Ever since she was a child, Grace Howard suffered from nightmares. She had dreams of being burned to death in a red hot blaze of fire. Each night when she woke, her mother would make her tea, and her father would sit with her as they thumbed through various photo albums laughing.

Putting her car in park, she quietly slid out and closed the door. Walking up to her moderately-sized rustic childhood house, she sighed. Sliding her key in the lock, she pushed it open to reveal the soft autumn colors that twinkled in the moonlight.

"Hold it right there." a voice appeared behind her.

"Hi, Mom," Grace said, turning, "did I wake you?"

"My saving Grace,"

Her mother, Holly, lowered the long-handled pot she used to protect herself.

"Another Nightmare?"

"Yea."

"I'll put on some tea. The albums are on the end table in the living room."

Grace Howard hugged her mother, thankful that at least she still had her.

Holly placed her loving hand her daughter's shoulders, "Which one is it tonight?"

"It's the last one with Dad in it."

"You had just about turned four when we lost him."

Grace ran her long pale fingers over the photo of her sitting on her father's shoulders at a zoo they visited when she was young. Encased in a protective cover her father's face was wearing off on the outer edges. Grace Howard relied on that particular photo to get her through a great many difficulties in the past. Although she never told her mother that was the one and only memory Grace Howard had of her and her father together.

"That was always my favorite too," Holly said. "Oh, there goes the teapot. I shall return."

Holly Howard-Mills rewrapped her silk robe and disappeared. Grace smiled as she ran her fingers over the picture one last time and then held it to her heart.

"I miss him, you know," Grace said loud enough for her mother to hear.

"I know you do."

Holly Howard-Mills returned with her silver tea tray.

Eyeing her mother, Grace let out a defeated sigh, for Grace Howard knew what was coming next.

"You know where he is," Holly said, "why not just pop in and see him?"

"It's not that easy mom," Grace said.

"Oh, I forgot the sugar."

Holly Howard Mills wandered back to the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?"

"Mom? Is everything okay?"

Grace put down her tea and cautiously walked to the kitchen where she could hear her mother talking -- begging an unknown assailant to spare her daughter's life.

"Mom?"

"Grace take the picture of your father and run!" Holly said.

As Holly Howard-mills last word left her mouth she flopped down on the off white Lienoium shot dead. Grace looked up at the masked man who murdered her mother then heard her mother's words and put her body into motion. Grabbing the photo of her and her father out of the album Grace Howard ran.