place a cold wash cloth on Meilin's forehead .
It was half past ten when Bobo woke Meilin up by licking Meilin's cheeks and carrying it's food bowl. The poor thing was hungry. Seeing that it was already so late and her sister has yet to return home she felt pit fall in her stomach. Worried that her sister might be in trouble she quickly gave Bobo his fed and then rang at her sister's number . But the call didn't go through. She tried multiple times but the results were just the same. Unable to reach out to her sister she tried to call her father but he didn't pick up either. Even after trying for a few times when the results didn't change Meilin started to panic as tears rolled down her cheeks. Sensing the tension in his owner Bobo nuzzled at Meilin's feet in order to comfort her. Seeing the little guys concern she was touched.
" It's okay.... Go finish your food. " she said patting the little guy's forehead.
Bobo obediently went back to his fed bowls and quickly finished his meal and water in order to accompany his owner.
After Bobo finished his meal, he and Meilin left the house in order to go to the nearest police station and look for help. She was still running a high fever, so she wraped a winter coat as the the night outside was cold and windy and left the house.
The streets were dead and empty as they walked through their locality, for it was already way past midnight. They walked as fast as her feet could carry her , but due to high fever her body was feeling weak and tried. Having no money she was left with no choice but to walk all the way to the police station which was three kilometres away. After walking for half an hour she dropped to her knees on the road side as she could no longer walk . Her breathing was raged, her body felt heavy. She was shivering due to the high fever. Bobo sensed Meilin's pain and licked her palms in order to comfort her when suddenly sensing a familiar scent it bark at the road ahead.
" Bow...Bow...Bow. ."
Indeed there was a car approaching towards them. Upon closer look it was not just any car but Dr. Li's car. As the car approached closer Bobo barked harder. Meilin too got up to her feet and waved towards the car.
Seeing the two on the streets the car stopped right in front of them. Meilin quickly carried Bobo in her arms as Dr. Li came out of the driver's seat. Meilin immediately wanted to tell him about her elder sister but Dr. Li dreadful appearance coward not only Meilin but also Bobo. Dr. Li murderous look in his eyes and before Meilin could even utter a single word he yanked her by her arm and shoved her in the car. He didn't say anything but the force he applied on her was just too much for Meilin . She tried to talk but blood shot glare from Dr. Li silenced her completely. She was scared for this father of her. To her this was not her father at all. They both sat quietly in the car, both were to afraid to speak or even make a sound. As the car drove Meilin noticed that instead of going towards their apartment the car drove out of the city.
She didn't think anything was wrong as she thought that her sister was probably at the place where they were now heading for. But once she reached she realised how wrong she was.
After a drive of two hours away from Imperial city, their former residence the place Dr. Li brought Meilin to was a beautiful waterfront log house deep in the middle of the mountain valley . On the way to the house before crossing the mountains was a small yet beautiful town named Rosewood Valley. The town was the nearest human civilisation from the house.
The car stopped right in front of the door. Dr. Li got down from the car and opened the back seat door. He yanked Meilin once again and dragged her inside the house. Once inside, he took the set of stairs that was just in front of the main door with Meilin still under his tight grasp and headed for the top floor. Dr. Li took Meilin up on the third floor of the house which was the attic and shoved her in with a hard push. Due to high fever Meilin's body was weak and Dr. Li's push was hard, as a result she fell forward on the wooden floor.
" Ah!! Dad... "
Slap!!
She yelped in surprise as her body was not ready for the impact hoping for her father to her help when she was falling due to the shove but her father didn't move an inch.
She fell hard on the floor.
Sitting up on the floor she turned to her father with teary eyes that's when a hard slap landed on her pretty, soft baby like face. He gripped her face by her jaws with all his might. The poor girl cried in pain as she tried to free herself from his grip.
" Why were you outside the house?? "
His voice was low and deadly. His look was that of a mad monster.
Hearing her father's voice which was completely different from the person she knew chill ran down her spine.
" ANSWER ME !!!! "
He shook her face vigorously as he yell at her for an answer.
She opened her mouth to answer, but wasn't given a chance to say anything as another hard slap landed on her face. Dr. Li yanked her by her hair this time and threatened her.
" If I find even your shadow out of this house you'll have it worst then your sister ..."
He said it as he vigorously shook her head by her hair .
" Is that understood?? "
Meilin nodded her head as she tried to respond only to find another hard slap on her face. This time the slap spilt open her small baby lips oozing blood.
In the meantime, poor Bobo was barking and scratching at the locked door for he was left outside while his owner was in trouble inside.
Dr. Li opened the door and Bobo dashed in to his owner's side and licked her face when he saw blood oozing from her wound.
With Bobo inside Dr. Like shut the door, locking it up from outside.
After Dr. Li left it was already four O'clock in the morning. Meilin sat up on the rug beside her, hugging Bobo she cried. Bobo kept licking her face until she fell asleep on the rug and then joined her in dreamland. By the time they both drifted off to sleep it was already five in the morning.
As they both slept soundly a shadow entered the room unlocking the door. It placed a blanket on Meilin and Bobo, applied an ointment on her wound and left a packet with Meilin's name on it.