Chapter 1 The Red Gate

Warrington is a beautiful small town in the big City of Crimson. The environment smelled like the neighbors flowers growing in their small gardens and their delicious traditional food. The neighborhood sounded of birds chirping and the laughter of children playing.

Everyone lived a simple and honest life. Even though they weren't all rich, they loved their life knowing all is well and didn't live in fear, except one family... The Santiago's.

Martina Santiago, a 18 year old, 5'7 tall, brown long and curly hair, blue ocean eyes and lighted skinned beautiful girl, stood outside of her house, leaning on a red small gate, smiling and admiring the beauty of a neighborhood as she watched a little boy playing with his friends. All though she had all beautiful traits but she was naive, as her parents never gave her the freedom to do what her age-mates did, the only thing she was allowed to do was go to school and her dad would also drop her off and pick her.

They claimed it was to protect her from evil "Druglords", saying they were dangerous and all they do was go after young girls like Martina, make they go astray and wayward, destroying their lives. Well...they didn't lie, although the city of Crimsom may seem beautiful, but beneath it lies corruption.

All Martina could feel while leaning on the red gate was Anger. "I wish I could rip out this red barrier of the ground, all it's caused is pain in my life!"

"I'll just take a quick stroll, for five minutes at least." Martina thought.

"Oh... But if mum and dad find out or even catch me, they'll definitely kill me" She thought again hesitantly.

As she tried opening the gate, came Alfred Santiago, her dad.

"Darling, what do you think you're doing, you know your mom would freak out if she caught you trying to sneak out without our permission, besides you know you aren't allowed to cross the gate unless you're either with me or your mom." He told Martina softly. He wasn't angry tho, he treated Martina like a princess, he hardly scolded her, and spoke calmly to her, unlike her mom.

"But dad I'm sick and tired of the way you and mom treat me in this house, I've been locked up my whole life, I only get to see the outside world from my the balcony at my room and this small little red gate. I'm tired of the sick lies you and mom tell me everyday, "Trying to protect me, really?" Just tell me the truth already, what are you guys really hiding? You promised me my freedom when I turned eighteen, but that was another lie, wasn't it?" Martina's face reddened as she burst in tears , her anger and frustration boiling over.

"Honey, please calm down, all your mom and I are doing are just trying to protect you dear, why can't you see that?" He said trying to talk to her and getting close..

She shifted back. "Oh please dad! I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense. Come dad have a look, see that little boy out there playing with his friends? Has any danger come to him, does his parents have him locked up?"

Alfred shook his head, feeling bad. His guilt evident.

"So why are you guys treating me like this? I'm a freaking adult for God's sake, let me live my life please!."

As her mom, Hilda Santiago, was coming to see what the fuss was all about, Martina stormed out, using her shoulder to hit her mom's shoulder.

Hilda, had quite the opposite of Alfred's character towards Martina, although she's quite as naive as Martina, and loved Martina so much, but she's pretty strict with the rules, she suggested the idea of the red gate, made sure Martina didn't go anywhere with herself of her dad.

"Oh my God babe, did you see what she just did? By the way, what happened here, why was our girl crying and angry? Hilda asked Alfred all confused.

"Oh honey, don't you think we're taking all this too far with Martina? The whole strict rules and locking her up, she's already an adult and I think it's only fair we allow her live her life. Look how we're hurting her, we are her parents who's supposed to be giving her peace of mind, but look at us, we're just ruining her life. You know I only agree to these rules because I love you so much and what we've been through." Alfred rubbing his wife hair gently as he spoke.

"But darling,"

She becomes emotional, almost in tears.

"You know we're doing this because of "Her", we never know when she might return, and who knows what she might do to this family after all we did to hurt her in the past?" Hilda, her voice cracking in tears whispered to her husband.

"I don't want to endanger my little girl, I know I'm too strict with my rules, I would never do anything to intentionally hurt my little princess, but all we do is for her own good."

"Baby, that was years ago, maybe she's even let go and we're the ones overreacting out of guilty conscience?" Alfred's voice trembled as he spoke, trying to calm his wife.

"We both knew what she was like, she's not the kind person to just forget, I know she'll come for us one day. I have a really bad feeling." Hilda held her head in frustration.

"Honey please relax, let's not just into conclusion, okay?" Alfred spoke in a soothing tone trying to reassure Hilda.

Martina stood just behind the walls, over hearing their conversation, in shock. "Who are they referring to? And why are my parents so scared of her? Is she really the reason I've been locked up my whole life and why my family are living in fear? I must get to the bottom of this no matter what it takes!"

With a newfound determination, Martina wiped away her tears, and headed straight to her room.