So twisted do they grow

I have a deadly nightshade

So twisted does it grow-

with berries black as midnight

And a skull as white as snow

–G. H. Finn

I was only ten when my whole world fell apart. My mom, who always embraced me when I got home from school, wasn't there. One day my dad, who was supposed to be working, was waiting for me in the living room . His eyes were red and puffy as if he'd been crying. Deep within my stomach, something told me my mom wasn't coming home tonight.

"She's been shot," he sobbed. In that moment, the whole world stood at a standstill. I felt like someone just punched me in the stomach. I didn't want to believe it.

Within a month of her death, her murderer was found. The first time I saw him in the courtroom, I immediately thought of the Joker. His hair was greased back, and he wore the same sickly, purple suit like in the movie. His face was twisted like he was holding back a laugh. He looked at me and smirked. As if that taunting grin said to me: It's too late. She's dead, and there's nothing you can do about it.

The judge rattled off the list of crimes: third degree grand larceny, Illegal possession of a firearm, First-degree capital murder. The announcements only made him stand taller, like a soldier being presented a medal of honor. I learned my mother wasn't the only victim. Thirty-nine other women had died under his hands. The judge cleared his throat, "Is there anything you would like to say for yourself?" He didn't say a word and instead convulsed in laughter as if it were the funniest joke that had been made. Eight years later, his laughter still haunts my memories; from time to time I swear I can still hear him.

Walking outside in my garden, I try to memorize every little detail of this soon to be memory. The smell of all the different flowers, how the warm sun feels on my skin, the soft blades of grass beneath my bare feet. What will my life be like after I get married? Will my betrothed have a garden too? I could reminisce about the days me and mom would spend hours out here. Planting flowers in the garden together, catching butterflies, and learning about new and interesting plants. I looked up to the sky letting my long, black curls fall behind me, I wish you were still here mom.

"Caroline, Caroline!" My dad was calling out to me, "Come inside, they will arrive here shortly."

"Alright, I'll be inside in a moment!"

Soon my betrothed will be here. And in less than two months I'll be married and living a completely different life. My phone read 4:25 P.M. In five minutes he will be here. Putting my phone into my back pocket I started to head inside.

Looking through the living room window, a black Mercedes pulled up to the house. It was impossible to see who was inside because of the tinted windows. A guy around my age got out of the passenger side, he had daffodils in his hands. My dad opened the door before he even got the chance to knock, "Hi Marcus, I'm glad you could make it," my dad looked behind Marcus, "Is your father with you?"

"Yeah, he told me he will be inside in a moment," Marcus started to make his way towards me, "You must be Caroline, right?"

"Yes, I am."

He shook my hand and sat down beside me, brushing his curly, brown hair out of his face. My dad sat down opposite from us. I fiddled with my curls to distract myself from my nervousness. "I am going to go and bring your father inside," my dad looked at me, "Caroline, you should get to know Marcus."

He went out the door and for a moment it was silent. I heard Marcus clear his throat "These flowers are for you," He held the daffodils out to me.

"Oh, thank you," I took them awkwardly.

That's when the door opened and my dad walked in, "Caroline, this is his father Victor," A tall man walked in. No, it can't be. Victor walked over and held his hand out to me. Yet I couldn't move. No, it can't be, is all I could think. My heart sped up. I was looking in the eyes of my mom's killer.

"Dad, how could you do this?" I raised my voice, " This man killed mom, how could you have me marry his son?"

"Listen Caroline, give me a chance to explain."

"Explain what?" Tears were starting to blur my vision

I didn't give him a chance to say anything, I dropped the flowers and ran into the kitchen towards the garden door.

I wasn't sure how far my legs took me, all I knew was that the woods were now surrounding me and I was no longer in the garden. Letting myself fall to the ground, I burst into tears. How could he do this to me, to mom? It felt like my dad had betrayed me. Why would he have me marry the son of my mom's killer. Lifting my head, my eyes locked onto a berry bush a few feet away. I went over and picked a few off the stem. Nightshade. One time in the forest with my mother, I nearly ate them thinking they were some type of blueberry, but thankfully my mother quickly stopped me before one could touch my lips. She told me to never eat one of these berries because they would kill me. Kill me. A thought popped into my mind as I started picking the berries off the stem and into my pocket. This is for mom.

I headed back to the house and into the room where they were all sitting.

My father was the first to notice me, "Caroline, I am so sorry but if you just let me explain-"

"No dad, I'm sorry," I cut him off, "I shouldn't have acted like that."

He gave me a quick embrace. And motioned for me to sit down. I shook my head, "Could I at least make you all a cup of coffee?" Then I quickly added, "To apologize for causing such a problem."

They all looked at each other and then nodded, Marcus was the one who spoke, "Yeah, that would be fine."

I went to the kitchen and started to prepare the coffee for everyone. I took the nightshade out of my pocket and mashed them as much as I could. Not leaving behind any of them, the berries went into Marcus' cup. Carefully carrying them out into the living room I placed a cup in front of each of them. Since Victor killed my mother, I'll kill his son. He will suffer. I sat down sipping on my cup of coffee and glanced at Marcus as he drank. "This coffee is very sweet, what did you put in it?" He asked.

"I can't tell you," I smirked, "It's a family secret."

"Okay, Well it's very good," he drank the last of it. "Berries?"

"Family secret," my lips repeated again

This time Victor spoke, "Caroline, I just want to apologize for what happened to your mother."

    I tried to keep my voice calm, he would get what's coming soon enough, "Why? I think you said it all in court when you laughed at the charges."

    "That's what your father and I have been trying to explain to you," he paused for a second, "That wasn't me. I didn't kill your mother. My twin brother did."

    The coffee cup fell from my hand and broke when it collided with the floor. My father looked concerned. "Caroline are you okay?"

Words wouldn't come out, I felt like a ticking time bomb about to go off. I poisoned the wrong person!

I looked at Marcus who was sitting across from me. His dilated pupils stared back at me. "What did you do?" His words were slurred. He then collapsed onto the floor.

Victor immediately dropped to his son's side and held Marcus' limp body in his arms. I glanced at my father, who was quickly dialing numbers into his phone. The noise of Victor's wailing and my father's loud, panicked speaking became muffled. I couldn't move. I felt like a spectator in some type of dream. There was chaos around me, but I felt strangely calm, like I would wake up any second and none of this would be happening.

I heard the cruel laughter again. The laughter I heard from my mom's killer that fateful day in the courtroom. Only it was not my mother's killer. Not a memory in my head. I found myself laughing at the situation. I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't stop. Everything seems funny to me. Marcus is dead. I am going to prison. I had become what I hated the most. A murderer, like my mother's killer!