Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 90: 𝓟𝓼𝔂𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓪𝓽𝓱𝔂

October 11, 1995

I whistled an American folk tune as I walked down one of the halls. For the first time in a very, very long time, I had a break from the paperwork and bill signing. The stress of being an absolute monarch, let me tell you! Mattéo had ordered me to take a walk, a breather and a break to clear my head.

One of the many reasons I loved him. I was heading to the third level garden, the one closest to the bedrooms. It was also my favorite, and where I went when I needed to 'chill out' and relax.

I could imagine it now: The constantly blooming flowers, releasing their pleasing aromas, the robins, cardinals and blue jays chirping their joyful songs, and the trickling brook that ran through the garden. I needed this-

"Ham put her down!"

"Shut up sis!"

Oh great. What are those two up to now?

"Please Ham!"

"God it isn't a big deal Josephine Junior!" Ham snarled.

I began walking towards Junior's bedroom.

"Ham please put down the knife! Don't hurt her!"

Is he...? Threatening Junior? Oh hell no. Not going to happen. I picked myself up into a sprint, which was difficult at first in my slip on shoes.

Luckily I was close to her room.

"Ham! Please! She's my best friend!"

"Oh wow, what a loser! I mean, what are you going to do anyway? Get up and walk over here and take the blade from me? Don't kid yourself! You're a joke sister!"

"Please!"

I arrived at her bedroom, and the scene I saw made my jaw drop. Hamilton was holding Junior's prized velveteen rabbit, Olivia, with a sharp kitchen knife to her throat. Junior was pleading with Ham not to kill the poor creature, which was squeaking frantically, almost as if it was begging to be spared as well.

Hamilton looked sadistic, pleased even.

"Hamilton George Price put that bloody knife down!" I shouted as I stood in the doorway of Junior's room.

When Ham saw me, his crazed grin fell and his face transformed into an emotionless void.

"Mother? What are you doing here?"

"Uh- here to stop you from killing a poor, defenseless creature, which just so happens to be your sister's prized possession!"

"What do you mean? It's just an experiment, mother! To see how long it would take for it to bleed out!"

"What the hell is wrong with you!?"

He looked more confused than anything.

"Hamilton! NOW!"

He sighed, rolled his eyes dramatically, and chucked the knife across the room. It fell to the floor and clattered.

"Now give your sister back her rabbit,"

"Awwww mother come onnnnnnn!" He whined.

Junior reached out for Olivia, but she leaned just a bit too far. She fell out of her wheelchair and flat on her face. When Hamilton saw this, he dropped the rabbit, but began laughing. Not just chuckling, but laughing hysterically! As in, bent over laughing and wheezing!

He fell to the ground himself, laughing up a storm. Now I was frightened.

"Your majesty, what is going on?" A guard asked as he paused.