Regina

The Delengrad Trilogy

Book One:

Regina

By: Mary Ann Moody

Cover Created By: Crystal Maloney

Regina is dedicated to my wonderful parents,
Richard and Linda Mangrum. Their love and encouragement molded me
into the eccentric writer I am today, and I thank you both from the
bottom of my heart. I love you!

To the inhabitants of the real Lee, Texas. I
think we can agree that my love for the town and those I grew up
with are permanently embedded into my soul. Thank you all for the
best childhood a writer could ask for.

And a huge Thank You to Crystal Maloney for
creating the cover and book jacket to Regina.

M. A. M.

Mary Ann Moody

Copyright 2014 by Mary Ann Moody

Smashwords Edition

Prologue

Dreams are real.

Scientists say they’re not sure why we dream.
They think dreams are a combination of verbal, visual and emotional
stimuli combining into sometimes fragmented nonsense. Though they
are entertaining story lines, dreams have inspired people. Stephen
King said he received inspiration for his books from his dreams. I
thought that was a very entertaining idea.

I read an article online that
said
early civilizations thought dream
worlds were real, physical worlds that they could enter only from
their dream state
. I thought it was very interesting
too.

A man said his college Sociology professor
taught a theory: our souls leave our bodies when we sleep and our
dreams are remnants of its experiences. That was my favorite
theory. I can think of that now and not cry. The pain of his
betrayal still lingers.

For me, my dreams led to my real self and to
my real home. I started realizing the repetition of my dreams when
I was a little girl. I didn’t care about them until I moved to Lee,
Texas.

This is the story of me and the life and
dreams of Regina Roth. Though Regina no longer exists, thru her our
stories will finally be told.

Chapter One

I didn’t discover the plot to murder me
until it was too late. I never saw it coming. It started with the
need to leave New York for Lee Texas. Leaving my home, my
summertime youth, the comfort of my room, my closet, our upper West
Side apartment, my friends and boyfriend was making me angry. My
heart began filling up with an intense heartache. It hurt so much
in my chest; I couldn’t help but cry the whole way to the airport.
I knew I was upsetting my mom, I could feel her eyes on me the
entire day and the tears she was holding back. She was miserable
for me and I knew I shouldn’t be so selfish, but I can’t help it.
I’m in mourning.

I was in denial after Daddy pulled me aside
to tell me the terrible news: we were going to my mother’s hometown
for two months to help her mysterious father bury his wife, my
grandmother. My dead grandmother was as much of a mystery to me as
my grandfather. My mother never talked about her parents, let alone
her life before she met my daddy. Daddy said she didn’t get along
with my grandparents and once she graduated high school, she left
Lee and never returned.

“Never?” I asked full of doubt.

“Never.” The dark look in his eyes haunted
me. “She never wanted to return. Regina, your mother’s parents are
religious fanatics who disapproved of everything she did. They
looked down on her and judged every decision she made as if they
were God. The town is tiny; the people are snotty and judgmental.
Plus everything closes at dusk. Lee is never a place I would want
to live.”

I shuddered at the thought. Daddy sounded so
firm, and serious that I become scared of the man I would meet. My
mother’s father, I was curious about him but I’d let my imagination
run away with me for I pictured him as 7 feet tall and towering
over me. He would have menacing red eyes and thin red lips to show
the evil in his smile. His judging eyes would mistake me for a
sinner and I would spend the whole summer running from this wild,
religious freak.

I let out a deep breath while waiting for the
plane to board. The plane was right outside the window, getting
ready to whisk me away. My family and I would soon board into the
first class section. Then the plane would take off, taking me away
from New York, Renee and Jane, dates with Jeff, long hot nights in
the park, my 16th birthday with my friends and the whole summer in
New York. The thoughts were running rampant in my mind and I
couldn’t think anymore. My stomach began to turn. I knew I was
going to throw up and ran into the nearest bathroom.

I was leaving me, Regina, behind. Something
was waiting for me in Lee, something terrible. And I was
scared.

-----

After a severe anxiety attack, I washed my
face with cold water and took deep breaths. The airport lights
flickered as I washed my hands. Why was I panicking so badly? I
know I’m leaving everything, but I can live with that. It’s only
the summer, not forever. I’m not afraid of the plane or flying. I’m
with my parents and I know I’m safe.

“So why can’t I breathe? Why can’t I stop
shaking?” I asked my reflection.

I took some more deep breaths and tried to
get a hold of myself. The dingy light turquoise tiles on the walls
were making me sick. I moaned as my head began to spin. The room
smelled bad. My blonde hair looked gross under this light. It was
pale and looked unwashed. My eyes were no longer blue but green
with vomit. Everyone says I’m such a pretty girl, but the person
staring back at me in the mirror was scared and far from
pretty.

“Everything is going to be ok. I’m going to
be ok.” I told myself over and over. Keeping the mantra in my head,
I felt better with every deep breath. Eventually, the room stopped
spinning.

“Flight 755 for Austin Texas now boarding at
Gate 7. Boarding for Flight 755 Austin Texas at Gate 7.” The
announcement said.

That’s me.

Looking into the mirror in front of me, I
repeated: I’m going to do this because I’m strong. My mother needs
me, I’m going to find an adventure in Lee and return to New York
where I belong.

I stared into the mirror for another minute
telling myself this. The smell wasn’t so bad now that I was getting
used to it. I gazed at my tall, slim figure in the mirror once
again. I really didn’t want to leave this stinky bathroom now, but
this was silly and I was very tired. It had been two days since I
slept well. I looked myself firmly in the eye and walked out of the
restroom.

It didn’t work. The moment I opened the
restroom door, I felt like running anywhere but towards that plane.
I felt my feet grow roots into the floor and my brain refused to
allow them to move forward. My sweet father saw my hesitation and
immediately came to my aide. I was happy mom had already boarded
the plane and didn’t see all the anxiety in me. Her happiness was
the only reason I agreed to go.

“G? Are you ok?” My father’s voice called out
with concern. I laughed internally. My father was such a worrywart
when it came to me. Plus his nickname for me, G was such a lame
attempt to be cool in front of me and my friends, but I loved him
for it.

“Yes daddy. Just not feeling well. I don’t
think breakfast sat well with me.” I lied. As much as I yearned to
tell him the truth, I couldn’t, not now. I felt a little relief
that I could talk to my father about this later. Daddy was the only
person I could ever really talk to.

“Well, do you think you’re ready? We can
board.” He asked, nodding to the plane.

I was about to open my mouth to speak when
that feeling came at me again. Doom and vomit. It rose up in me
like a wave ready to wipe me out. I felt the heat in my cheeks and
my breath quicken. My anxiety was back. I resisted the urge to dig
my fingernails into the ground, refuse to go and scream like a
child in order to get my way. Never before had I felt such emotions
of panic. I sat down heavily into the chair before I fell.

“Regina. Please don’t do this to your mother.
We’ve talked about this before. It’s only for two months while we
help Grandpa George sort out the funeral and estate. He has no one
to help him and nowhere to go. We have to make sure he has a home,
someone to take care of him.”

Fear was all over his face now. He was very
afraid I wouldn’t get on the plane for Texas. There was no way my
mother was going to bury her mother alone, he was going with her. I
didn’t have other relatives and though Jane’s parents said I could
stay with them this summer, I had to go with my parents. However, I
heard mom repeatedly tell daddy that she couldn’t return home, for
the funeral without us.

“I know Daddy. I just needed a moment. I’m
ready. Let’s get going.” I lied while forcing a natural smile and
laugh. I’m going to let him think it’s my anger of being separated
from my friends. Later, when we were alone, I would tell him the
truth. I forced the anxiety down successfully and boarded the plane
that would take me to my summer adventure.

Had I known the horrors that awaited me in
Lee, I never would’ve boarded the plane.

Chapter Two

I felt better after I stared sipping on my
cola and reading my book. My feet were relaxed in front of me and
my stomach felt settled. The plane was full with people. Thanks
goodness daddy had claustrophobia! A great benefit to flying with
him was his insistence on doing it first class. I loved the special
treatment, the spacious seats, the better food and the free
everything! If we fly overseas, we get free pajamas and slippers.
The stewardess was handing out drinks while everyone was boarding
the plane. A cola settled my stomach nicely. I was seated exactly
where I wanted, as far from my parents as possible. It was a little
disgusting watching them cuddle like two lovebirds. Seems as if
daddy didn’t have anxiety about flying this time.

When he was a child, his friends locked him
in a tiny closet as a joke. Since then, my poor father has been
afraid of small spaces. Though I don’t understand how a plane
compares to a tiny closet. Once, daddy tried to fly regular class
when we went to Maine for spring break. I was glad we picked a
short trip for if the flight would’ve been any longer, daddy
would’ve jumped from the plane!

I looked around while the stewardesses made
drinks and handed out snacks. Dinner would be served later.

I didn’t want to talk to anyone so I
put in my ear buds and enjoyed the silence. They never left my ears
the entire way. I watched the ground start to move under me as we
started to prepare for takeoff. I knew this was my last chance to
execute Plan B, which was to throw a huge temper tantrum on the
plane and get us kicked off. With homeland security as tight as it
is these days, we probably wouldn’t be allowed back on a plane. We
would be forced to drive to Texas and there was
no
way my parents were going to do that! But
with each second that went by, I knew Plan B was a stupid kid’s way
to get what I wanted. My body deflated while I let my breath, and
Plan B, go.

I looked over at my parents as the plane went
higher into the sky. I noticed they had their heads together,
talking about their excitement about going to mom’s hometown.
Gross, spare me! They appeared like two old people trying to regain
their lost youth. They will never get that back and should get over
it!!

My thoughts turned very red as I looked
outside. The beautiful New York skyline was a sight to see! I
looked everywhere below as my memories flooded my mind. Tears
zigzagged down my face as I re-lived every second in New York with
my friends.

My anger threatened to boil when I looked
back at my parents. They were making a toast together. I heard
their glasses clink and shut my eyes. They never looked at me or
came to see if I was ok. I wanted some space but not enough that
they ignore me. I turned my music up pretty loud. I had to drone
out their stupid teenage excitement about seeing my mom’s high
school and the places she hung out. My wet eyes threatened to close
after so many days without sleep. Now that I was on the plane, I
knew life was going to carry me to my destiny like a leaf in the
river. I wouldn’t be able to control anything that happened to me.
After we disappeared into the clouds, somewhere between my anger
and rage, I fell asleep.

I was on a school bus. It was nighttime,
pretty odd to be going home at night. I looked around and noticed
the familiar surroundings. I was in the country, one a lone gravel
road. Renee and Jane were sitting in the back, talking about
something.