Evie

Chapter 2 - Blood

EVIE

I found Mommy's naked body in the bathtub the next morning.

I didn't know Mommy was in there. I thought she was in bed so I decided to take a shower before she woke up. The bathroom door was always closed so I didn't knock. I pushed the door open and stepped in with my clothes in my hand.

I didn't see the blood at first.

Not until my feet slipped on the wet floor. I went down on my butt with a loud thud and I hit the back of my head. I sat up and I felt a sticky wet thing on my hand. I looked and saw red. At first, I thought it was my blood - that I probably sliced my head open when I fell. But the pain in my head faded into a dull ache and I saw the growing pool of blood.

It led to the bathtub. The curtains were closed and bloody. I stood up on my feet and wavered.

I felt the heavy thud thud thud of my heartbeat as my hands hovered at the edges of the curtains. I debated whether should I open it or not.

The first thing that came to my mind was murder.

I've seen a lot of TV. Mommy was obsessed with crime shows and I always sat on the floor beside the couch. If I stayed still and didn't make any noise, she would not remember I was there at all. I've seen a lot of gross things. Maybe my mother became one of these murderers who stuff their victims in the bathtub. I didn't know what I should do.

But the face I saw when I yanked the curtains open wasn't a stranger.

It was my mother's face.

Her body lay there like a doll, limbs at an awkward angle, and her head was in a position that would be uncomfortable if she was alive. I could see the traces of her bones through her ghostly pale skin. Her mouth was open as if she was about to scream. In her hand, she held a knife. Her skin at her wrists was open and there was just red, red, and red everywhere.

Her grey eyes were open wide, looking straight at me. I could see the anger in them as they looked through me. These horrible eyes were screaming at me.

Disgusting little vile beast just scurrying around. I could hear her scream at me. You little brat who killed me with your stupid, selfish big mouth.

She stared at me. I stared at her.

Stop stop stop stop stop staring stop

I squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I closed my eyes, she'd disappear and suddenly she'd come in and yell at me for using the bathroom when she needed it.

Just a big bad, stupid dream where I'll wake up at the sound of Mommy screaming into her phone or the smell of her cigarettes coming from the living room. Yes, yes, just a dream.

Can't escape the blood in my head. Can't unsee these furious grey eyes.

Too much red.

Go away go away go away

I kept my eyes closed.

Just go back back. One step back. Good girl, Evie. A pat on my head. Two more steps. Just one more. Don't open any eyes. Nope, all dark. Didn't see anything. No blood. No angry eyes. No dead Mommy.

I fumbled the wall as I tiptoed back, trying to find the knob. I grabbed it and twisted it open.

There, a door. Close it now. Okay, it's closed.

I opened my eyes. There, I was in the hallway. I didn't need a shower. I was clean enough.

Okay, good girl. No showers. No dead Mommy. No angry Mommy here. A gold star for me.