Prologue

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Brenna
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The smell of sugar cookies filled the air as I walked into the house. I squealed with delight as I ran towards the kitchen where I knew my mother would be. When it hit December first she would always bake cookies. Lots of them. Sugar cookies, gingerbread, chocolate chip cookies and so much more.
She would make enough to last us the month which was a lot seeing as I ate so many a day. My dad says I eat fifty a day but he always over exaggerates.
          "I want to help," I say, already making my way towards her. I stop next to her,  trying to peer over the island to see everything she's made so far but I'm too short. "Mommy" I groan as I stick my hands up, looking up at her pleadingly. "Picky?" I ask.
          She looks down at me smiling as she brushes her hands on her apron. Scooping me up she brings me over to the sink to wash my hands first before plopping me onto the island countertop.
          I stare down at the sugar cookies already cut out and I smile. "Mommy?" I ask, staring at the cookies. "Yes sweetie?" She asks as she rolls out the dough. "Can I use my cookie cutter?" I ask, referring to my favorite one. I call it mine even though my parents bought it, but I just love it so much.
          "It's in the pile next to you," she says, motioning her head towards the pile of cutouts. I groan looking at the big stack, "That pile is so big it will take me twenty years to find it," I say as I grab her arm, stopping her from rolling the dough out.
          I see her roll her eyes as she smiles and reaches over and grabs one. She hands it to me then kisses the tip of my nose. "Make as many as you want," she says before going back to rolling the dough out.
          Looking down I notice the star cookie cutter in my hand and I smile. "Thank you" I say, kicking my legs that hang off the edge of the island excitedly.
          She finishes rolling the dough out and I immediately dive in, making seven cutouts before there is no more room. Mom grabs them and places them on the cookie pan right as daddy enters, smiling at the two of us.
          "How are my two little monsters," he says as he walks up to us. He messes with my hair as he walks past and I let out a whine. "Daddy" I say as I try to fix it. He doesn't respond as I see him walk up to mom and pull her in and kiss her.
          I fake gag as I cover my eyes. "That's so nasty" I screech as I turn away. I hear them pull apart and then my dad chuckles. "I see you've found that star," I hear him say. I look over at him looking at the cutouts I just made.      "Aren't they pretty?" I say as I reach out and touch one of them. He shakes his head, grinning. "We need to throw that thing out," he says. I gasp as I clutch the star cookie cutter in my hand tightly.
          "You do that and I will run away," I challenge as I put it behind my back. He turns away, grabbing the plate that is in the microwave. Mom always makes him a plate and puts it in there so when he gets home he can eat.
          "I was only joking, sugar," he says as he takes a bite of the fried rice mom made for dinner. I shake my head, "still not funny," I say as I hop off the counter, the cutout still in hand. I shove it in the pocket of my sweatpants and make my way over to the stove where a pan already lays with baked cookies.
I snatch one and shove half of it into my mouth right as my dad grabs my hips and starts tickling me. I laugh as the cookie in my hand falls and I'm being thrown over his shoulder. "You dont think I'm funny," he challenges as he walks towards mom and wraps an arm around her waist.
          "No, you're boring," I say as I begin thrashing, trying to get out of his hold. "Brenna," they both said at the same time, laughing as my foot connects with a bag.
My head snaps behind me and wince as I look at the flour decorating the counter top and the floors.
          "I'm sorry" I rush out as daddy places me on the island so I'm sitting in the flour. My mom is already off grabbing the broom before I have a chance to help. My dad stares at me for a few seconds, taking me in it seems as he leans down and places a kiss on my forehead.
"Go clean yourself up then go head to bed, alright," he says. I look around at the mess and he grabs my chin, facing me towards him again. "Me and your mom got this, go get cleaned up," he says as he brings his hand up to my hair and messes it up. I giggle as he grabs me and puts me down. "Goodnight daddy and mommy, love you," I say to the both of them.
"Love you too, sugar," my dad says. I hear footsteps behind me and I turn around, seeing my mom. "Love you sweetie," she says as she leans down and kisses my forehead.

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          Light shines through my window, waking me up. I let out a yawn as I get out of bed, staring down at my grinch pajama pants and one of my moms shirts. I smile as I rush downstairs toward the kitchen, ready for some cookies for breakfast.
          I fly down the flight of stairs and round the corner, coming to a complete stop as I take in the scene before me. The kitchen was a mess, I thought mommy and daddy said they would clean it up.
          Walking over to the stove I noticed my mom still hadn't put the cookies away. Swiping one I take a bite, making my back upstairs towards my parents room. I barge in, ready to wake them but stop when I see that they're not in bed.
          The bed is made like it had never been touched and I furrow my brows. I make my way around the whole house, calling out for them. I searched the house twice, finally making my way to the front door and seeing our car still here.
          I let out a grunt. "Very funny" I yell, turning around. "You can come out mommy and daddy," I say.
Walking around the house I hear nothing besides my footsteps and my breathing. "Come on, I don't like this game," I yell into the house.
          My vision gets blurry as I make my way to the living room and sit on the couch, waiting for them to come out of their hiding place.
I sat on the couch for minutes which then turned to hours. Before I knew it the sun had set. I stayed up, waiting, eating cookies every now and then.
          I waited, seconds turning into minutes, minutes turning into hours, and hours turning into days before finally the doorbell rang.
I was tired and my stomach hurt. My head hurt so bad I was ready to yell at my mom and dad once I opened this door.
          I whimpered as I put my hand to my head and opened the door. It wasn't my parents I saw though, it was a lady in a uniform. "Hi baby, my name's Martha," she said as she knelt down. She had a clipboard in her hand and I wondered what it was for.
          She reached out to grab me but I backed off, my eyes scanning her until they fell onto letters that were sewed into her uniform.
          CPS.
          What did that mean?

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Scroll for more. Anyways how is it so far? This chapter wasn't long seeing as it was the prequel and all that but I would still love your thoughts!

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