The Dead Crime (Draft)

Chapter#6

Later that day, Camille was once again drenched with water and paints and mud all over her. Her hair had become a nest of garbage and her face was covered with dirt. When they reached home Camille knew she was supposed to take a shower and then wash her clothes. But there was something she wanted to do before all that. She put a glare over Diana and after a little thought she insisted,

"Mom, please I want to change schools...I can't go to this school--" she was trying to go fast and complete her sentence but got cut in between.

"Camille, I'll listen to you later, first go and wash yourself."

"Later? There's no later. Your laters never come." She sneered, her face almost turning red.

"What are you saying Camille-" her eyes widened at her comment. She was shocked at how she talked back at her when she was such an obedient girl. But obedience has some limits too, no one can keep anything in their hearts for so long just because of it. And so did Camille.

"Do you even care a bit about me? You never listen to what I have to say and always listen to Emily only. Are you sure you're my real mom?" She rebuked, fumes starting to emerge from her ears and water appearing on the edge of her eyes.

"Camille. That's not true at all. I care, I care about you too dear." A sheath of fear rubbed against her heart. She was never supposed to let Camille ever find out about her mother....but why? If she didn't even care about her because she's not her daughter then why feel pity for her. 'She is not supposed to know that her real mother died because that'll make her sad and heartbroken'. That was what Diana had embedded in her heart when she first found her. And it had turned out as if she was trying to hide something huge. She was unaware about her feelings and the things she was doing...

"You don't.." Camille looked at her shoes.

"No Camille, look at me. Look into my eyes. I love you too dear. I love you as much as I love your sister." She stared deep into her eyes making the worst pitiful expression ever.

"Then why you don't listen to me but always listen to Emily?"

"I listen to you too, it's just...she's little so I have to look after her more. I'm sorry Camille. I'll listen to you." She patted her hair, throwing off the pieces of grass and paper stuck in there.

Camille's expressions took a dramatic change. Her teary eyes and tensed brows turned to bright smile and sparkle in her eyes. When Diana saw that she was surprised, a wind of relief and happiness calmed her heart, 'it really works...she believes anything If I stare into her eyes for long.' she thought referring to the day when Kevin did the same to make her believe that Diana was her real mother. The evil thought that she can control Camille slid down her veins...

When Camille came back after taking a shower, she saw Diana sitting on the couch waiting for her. A smile bloomed on her face , she advanced towards her and jumped on the couch beside her.

"So what is it that you wanted to say? Why you want to change school?" Diana asked. Camille sighed and told her all about the rumours.
After she heard her story about how the kids in school bullyed her and called her a begger and orphan, Diana started to pity her again. 'if her mother was still alive....' she thought giving her a pat.

"No matter what they say, I'm still your mother and you're still my daughter. Ok Camille?" She widened her gaze on her.
Camille hummed in response.

Camille had forgotten all the times she was ignored and assumed it was all just her delusion. Her heart suddenly stopped bleeding but the wounds were still there, she just couldn't feel them. She sensed a fresh aura driving inside her and her energy boasted. She danced along the corridor with her golden braids, Diana made, wiggling on her shoulders as she strolled all the way to Emily's room,

"Hey Emily, wanna play?"

"Yes!! I want to play catch ball with you." She yelled joyfully getting up to fetch the ball. While she was digging the toys in her closet to look for the ball, Diana came from behind and called Camille,

"I have a meeting with Emily's teacher, I won't be gone long so take care of Emily." She enjoined.

After she was gone they both ran outside in the garden and started to play. The weather was amusing matching with their moods. They both played with the ball until Camille threw it too fast that it fell over the gate outside.

"My ball!!" Emily cried running towards the gate. Camille rushed after her and stopped her by grabbing her shoulder,

"You stay inside, I'll get the ball."

"Alright..." Emily waited inside the garden as she was told while Camille ran out finding the ball on the other side of the street. When she reached near it, an old man picked it up before her. He had a white face with a grey beard and a weirdly funny looking hat on his head. He wore a white robe and was holding a cane in his hand. His eyes were pale blue with faint glitters covered under a dark smoky curtain. He gave her a long deadly stare with those icy blue eyes then relaxed it with a grin after noticing that the girl didn't change her expressions at all.

"I see...you're no normal kid either." He handed her the ball and added, "Get away from that venom before it's too late. It's for your own good."

"Who's the venom?"

"The one whose blood flows in your veins." He said, "Don't hate people or you might end up killing them. It's an advice from a monster to a monster who hasn't grown up yet."

All of a sudden, Diana came from behind and grabbed Camille's hand tightly pulling her towards herself,

"What are you doing with a stranger."

The old man glared at Diana and smirked as if he understood the whole situation. He looked back at Camille and murmured,

"And don't get fooled by others, they're the biggest source of awakening the monster."

Diana rapidly covered Camille's ears with her cold hands and shouted,

"Who are you, trying to say weird things to a child." She uncovered her ears and said, "don't listen to what strangers say. Let's go in."
She held her hand and went inside slamming the gate.

The old man stood where he was and took a deep breath enjoying the fine weather,

"The girl had some murderous instincts."
He said to himself without being bothered even a tiny bit.