Welcome to Crosspoint.

The writing on the billboard brought Rose back from her thoughts.

It was already noon. The sky was cloudy, as if it could start snowing at any moment.

For some this weather ruined their mood, but Rose loved the cloudy sky, she stretched feeling relaxed like she hadn't in days. Just then a candy bar appeared before her eyes. "Good morning, are you hungry?" 

Rose nodded with a forced smile as she took the bar in her hand. 

There was no chocolate bar in the backpack yesterday...

After a couple of minutes of travel in which Henry told her about the city and the school, they walked down a lane that led to the edge of the forest northwest of the city. 

While enjoying her "breakfast," Rose looked out of the car windows. A dense forest looms ahead of them.

Rose saw the roofs of some houses and the bell of the city, which stood out high in the sky. It all had an almost magical feel to it, and Rose's adventurous side couldn't wait to explore the city. The buzz of the people in the city weakened as they moved forward into the dense forest.

The earthy scent of the trees and soil was intoxicating. She took a deep breath, invigorated by it.

“Nice place, don’t you think?” Henry said.

She nodded. For the first time in a long time, she felt that maybe the future wouldn’t be so bad.

Just then, Rose felt a jolt run through her body, like touching an exposed electrical wire.

She shivered as the electric shock ran through her body as if searching for something. It didn’t hurt, and after a couple of seconds everything was back to normal.

Rose frowned, she felt that something wasn't right.What was that? There’s too much weird stuff going on these days.

After a deep breath she calmed herself, panic was not the solution.

“Here we are."

Rose looked up and gasped.

Before her, a brick-and-wood house loomed, two stories high with an attic and a balcony.

Henry noticed her surprise and laughed, “Incredible isn’t it? It’s absurd to think nobody bought it. After tidying the house up, it will be wonderful.”

In front of the house, Rose saw a red Jeep, the door of the car opened and a big man with a smile on his face came out.

He was a stocky giant with a bald head and green eyes that were vibrant with life. He was wearing only a sweatshirt, tank top and jeans, as if he had rushed out of his house.

They parked in front of the house and got out. As she stretched her sore leg from the long journey, She hears an explosive laugh

“Henry, hahah, you’ve aged!” Bob exclaimed aloud, a grin on his face.

The corner of Henry mouth twiced, but his eyes were smiling “And you’re as loud as ever”

They embraced, and Bob gave him a bearish squeeze.

“You must be Rose,” he asked as he held out his hands to her.

She gab his hand, or at least tries to grab it, as his was wrapping his giant hand around her petite one.

He gave her a big smile “You will love this city”

Rose sighed with relief. If all the people here are like him, it's not gonna be hard to make friends. I was worried for nothing...  

Bob looked around frowning.

He looked at the car and sighed “Olivia! Come and say hello!”

No reply.

Bob walked to the car and knocked on the windows.

After a couple of seconds the door on the other side opened and a beautiful girl with headphones came out.

She had long black hair and eyes that looked at them with obvious indifference.

She was wearing a red leather jacket, which cost more than anything Rose owned, and the latest skinny jeans.

Rose saw her fingernails painted blue as she lowered her headphones and walked over to them.

Bob looked at her in exasperation “She is my daughter, Olivia”

She nodded at them before looking away.

Henry greets her, kind as always.

“Come, let’s leave the girls alone, I’ll show you the house” Bob said trying to change the subject.

As the two adults walked into the house, Rose took a deep breath looking at Olivia “Hi, I’m Rose”

She didn’t even have time to finish the sentence, before Olivia was already putting on her headphones.

Easy to make friends… Rose sighed after this slap of reality.

Just then Rose noticed scars on Olivia’s forearms.

They were long and deep as if a wild animal had caused them.

She stared a little too long, because Olivia buried her forearms in her sleeves and glared at her coldly.

Rose took a few steps back and decided to enter the house.

Her mood not so bright anymore... 

The house was large and spacious. There were three bedrooms each with a bed and wardrobe. A spacious bathroom, and in the center of the house, a spacious empty hall with a stone fireplace on the wall.

Rose loved the hardwood floors in the house and the still empty kitchen ready to be furnished.

She goes up the stairs to Henry’s room and hears him and Bob talking.

Curious, she stepped behind the door, trying to ignore the slight guilt feeling.

“Sorry for Olivia, it’s a tough time for her”

“Don’t worry. What happened?”

She hears Bob’s sigh “A tragedy has happened to one of her classmate"

Rose frowned, remembering her dream.

She shook her head It’s just a coincidence, it’s just another unlucky person...

“Poor girl,” Henry replied.

After more exchanges of words. Henry asked a question that bothered her too “How come such a beautiful house wasn’t already inhabited?”

Bob gave an embarrassed laugh “Just stupid legends that people are afraid of. Nothing you need to worry about”

Having heard enough, Rose knocked on the door and opened it softly.

Henry seeing her smiled “What do you think about the house?”

After seeing the house her mood improved drastically “I love it!”

Bob laughed “it’s going to be even more beautiful when you decorate it”

Rose nodded smiling

After spending the rest of the day cleaning up the house and eating the lunch that Bob brought from home, Bob and Olivia, who had been spending the whole time in the car, left, promising to visit in the weekend.

It was already evening when they were done, all that was missing was furniture and other things that Henry would buy in town

Henry ordered pizza, margherita for him and ham for her, and with a full stomach Rose went to her room after saying goodnight to Henry. 

She looked at her new beautiful room with a bright smile on her face, changed into her pajamas and lay on the bed.

After a few minutes, she hears the whispers.