Forlot: A Girl Who Needs Her Space - Book Thirty-Two

Chapter Eighteen

Today was a great day. Well...it was not a great day yet, but I knew that today would be a great day. A great day for me, and a nightmare for Vicky.

I spent the rest of yesterday plotting, but alas, I did not have a solid plan. I was having trouble coming up with the perfect plan to get back at Vicky. She needed to pay for messing with me and Karma and possibly anybody else who has been under her shoe.

I know what you readers are thinking. Sounds like that I am getting revenge on Vicky. I can reassure you that I am not. I told Karma that I am not the revenge kind of girl. I was not going to harm Vicky. I just wanted her to be in my and Karma's shoes for once. I wanted to show her that she was not the most talented person who has lived on the planet. I wanted to show her that there are people who are as talented. Possibly more talented.

But how was I going to pull it off?

Morning arrived sooner than I expected. I yawned and forced my eyes to open. I blinked a few times for them to focus. As soon as I did, I heard a knock on my door.

Knock, knock!

"Who the heck is knocking on my door?" I managed to choke out.

I thought that it was one of my brothers, but it was just my mom. Thank the Lord from above. Even He knows that I do not like dealing with any of my brothers first thing in the morning.

"Carmen," Mom said my name. "Honey. It is that time again. Time to rise and shine."

"'Time,'" I repeated.

I shifted my head to my nightstand next to my bed and saw the wristwatch and music box. The music box was perched in the middle of the nightstand just waiting to be opened and play its lovely melody. As for the watch, it was lying next to the music box and just allowing the time to pass by.

Get it? Allowing the time to pass by.

I will see myself out now.

"It is seven o'clock," I confirmed as I gazed at the time on the watch. "It is after seven o'clock."

"Carmen?" Mom said. "Are you getting out of bed?"

"Yes, Mom," I responded. "I am getting out of bed and getting dressed now."

"Good, good. 'Cause you have school today."

"I know. Thank you, Mom."

I pushed the covers off me and climbed out of bed. "Oh my gosh," I said as I wiped my forehead. "I am hot. If I were a snowman, I would melt for sure."

I moved to the edge of my bed and stood up - and then I screamed bloody murder.

I immediately pulled up my legs and wrapped my arms around them. I was praying that I was seeing things. It could not be happening. This could not be happening.

I shuddered as I peered over the bed. I let out another scream and hid under the sheets. My breath caught in my throat. I felt my blood pulsing through my veins.

"Please let Mom or Aunt Elore come in here," I prayed.

As if the Lord had answered my prayer - and He did - I heard my bedroom door opening. The hinges squeaked as the person opened the door and entered my room. I poked my head out of the sheets and was relieved that it was my aunt. She had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot.

"Carmen?" She spotted me. "There you are, Carmen."

I was still shivering. "I-I am not coming out of h-here," I stammered.

"Do you mean that you are not getting out of your bed? Or are you not coming out of your room?"

"Both."

She walked over to my bed and felt my forehead. "You do not have a fever."

I pointed to under my bed. "Look under my bed."

"Why do you want me to look under your bed?"

"There...is a snake!"

She quirked an eyebrow. "There is a snake under your bed?"

I nodded. "Check if you do not believe me."

She flashed me a smile. "I believe you, sweetie. I know that you do not lie..." She paused. "...unlike your older and younger brothers." She dropped to her knees and checked under the bed. "Oh my gosh." She scrambled to her feet. "Oh my gosh!"

"Do you see it, Aunt Elore? Do you see the snake?"

"You bet that I did. Oh my gosh. That is one huuuuuge snake!"

"So what are we going to do?"

"I will tell you what we are going to do!"

My Aunt Elore is a strong woman. She exercises every day and likes challenging herself. She is a woman who does not back down from a fight. Unfortunately, she is afraid of spiders and snakes and other creepy crawlers. She pulled the covers off of me and picked me up. She quickly took me out of my room and downstairs.

Aunt Elore ran into the kitchen where Mom was fixing breakfast and shouted, "You need to gather up all your sons and get them to confess!"

Mom was startled by her outburst and turned around. "Oh my gosh. Elore." She put her hand on her chest. "I thought that you were an intruder."

"Funny that you should mention an intruder."

Mom set the knife that she was holding on the kitchen counter. "Do not tell me that we have an intruder."

"You could say that. But do not worry your little head. It is not what you think."

"Who is the intruder then?"

"I suggest that you ask your six sons." She set me down and kept me close. "Carmen will now be late for school thanks to the boys."

"What did they do, Elore?"

We suddenly heard the music box playing.

And then a scream.