Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Wind Knoll's Curse ❯ Chapter 1

 

 

 

Wind Knoll…I remembered it before it was nothing but a ghost town and filled with heartless creatures and wandering souls left to walk the cracked roads that you can barely see now thanks to the heavy fog, endless nights and dead foliage. It was a beautiful place regardless of me having to view it all from the confines of my own house I was trapped within thanks to that worthless man who dared to call himself my father. It stretched for miles in what seemed the middle of nowhere to anyone who came upon it. Hidden far from any main road, it was as if the heavy fog that came every morning and night wanted to conceal it from those who wandered close to the trail that was placed further in the cloudy, thick woodland.

 

It all started with them, the very demons people mistook for holy beings regardless of how many times they were corrected by the creatures themselves. Temples in different sections of the town were erected in their honor when they graced our presents from the very depths of Hell years ago. Everyone worshipped who they saw fit but there were at least five temples within the vast estate of Wind Knoll seeing as the people prayed to the five demons:

 

Yoko Kurama, the demon of Earth…

 

Hiei, the demon of Fire…

 

Touya, the demon of Ice…

 

Jin, the demon of Wind…

 

And Shishiwakamaru, the dreaded demon of Death…

 

Some people prayed to them, others didn't and believed it to be devil worship the further the years progressed from when Wind Knoll was first built as well as these beliefs. But the demons weren't satanic as most people believed, but then again, how could you believe in something that was placed into words eons ago?

 

Wind Knoll Four Years Ago…

 

The sun rose steadily beyond the mountains that towered ever so closely to the town known as Wind Knoll that was now shrouded in fog thanks to the heavy mist that covered the area seeing as it was built right in the middle of the miles of woods known ever so appropriately as the Misty Woodlands. People had been known to get lost venturing out of Wind Knoll's safe boundaries thanks to the thickness of the fog. The thick vapor itself was known as the Fog of No Return seeing as it gathered just outside of the town as if ready to ensnare any soul that came too close. An odd blowing of wind within the town's boundaries was known to keep it at bay or at least lessen how much snuck in at night and that was where the myth of the Wind `God' came into play as well as the name of the town itself.

 

The loud clanging of the bell that rested within a large tower in the center of the town early that morning roused the villagers from their nightly slumber, prompting store owners to make their way out of their houses at eight that dawn to get things set up for customers as employees got ready for work. Lights came on in houses as windows were opened to let in the nice cool breeze that warm spring day. Steadily the town was waking as the once silent streets began to come to life once more for the day.

 

Mrs. Jameson locked the door to her house that morning thirty minutes after the ringing of the bell as she headed to her grocery store she owned in her black high heels. As her heels clicked against the pavement on the sidewalk, she couldn't help but notice that some of the roads and nearby houses were awfully hard to see thanks to the fog that was supposed to have been lifted at least a little bit thanks to the wind that blew through the boundaries of the large civic. “Well, that's odd,” she couldn't help but voice to herself as the wind passed through her wavy brunette hair tranquilly. “I would have thought that the wind would have fixed most of the fog by now.”

 

The traffic light changed, allowing Mrs. Jameson to quickly trot across the crosswalk so she could get down Olds Burrow Road where her grocery store was located upon that street. Feeling a bit unnerved, she kept her russet leather purse close to her side as she hurried to her store with a furious clicking of her heels upon the pavement. The dense fog always put her on edge and feeling trapped within it didn't help her affections towards it when she was supposed to feel safe within her town. Spying the outline of her store just up ahead past a beauty salon, the rattled woman came to a quick halt to work on opening the front door with her keys she fumbled around with in her shaky hands.

 

“Come on, come on,” she insisted quietly as she continued to mess up with inserting the key properly into the front door. Looking over her shoulder as if she was being chased by a murderer, she finally managed to open the front door and close it behind her quickly with a panicked expression upon her features.

 

Hearing the chime of the small bell situated just above the door that signaled a customer entering the store, one of the managers that had made it there to set things up before Mrs. Jameson arrived looked over the shelf to spy the owner there looking quite apprehensive. “Mrs. Jameson,” Lillian began as she descended the ladder she was upon, “what ever is the matter? You act like the God of Death was coming to get you.”

 

Placing her hand over her beating heart at being startled secondly by Lillian Hutchins, a young girl who was trying to make a decent wage while attending college, Mrs. Jameson tossed her keys upon the nearest counter with a shake of her wavy hair. “He might as well have been…! Lillian, did you notice the fog on your way in today?”

 

The deep brown eyes of the young female looked past her boss out the window that rested just beyond her with a nod. “It was rather thick out, wasn't it?” Pulling her stringy black hair back in a ponytail, Lillian grabbed onto her red working apron that held her nametag upon it. “What do you suppose is wrong? This is the worst it has ever been in years.”

 

“I am not certain,” Mrs. Jameson answered as she rested her head in her hand as if to recollect herself. “Do you suppose to the Wind God is furious lately? Normally it's his wind that takes care of it during the night before the sun rises.”

 

Lillian went quiet for a moment as she offered an uncertain shrug. “I don't know. What would he be furious about lately?”

 

Mrs. Jameson didn't wish to dwell upon it too much. She knew if she even offered that suggestion to worshippers of the God's power, hell would ensue about Wind Knoll and the Gods could only say what would happen next. Rubbing her forehead with her finger tips, she tried to offer a smile to her employee. “I guess it's best not to worry about it. It'll lighten up later on in the day, I am sure of it.”

 

The young Lillian merely nodded in return in hopes of her boss being right. She herself didn't take too kindly to the thick fog and felt trapped within the town as well whenever she was within it. Fixing her apron a bit on her shoulders, she slapped her hands down at her sides. “Well, I guess we better get to work, right?”

 

The fog continued on about the early morning hours until the wind finally managed to push it out of the town upon the twelfth hour that afternoon. By then all of Wind Knoll was bustling with life and energy. Everyone was out to attend work or to attend school while some kids were out at the park near the Earth Temple to enjoy their time out in the sun. As others had already begun their day that early afternoon, a young woman in a rather off-putting house on Lavender Lane was just awakening from her long slumber.

 

Her off-white curtains that covered her slightly cracked window blew about thanks to the wind making its way inside of her room that looked just like any other female's room of twenty-four years old. The young worn, unemployed college student had lived in that decrepit looking house since she was born though it didn't always look as awful as it was on the outside and as messy as it was on the inside. When her mother passed away when she was sixteen, her father let everything about the house go to shambles as he did with his own self.

 

Feeling the caressing of the wind her town was known for, she flinched slightly with a miserable sounding moan as her greenish, gray eyes blinked to life. Her sight focusing from the nightly sleep, she managed to gather the bright red numbers there upon her clock that was situated on her wooden nightstand. Inhaling sharply in surprise, she tried to force her weak body to at least rise off of the stiff mattress she slept upon every night.

 

“Dammit, Scarlet,” the woman hissed noticing that it was nearing 2:30 in the afternoon, “you've done it again. That's the third time you've missed your morning classes.” There was no sense in going to her college classes now even if the last one didn't end until 3:30 besides, Scarlet couldn't find the energy to do so at that very moment to walk to class.

 

Scarlet pushed herself up off of the queen sized bed that had white comforters with designs of flowers upon them which was starting to turn a dingy brown thanks to neglect of being taken care of. Kicking off her covers, she situated her feet over the side of the bed as if to gather her strength there where she was sitting. Being she went under when her best friend in the entire world, her mother, died when she turned sixteen, Scarlet stopped eating well and slept most of her life away in her bedroom. It was the only place she really felt secure especially from her abusive father.

 

He really was a worthless man. My mother stood up for him when she was on her death bed saying that he didn't mean to do the things he did or say the things he said, but I felt he could have at least gotten help for it. I don't know why he even married my mother to begin with, really. My mother worshipped the `God of Ice' and my father didn't believe in all of the `devil worship' as he called it. I don't know what to believe when it dealt with Wind Knoll's practices…when my mother died, it was hard to believe in anything anymore…

 

Scarlet's hand rested upon the dull doorknob of her small bathroom to allow herself inside to at least get washed up. Opening up the medicine cabinet that held some of her makeup she hadn't worn in years as well as prescription drugs, Scarlet shifted through the bottles and containers to finally find her hair tie that she had put within there before going to bed the night before. Running her fingers through her stringy, broken dusty blond and black streaked hair she managed to tie it back in a bun so it wouldn't get in her way when washing her face at the sink. Turning the squeaky handle to start the water from the faucet, she cupped her hands under the running water to bring it up to her weary face in attempts to further wake her body up for the rest of the day that was lined out before her.

 

The slamming of the front door made Scarlet jump as she worked away at her face. Turning her attention to the closed bathroom door, she could only groan slightly knowing it was her father coming back from the grocery store. “He's going to kill me,” she muttered, grabbing the towel off of the towel rack to dab her face dry after she turned the water off.

 

After managing to collect herself Scarlet headed down the stairs that led to the kitchen and living room where she could mostly find her father. Embracing her weak frame, her dull looking colored eyes spied him situating the groceries for the time being. It was amazing at times that they could even afford groceries since her father was retired and the incoming of money wasn't all that great. He was grumbling and sighing irritably to show that he wasn't in the best of moods, making Scarlet nervous but there was no point in avoiding him any longer for it was impossible to do so.

 

Making herself known from just around the corner where the stairs rested, Scarlet tried to be optimistic about her father's attitude, “Do you need help with putting stuff up, dad?”

 

Hearing his daughter behind him, Chris Baker, slammed down one of the cans he held in his hand to show how displeased he was in hearing Scarlet speak behind him. “Just what in the hell are you doing home? You are supposed to be at class!”

 

His anger filled tone made Scarlet flinch as she fidgeted a bit with the rim of her pajama shirt. “I got up later than expected,” Scarlet answered almost in a whisper.

 

“You always are doing that and you're never on time for anything!” Chris continued to scold his daughter as he turned around to face her with his large palms resting upon the countertop. His eyes that seemed soulless at that time glared at Scarlet for her behavior though he himself knew that the reason she was so weak and `lazy' was due to her horrible diet. “If you're not going to go to college, you could at least get your lazy ass out of the bed and apply for a job.”

 

“I would do either just to get out of here if you didn't keep me here under your thumb whenever I tried!” Scarlet finally exploded with a brief wave of her arms. She couldn't take living in that house any longer with all the sour memories that consumed her being when she woke. But being exhausted every time she went to sleep at odd hours hindered her ability to get up when most people did.

 

Chris wasn't above taking this from his daughter as he quickly jogged over to the other side to grab tightly onto Scarlet's wrist. “Don't take that tone with me!” He growled within the depths of his throat. “Now you either start attending your classes again or you get your ass out there and find a job!”

 

Scarlet struggled against her father best she could with a glare in return to him even if pain was attacking her wrist he was holding onto. “Dad, you're hurting me! Let me go!”

 

The rather intimidating man in stature didn't care as he tossed Scarlet off to the side like she was nothing but a rag doll. “I don't care! Now either get your damn life together or I am going to kick you out of this house!”

 

Her palms catching her fall to the wooden floor along with her right side, Scarlet took in her breath before scrambling to her feet to hurry back upstairs from whence she came only to depart to her mother's bedroom that was the closest thing she could manage to get to once she quickly ascended the staircase. The door closing behind her, Scarlet took in her breath steadily at having to be confronted by her father in such a manner as she fought back the tears she refused to shed for him. Massaging her face for a moment or two, her feet guided her steadily forward in her mother's old bedroom that was probably the only piece of paradise to her in her entire house.

 

Some of the picture frames littered throughout the room as well as statues and personal belongings collected a bit of dust as well as cobwebs thanks to neglect seeing as it was rare for Scarlet to ever venture within it without being reminded of the person she lost and missed. Her father never did himself and it made Scarlet come to the conclusion that maybe he never really did love her mother at times. Her delicate fingers rolling across the mattress that hadn't been messed with since the day her mother passed away, she sighed heavily through her nostrils before planting herself upon the bed's side to look at the picture that was there in clear view on the nightstand.

 

Her fingers gripped onto the golden picture frame so as to bring the image closer to her sight. It had her holding onto her mother, Cynthia, in front of the Ice Temple her mother always worshipped and prayed at especially before she fell too ill to get out of bed. It held happier times even if Scarlet and her mother at the time knew of the illness that had infected her mother's body. Her mother had long, slightly frizzy, braided strawberry blond hair with bright blue eyes. She was always optimistic about everything, even her illness, but in the end when she gave up, she could only be happy in knowing she would at least be with the God she worshipped and wanted to take her. Since it was becoming hard to look at her mother there in that still moment, Scarlet placed the picture frame back on the nightstand before spying the statue there next to it and close to the lamp.

 

The statue was a silver statue Cynthia bought at a nearby store that was crafted of the Ice God known as Touya. It had the believed God with his right hand erected straight upright with the other down at his side as his head was turned slightly to the left. He wore robes in this crafted statue as ice lined about the base with his hair that was tied back rested just below his buttocks as his four bangs remained poised over the left side of his head almost covering that narrow eye. Scarlet knew that her mother adored that statue and it had been through everything in the world seeing as Cynthia refused to release it. Scarlet kept it within her hand, trying not to break it with the death grip she put upon it.

 

“Why?” She asked softly with a shake of her head, “Why didn't you save my mother?” Scarlet felt pretty silly at speaking to nothing but a statue as she just put it right back on the nightstand where she found it. Strands of her tied back hair couldn't help but escape the bun she made to keep her hair out of her face as she sat there thinking on what to do that day. She didn't want to remain in the house afraid of her father but there was nothing really to do there in Wind Knoll. In the end, finding it pointless to remain there in her own home with nothing to do, Scarlet pushed herself off of her mother's bed to go to her bedroom and get ready to go out away from her angered father.

 

Opening the door to her mother's bedroom cautiously, Scarlet peeked outside just to make sure that her father was still downstairs either watching the television or still messing with the groceries. The area being clear, she quickly made her way across the hall to where her bedroom was resting just opposite her mother's. Her hands grabbed onto her doorknob as she opened the door to her bedroom slowly so as not to alert her father downstairs at what she was doing. She wanted to get out of that house from under his horrible care even if for a little while. Closing the door behind her, Scarlet headed to her closet to look through some of her clothing that she could wear out on the streets of Wind Knoll.

 

 

 

An hour or so later, Scarlet emerged from her bedroom once again just as cautiously as she did before going inside. With no sign of her father upstairs where she was hiding, she quietly tip-toed down the stairs that managed to creak every once and awhile, making her fear that she would alert her father if she wasn't careful. She could hear the commotion of the television just down the hall where the living room was located. Scarlet took this as her cue and only chance to get out without worrying about another confrontation by her father. Her sandaled feet quietly tapped against the wooden boards beneath her though the roar of the television canceled them out as well as the opening closing of the front door.

 

Scarlet did nothing but let her feet guide her as she stayed locked in thought about many things going on lately. She was twenty-four and soon to be twenty-five in May, that coming month but she was still trapped there in the house that made her miserable. But she feared what her leaving would cause her father to do. While he showed he wanted her to get out there and be her own person in his own forceful ways, he also wanted to keep her there under his thumb and not let her grow up. Why he acted that way always baffled her because he showed he hated her by raising his fist to her especially when he had one too many beers. She had made it a habit to hide those bruises and cuts he inflicted as well as herself with the makeup she had seeing as there were some days it was way too hot to wear baggy clothing that could cover her every bit of abused skin. Scarlet also sometimes wore elbow length gloves to hide them when they were brand new and had to be bandaged up. She cared not about her looks seeing as there was nobody around she felt the need to dress up for.

 

Sniffling back her sinuses as she continued on her walk down Willard Drive that led towards the forested area and then to the mountains, Scarlet stopped for a moment to gaze up at the land that still belonged to Wind Knoll. The boundaries of Wind Knoll stretched for miles it seemed and up within those mountains even rested houses and stores filled with different things. It was at the base of the mountains that the Wind Temple resided since the wind always seemed to blow from that direction and it seemed fit to erect the temple there. She had never been to that temple or the one in the wooded area just resting a few feet away where the Earth Temple resided. Scarlet always preferred to look at the woods from afar seeing as she feared being swallowed up by the fog that sometimes lingered about the country side of Wind Knoll.

 

My mother and I lived in those woods for some time and the fog that gathered at night and lingered in the early morning always enthralled me at a young age. I loved every bit of it until I nearly died, getting lost in it while playing with my toys just out back. I was so scared that day…the fog covered me and I thought for sure I would die there as I cried and cried for my mother. My mother said she was frantic to find me and if it hadn't been for the winter wind picking up and blowing about the fog to lighten the thickness of it, she might never have. She believed it to be the work of Touya, the Ice `God' even if I believe it was the wind that did most of the work and we all know Jin the Wind `God' controls that element.

 

I was too young to understand then so I didn't exactly deter from the beliefs my mother put upon me dealing with the ice demon referred to her and others as a god. From that moment, I was scared to venture far from my house, but I guess at times I miss that place from where I was placed in that hellhole with my step-father. I am glad to say he wasn't my birth father…my birth father died when I was only a day or so old. I was never told what from. My mother merely said he served the gods now as he had when he was alive. It pained her to say it every time I questioned her about it so I could only wonder what was so heartbreaking about his death.

 

Scarlet continued to stare out at the wooded area ahead that was still protected just about from the Misty Woodlands and was secluded within Wind Knoll's boundaries. As she continued to do so as if to debate whether or not to continue onward, a worker at a magic store nearby was coming back from her break to attend to the store only to spy Scarlet not too far away.

 

The young woman had long black hair that was tied back in a ponytail as she wore a bit of heavy makeup dealing with her face. Her attire was dressy but all in different shades of crimson color except for her boots that were black and could be seen peeking out from underneath her dress. Seeing that the girl nearby wasn't moving from where she was standing, she couldn't help but chuckle as she reopened the store she was away from for thirty minutes. “Hey,” the worker girl called from the store called Black Magic.

 

Scarlet didn't move from where she was standing, figuring that whoever was speaking was calling to someone else.

 

“Hey,” she called again as she finally got the store opened again for the day, “You with the black streaks in her hair.”

 

Having it register that she was being called to, Scarlet looked over at the store that the young woman was standing at. Looking around to make sure she was the only one with black streaks in her hair, she pointed directly at herself confused, “Who, me?”

 

“Yes you,” the nameless woman couldn't help but chuckle at finally being able to catch Scarlet's attention. “What is the matter? Are you lost?”

 

Cupping her elbows, Scarlet walked over towards the dark magic store so she wouldn't have to yell her responses from where she was standing. “No, I am not lost. I am just wondering what I should do at this moment. I don't really feel like going back home where my dad is just itching to start a fight with me.”

 

“Oh, I see. My name is Silvia Millis,” Silvia said, offering her hand to Scarlet for her to shake if she wanted to.

 

“Hi,” Scarlet said in return, taking Silvia's hand to shake in return before guiding it back to her elbow. “My name is Scarlet—Scarlet Baker.”

 

“You can come on inside the store if you want to while you are deciding on what to do,” Silvia suggested as she stepped on inside, leaving the door open for Scarlet if she wanted to join her in the store. “It's only me today seeing as everyone else is preparing for the great festival tomorrow on Wicker Avenue.”

 

“Thank you,” Scarlet whispered as she stepped on inside. “The festival? You mean the festival of the gods?” Stepping cautiously inside since the store was new to her, she took in the sight of the many candles lit throughout the store as well as the books that lined the shelves and intricately designed jewelry and gems. It set off a gentle feeling regardless of the dark name the store held.

 

“Oh yes,” Silvia nodded as she tossed the keys upon the counter, allowing the keys to chime together from the impact upon the top of the counter. “I plan on celebrating on my own terms, that is why I am still minding the store. I have already made my preparations for the big event.”

 

Scarlet pulled a book from the shelf that held a gold sewn wind symbol upon the pure white cover. Watching for a moment as Silvia jumped over the counter to get back to work, she raised her brow at the woman confused. “How do you plan on celebrating the big day? You do it differently?”

 

The store worker nodded as she lit another candle upon the counter top that had burned out while she was away. “Of course I do. I may believe in them all but I don't believe they are actually gods and I am sure others are coming to believe that as well with all things considered.”

 

Thumbing through the pages before her of the book she currently held, Scarlet walked to the counter where Silvia was standing. “If they're not gods then…what are they?”

 

Silvia stood there, leaning upon the counter with her arms crossed upon the glass top as she locked her brown eyes upon Scarlet's. Her finger twirling about a piece of loose hair that hung down the side of her face, with a sidewise grin. “I think they are demons. I don't believe they are evil demons, but I do believe they are demonic creatures that helped erect and protect Wind Knoll there in Hell.”

 

“Who told you that?” Scarlet asked sounding almost a bit defensive in the beliefs she was brought up to belief in. “They are not demons! That's—that's ludicrous!”

 

A soft spot was obviously hit as Silvia threw her hands up quickly as if to stop Scarlet from tearing into her. “Whoa, whoa, I was just telling you what I believe now. But really, you can't seriously think they are gods with the practices people perform for them. Some are holy practices but some are satanic.” Spying the book in Scarlet's hands, Silvia nodded at the item in the girl's hands before popping in a stick of gum into her mouth. “Do you want that book?”

 

Her grayish, green eyes peering back down at the book she had in her hands, she opened the pages once more to skim at what was inside. “What exactly is this?”

 

“That's a spell book for the `Wind God',” Silvia explained putting finger quotes around the title of the god she referred to as a demon. “Do you want it? I've heard it actually works from some people who've used it.” Her tone was enticing it seemed as she waved slightly from side to side.

 

“What exactly is inside of it? What spells?” Scarlet pried, placing the book there on the counter before Silvia.

 

Grabbing up the book off of the counter, Silvia refreshed her mind by thumbing through the first few pages or so. “Well, it has wind spells, spells for love, guidance, good fortune, and even a spell that calls out to the `Wind God' to come and visit you either in your dreams or personally.”

 

Every time Silvia said `god' seemed to be her way to mock the religious beliefs Scarlet believed in since she was born. It irritated Scarlet a bit but she said and did nothing as she took back the book so as to put it back up where she found it. “I don't have enough money for it,” she sighed to release her frustration in having to deal with someone who believed the gods she worshipped were actually demons. “I am unemployed and don't exactly have anything to sell that could get me the money I need for it.”

 

“You sound interested,” Silvia pointed out almost in glee in her expression. “I'll tell you what—you come to the store and help me out and you can have the book. You just have to work here to work off the price for it which is sixty dollars and forty cents.”

 

“That much for a book?” Scarlet laughed almost sourly seeing as it wasn't any different than any other book.

 

“Sweetheart, it works,” Silvia felt need to clarify for the price. “And the last thing we want is several people beckoning to the Wind Demon. Who can only say what would happen if the Wind Demon was overworked.” Obviously she was feeling comfortable now and didn't mind blurting out that she believed they were demons and not `gods'. “So, do we have a deal?”

 

Scarlet didn't know what to say at this point. She had nothing else to do really and she was into being entertained. Besides, she now had a job and maybe it could continue to be a sure fire deal for awhile. Scarlet managed a nod as she walked over to the cash register. “Alright, it's a deal. I'll give you my information so you can come pull me out if I don't ever show up.”

 

“Deal,” Silvia retorted, smacking the gum she was chewing in her mouth. “You'll need to come in at eleven in the morning at most. That's when the store opens and I have already set up things around the place. I'll introduce you to the other workers after the festival tomorrow. And if you need help with the book, I can help you there too when it deals with calling forth the Wind Demon.”

 

Scarlet finished writing down all her information before pushing it close to the worker at the Black Magic store. “Alright, then I will come in the day after tomorrow.”

 

“My friends and some of my co-workers will be meeting up here tomorrow too if you want to join us,” Silvia replied as she pocketed Scarlet's information by conveniently placing it in her bra seeing as she had no pockets on her dress. “We'll be hanging out around here worshipping them our own way if you want to see what we do.”

 

Scarlet couldn't help but shake her head at the offer rather quickly. She didn't mind Silvia expressing that the `Gods' were demons in her view but to have to witness their rituals made her shrink into a corner and shake at the thought. “No—no thanks, but thanks anyways for the offer. I think I will stick to my own beliefs for now…” Figuring everything was set, Scarlet hurried for the door. “Thanks for the book.”

 

“You're welcome,” Silvia called back as she started to mess with the gum she was chewing upon.

 

Keeping the demonic spell book close to her chest, Scarlet looked over her shoulder at the store she had signed on to be within with a bit of a disappointed sigh to herself. She couldn't believe she had offered to work for a place that contradicted her mother's beliefs. But then again, it was hard to believe in them period concerning her mother's death as well as her birth father's.

 

Scarlet pulled the book away from her chest to look at the cover with a shake of her head. “I guess I might as well go home. It's almost dinner time.” Turning upon her heels, Scarlet headed back to her home upon Lavender Lane. Her sandals dragged against the pavement a bit as she headed on her way. She wasn't exactly eager to meet back up with her father, but at least she found a store to use as an escape that day.