A

s aeroplanes flew past they left my heart pounding with excitement. The thought of seeing my dad again was unbearable; the last time had been when I was seven and yet I still remember him. I remember his deep but gentle voice and how he used to tell me stories about his childhood and dreams of becoming a scientist. When I fell asleep he would softly carry me up the stairs making sure not to wake me up. I also remember when I had an argument with my mother, and how he comforted me before making me do exactly what my mother had said. Later, that night he left a dollar under my pillow. I remember waking up one day, going downstairs and not seeing my dad. Not only had my dad disappeared but strands of my wild ginger hair had gone with him. My mother told me my dad had gone to work. I waited for him for hours that turn into days but he never came back.

Now I'm going to see him again. I finally get to ask him all those questions I've been craving to ask him. Questions like where did he go, why did he go and why he didn't say goodbye to me? I sometimes wonder if he left because of me. Was I too much of a problem for him? Was I getting in his way? For years I've been writing letters questioning him and telling him how much I'm missing him but I had no address to send them to. I'd never thought I'd get to see him again. I thought I'd lost him forever...

 ~~~~~

The aeroplane landed onto a blanket of snow. As I walked my feet sank into the ground. The frozen winter's wind stung my cheeks and left my fingers numb. The air was icy fresh until I smelt the dreadful smell of cigar smoke. As I entered the airport I saw a familiar face. It was my dad. I ran to him, my heart beating faster and faster with every step I took. He held me in his arms just as he did before. For a moment it felt like he heard never went away, like he had always been there for me. However all those unanswered questions came back, pulling me away from him.

"Kia, I missed you." he said with teary eyes. His voice had changed. It was still deep but something about it was different.

"I missed you too..." I replied, bursting into tears. "...but why did you leave us? Why didn't you come back?" The words seemed to just come out of my mouth uncontrollable like water exploding out of a broken pipe. They had been locked within me for too long. I just had to let they flow free.

He stopped looking at me as if he was ashamed or he had something to hide. Silence fell between us.

"What did your mum tell you?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"She didn't say anything. It was as if you didn't exist or something. Eight years we've been living in silence. For eight year I live without a dad, without my best friend." I replied.

"We have to go." he said, leaving me behind. I followed him pulling behind me, my luggage.

The journey to my dad's house was unpleasant. We didn't talk throughout the whole journey. It wasn't like how I thought it would be like. I thought that by now at least one of my many questions would be answered and everything would be much clearer but instead we not talking at all. Throughout the journey all I had to entertain me was the music in the background and the scenery. Lights left my eyes dazzled as they gazed at me everywhere I went. The countless buildings stood straight and tall, side by side supporting each other. People marched in crowds like a group of soldiers. Everywhere I went everyone and everything seemed to a fuse in as one.

Suddenly the car stopped. In front of me stood an enormous, eerie building; with five bolted windows across the exterior. The house looked empty.  It was like one of the houses that are always talked about in horror story; the one that is haunted. Children are told bloodcurdling stories about it, to keep them away from it but one day a child is dared to enter the forbidden house. He knows not to but he is curious about what's inside but most of all wants to please his friends. When he goes in he never comes back out. As I gazed at the spooky house fear ran down my spine.

"What are we doing here?" I asked my dad. He carried on walking as if he didn't hear me.

"Follow me." he said, moments later.

I followed him, not knowing were I was going but trusting my dad that he would take me somewhere safe. He unlocked the front door. Inside it was colder than it was outside. The passageway was dark and dusty. Ancient wallpaper hanged of the two narrow walls. With every step I took the floorboard creaked. Behind me I could hear the tapping of little feet scampering across the passageway. As I got closer to the door across the passageway, a dominant smell of chemicals grew stronger. A glowing white light surrounded the door. What was in there? I knew there was no point of asking my dad as he would not answer me but instead change the subject. He had not answered any of my questions before, so why should I expect him to answer me now?

"Your question will be answer." he said as he opened the door. It was like he read my mind.

Inside there was test tubes, shelves of bottled liquids marked with hazardous signs, spotless white workbenches, closed cabinets and a girl. The girl stood tall and straight in a white robe. She was short, around my height, with hair tied loosely in a ponytail. She stood at one of the workbenches occupied on something. Suddenly her head turned around. It was like staring at my own reflection. Her face was pale and clear, with two large grey eyes hidden behind wild ginger hair. Her cheeks were soft pink. She looked at me; her dark brows wrinkly in concentration. Then she smiled at me with a spiteful smile.

"Hello stranger." she said, instinctively.