"Ma, there's nothing to worry about. You're overreacting way too much." 

The desperate tone of reassurance left the lips of a young woman that had been pacing a barren living room floor most of her conversation. Stocking feet padded gently across the hard oak floor while the dull light of the morning sun lit up the room with a dim afterglow. She dodged he many boxes that were scattered throughout the mostly empty house, both open and closed boxes were strewn throughout the home. It was as if the current occupant had yet to decide if the house she was staying in was to be their permanent place of residence or not. 

"Of course there is, my only daughter is halfway across the country and-" 

"And I'll be fine. I need this change anyways and my new job will be good for me. It'll keep me busy and my mind off of things." 

Silence played over the phone as the young woman grabbed a grey sweater she had dangled over one of the nearby boxes. Almost immediately upon lifting it from its resting place, she stopped to stare at the object resting just below the pile of fabric. Two young teenagers stared straight up at her, each had an arm flung over the other's shoulder. Their smiles were big and as bright as the sun, lighting up the yard that they had been goofing around in. Their matching bright red hair and eyes both bright and black stood out among the scene. Light and darkness mingling together within their innocent eyes as they posed for the person taking the picture. 

The young female had been herself, back when she was about fifteen years old. The other, her twin brother King, having gone missing only a year prior before her move into the house her brother once owned. 

"Qhuinn, Qhuinn honey, are you still there?" 

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm still here. Look, Ma, I need to get going. I have things that I need to get done, stop by the department and stuff." 

Qhuinn's voice was low, slow and distracted. 

As her mother spoke on the other line, Qhuinn didn't seem to be listening as she carefully took hold of the photo and flipped it upside down. Having to look at it only brought up memories she would have wished she could do without. 

"Okay sweetheart, just be careful out there and stay in contact. I've heard so many scary stories about people going missing out there and random attacks. Ever since your-" 

"Yes Ma, I know. You've mentioned all of this to me before I moved. However, that's why I'm here to begin with. Anyways, I'll call you later, love you." 

Qhuinn knew it was rude, but she quickly hung up on her mother before she could say another word. 

Pocketing her cell phone into the pocket of her matching grey sweats to the jacket she was holding, she prepared herself for the outing she had planned for the day. In one fluid motion, she also managed to get the jacket on and went in search of her sneakers that had been left near the front door. She wanted to be prepared to leave at a moments notice, get her run in, stop by the department and maybe do anything else she deemed needed to be done. 

After a few short minutes to slip her shoes on and grab her keys, Qhuinn stepped outside into the chilly fall air. The cold nipping at her exposed skin as she locked the door behind her and turned to look out over her new home, the small town of Haven. 

Thankfully, there was no need for Qhuinn to worry about the sun being in her eyes that morning, it had been dulled by the hazy covering of clouds that blanketed Haven. There was a slight nipping chill to the air despite the wind not blowing in from anywhere. It was strange how the small town seemed so still, yet remained active at the same time. Browning leaves fought to hang onto the stiff tree limbs that stretched overhead like long lanky fingers grasping at whatever they could. Those weak enough to let go fell right to the ground, lying around in piles of brown, orange, and red. Bigger piles were being jumped in by younger children and playful little dogs that brought a smile to the laughing little tykes. The adults, their parents and neighborly friends, were bundled up and standing around to watch from their nearby perches of their porch steps or a nearby window inside. 

The small town of Haven would have seemed absolutely perfect, if not for the way Qhuinn's neighbors seemed to whisper among one another. She should have been used to it, but instead, it just made her weary and uncomfortable since she moved in a few days prior. 

Since arriving, Qhuinn couldn't help but notice the ever growing chatter about a local myth in town. A house only revealed to those that it allowed one to see, a house of cards that swallowed its victims up, never to be seen again. 

This, this was why she transferred to Haven Police Department in the first place. To hunt down and find those that had been taken from the safety of Haven, end these silly little stories that got her side glances from her neighbors, and o find her twin brother and bring him home once and for all. 

Qhuinn allowed one single glance more of the neighborhood around her, pushing all prior thoughts of this mysterious myth from her mind as she tied her bright crimson hair into a high ponytail. She ignored the idle whispers between her nearby neighbors and stepped down from her porch and onto the leaf scattered, broken sidewalk that rested in front of her home. Her feet only continued to carry her to he left as she jogged, hoping the early morning run would help ease her mind after the conversation she had had with her mother. 

Her mother had obviously had more to say, the conversation would have continued if not for Qhuinn hanging up as soon as she possibly could. It was a conversation she didn't want to have with her mother, her own thoughts and fears about what her mother was going to say making it that much harder to speak about the topic. 

Qhuinn made sure she had stopped it, not wanting to speak of it, not wanting to be bothered by it. Not when she now had the opportunity to hunt down her brother, her brother's kidnapper and bring this whole fanciful excuse to an end so no one could justify this 'House of Cards' as a reasoning behind the disappearances.