Silent Emily

Little Slice of Hell

The weeks blurred together and Beth was growing like a little weed. She was almost 5 months old and her hair was already down to the middle of her back. She was starting to look more like Ivy every day and I often found myself wondering what she would look like when she became an adult. She was a beautiful infant, very sweet and funny. Her personality was an amazing change in pace of the house and everyone enjoyed it. Even Ethan and Felix started playing with her on the living room floor, reading to her and trying to get her to crawl. She was close to crawling, she would get on her hands and knees and start swinging herself forward and back, eventually moving her little hands forward. She couldn't move her knees just yet but she was so close.

Arnya's wounds healed nicely and she hasn't done anything to make Ethan lash out at her. I was thankful she took my advice and just did whatever he said. I knew Arnya was struggling with the situation but until we could get out with the kids this was the best course of action.

I didn't know exactly how old I was or how long I had really been here. It had to be going on two, three years but with Axel's make believe calendar being in his head it was hard to know for sure. I knew Beth was almost 5 months and I knew Arnya had been here since after her birth. Everything else was a blur of dates and times that Axel made known when he felt like it.

Independence day was coming up and I was already dreading it. Arnya knows about the murders but I don't think she knows about the meat. Axel had told me my birthday dinner was made of beef because of how savagely Arnya had beaten the man with the ax but I didn't believe his story. It was easier to eat if I held my nose and imagined it were what he said. I couldn't hold my nose in front of him though so I just forced myself to imagine a cow being slaughtered outside for a roast or a steak.

It didn't fix the problem but it was a simple solution that made it easier to sleep at night.

I threw my hair over my shoulder and made my way down the stairs. Ivy, Cora and Atticus were looking at comic books at the table. All three of their heads turned toward me as I entered the kitchen and they greeted me with a small chorus of 'good morning mother'. I heard Beth's little giggles from the living room and I peeked around the wall to see what she was doing. 

Arnya was sitting with her on the floor, both of them on their hands and knees as she attempted to show the baby how to crawl. Beth thought it was hilarious and her little laughs were contagious. She had a tooth coming through her bottom gums and when she smiled the little bone could be seen trying to force its way through the flesh. She clapped her hands together after rolling onto her back and she continued to giggle at Arnya. It was a sweet sight and I enjoyed it for a few before going back toward the refrigerator.

I pulled one of the doors open and pulled out the eggs and a little pack of sausage links that Axel had bought from town. I ripped open the plastic that bound them to a little tray and poured some grease into a skillet. I dropped all of them slowly into it and listened to the loud sizzle as the meat began to cook. I pulled out another pan and cracked some eggs into it while using a soft spatula to break up the yolks.

"That smells so good." Arnya whispered behind me. I hadn't heard her walk up and the four words caused me to jump. I threw a look at her, Beth clinging to her hip as Arnya peered into the pan.

"Sausage and eggs baby." I told her. It felt nice to have her back. It felt somewhat normal.

Arnya turned toward the table and sat down. She pulled Beth off her hip and into her lap as she started talking to the trio reading comics.

Arnya had a way with kids and I always thought she'd make one hell of a mother. I could picture her marrying some rich white man who would pay for her start in the fashion industry. They'd live in a big house in some gated neighborhood and he'd pay off any newspapers to keep her hooking out from public knowledge. She'd give her two little boys and maybe a little girl who she'd give gorgeous Russian names. She'd be a classy bad ass woman.