At first glance, it all looks too typical. The seemingly never-ending lines at the pool. children jumping barefoot on burning concrete through the water hose. Their screams of joy able to drown out the other sounds of the world. Two teenagers holding hands on their first date. The way she blushes nervously making his heart skip a beat and she wonders if they'll last longer than a week at most. The homebodies giving in to their parents and sitting on their porches wondering when they can go back inside to the air conditioning. Exhausted parents hoping for the school year to begin again. Every simple and sweet aspect of today drowned out what was truly happening. At least in this case what had already happened and was going to be discovered soon.
Laying in the ditch by the old abandoned house surrounded by years of plant overgrowth was this town's dear Violet "Vivi" Peirse. How ironic it seemed that Violet lay slightly hidden amongst the weeds and grass in a backyard. Violet is the beauty of her town's pageant, 3rd year in a row. She got high scores in high school, was the star of the debate team, and got into her top choice college out of state. This year during graduation, she proudly spoke of the travels and achievements her future could hold. With waist-length hair wrapped up in a braided bun and a few bobby pins to hold her baby hairs in place, she confidently gripped her diploma and kissed her father's cheek good-bye. An unspoken promise to come back and visit lingering on his proud but fragile heart. Anyone seeing Vivi now would not be able to recognize her from her appearance alone.
There was sweet Violet with unfocused eyes and skin so thin and papery it was peeling off. Her once naturally curly hair now a frizzy and matted mess stuck to her scalp and the dirt beneath her. Dried chapped lips and the stench of death that draws both flies and scavenging animals near encased her. Eyes holding an unblinking glassy stare with both a wound on her abdomen and the back of her head. This is Violet now, unknown to who will likely stumble upon her. Unknown to Alex Dion who had the misfortune of Leo, a midnight black labrador, running off while the movers brought furniture in. Today was supposed to be a day of new beginnings marking the end of the school year. It was supposed to be a typical day, in a random town, in a random state during the Summer yet, it was anything but.
