Chapter 1: Off To The Races

The tree tops swayed slightly, the gentle autumn breeze curling through the branches and leaves. Lolita Starkley sat below the largest tree, looking down at the grass surrounding her. She picked the green shards from the earth, examining each one closely before dropping it and picking another.

This was a normal thing for the four year old. To sit outside for hours upon hours and pick through the grass in her grandparents' backyard. She wasn't a social butterfly; she didn't have many friends outside of her older cousins, so nature had come to fall the spot as her best friend.

But Lolita had a secret. She hadn't ever told her grandparents or cousins, and she wouldn't dare tell her alcoholic father. No, this secret was between her and nature.

Whenever Lolita was happy or sad or even mad, flowers would appear. They came whenever she asked them to and she could make them do whatever she wanted, make them any color and any shape.

She didn't see anything wrong or even unnatural with her gift. She was only four; to her, the world was fair, people were kind, life was pretty good and there was no such thing as being weird.

So that's why Lolita giggled in happiness when the first flower that day began to bloom. It was a mix of bright orange and red - her favorite colors combined. The delicate petals, like the tree tops, swayed back and forth because of the wind.

Just as Lolita was planning on making another, a growl ripped through the air. She looked up, not scared but confused. Only a couple of yards away from her was what looked to be a huge dog. But it was mean looking, foaming at the mouth with red eyes.

Lolita whimpered slightly, trying to move away from the hound but her back met the firm, hollow wood of the tree. The beast growled again, walking closer to Lolita. She was honestly terrified, her tiny heart beating frantically against her ribcage. She whimpered again before stammered, "S-stay away, p-puppy. Stay, g-go home. Go h-home right n-now!"

But the hound only growled again and Lolita could have sworn she saw the monster smirk at his luck. And suddenly, the beast lunged forward towards Lolita, who threw her arms over her head, squeezed her eyes shut and let out tiny scream.

There was a sudden swosh! and then the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. But Lolita kept her eyes closed, still waiting for the hound to leap on her. "Little girl?" she heard a rough voice ask, "Little girl, you can open your eyes now. Its fine. The big bad wolf is gone."

Lolita's blue eyes fluttered open to see a grown man kneeling in front of her. He was definitely bigger and older than her, looking to be in his early 20s and already having the form of a body builder. He had curly hair and bright blue eyes, with a face that looked similar to the baby angels Aunt Joy loved to paint. But all Lolita really saw was: scary stranger.

She shivered a bit, eyes welling up with tears of fear, trying to get away from the scary man. "Oh no, kiddo, its okay," he said, moving closer to Lolita, opening his arms a bit, "Hey, don't cry, it'll be alright. I'm not going to hurt you, got it? You're safe."

Still wary, but just wanting to be held, Lolita moved towards the stranger and clung to him, tiny fists gripping his t-shirt tightly. The man's arms embraced her, and never in her life, had Lolita felt more safe or protected. "See?" he mumbled, "I'm not going to hurt you..."

After a few moments of him holding her, his strong arms loosed and he mumbled, "Now...go run along, kid. And try not to attract anymore hellhounds, okay? You're lucky the old man let me help this time, but you may not be as lucky next time." Lolita had so many questions for the strange man, like what was a hellhound? Why did it try to hurt her? Who was the old man? Why didn't he want the man to help her?

But she just simply nodded before looking the man in the eyes, and saying, "Thank you, mister."

The man's eyebrows furrowed as if he hadn't expected a thank you but he quickly coughed, "Uh, yeah, its no problem, kid." With his hand on the back collar of Lolita's shirt, he stood up, lifting the small girl up like a kitten.

He put her down before shooing Lolita, who obeyed and quickly ran towards her house. But not before turning around to see...not a trace of the man who had saved her.