Chapter 1
Lucy stood in front of the massive iron gates of the orphanage with her black suitcase on the ground beside her. The cool autumn breeze made her shiver and she unconsciously pulled her jacket closer as she stared at the black car slowly approaching her.
Seraphina Blackwood stepped out of the car with a warm smile across her face. She quietly motioned for Lucy to come closer before pulling her into a warm embrace.
"You're coming home." She said to Lucy as tears slid down her slightly red cheeks. Lucy stood there awkwardly not knowing what to say as Seraphina hurriedly put her suitcase in the trunk of the car while wiping the tears that she had been holding for a long time.
They both got into the car and as Seraphina drove away from the orphanage. Lucy stared into the rear view mirror as she watched the place she had called home for a decade slowly shrink as they went farther away.
The drive was quiet and Lucy quietly thanked Seraphina for not trying to fill the silence with any awkward conversation. As Lucy stared out the window gazing at nothing in particular, several thoughts came to her mind.
'Blackwood.' she thought to herself. She had tried to get more information about the town but it wasn't anywhere on the internet nor did people know of the place. It was like the place didn't exist.
She was going to a town she knew nothing about and began wondering if the town was simply old and forgotten. She began thinking of the day she first met Seraphina.
*****
"You want to adopt me?" Lucy asked with disbelief clearly written across her face. From the moment she entered the orphanage no one wanted to adopt her because of her age and she had long given up on the thought of ever being adopted but yet a strange but familiar woman came wanting to adopt her disregarding the fact that she was almost an adult.
"Yes I do." Seraphina said with a hint of pain and grief written across her face leaving Lucy confused because of her expression.
"I'm Seraphina Blackwood and I was your mother's best friend and I have been looking for you all these years" Seraphina continued as she handed Lucy a photograph.
Lucy stared at the younger version of Seraphina before her eyes slowly moved to the woman smiling beside Seraphina. "Mom." the word came out without her noticing and silent tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"You will be moving to my hometown, it's called Blackwood and I will be your guardian but you wouldn't have to change your last name or anything about yourself. We can leave tomorrow that's if you would want to come with me" Seraphina said with hope written across her face.
She didn't remember much about her childhood but there was one thing she couldn't forget and that was her parents and now Seraphina, the closet one to her mother came to take her so how could she say no.
She could now have the closet thing to a family and there was nothing else she wanted more than that and she could finally find out more about her parents.
*****
"We have arrived." Seraphina said interrupting lucy's thoughts. Lucy stared out through the window as houses began slowly coming into view and there was now only one thing on her mind.
'Blackwood. Maybe this could be a new beginning in my life.'
