The Broken One

Prologue

Daddy always told me to chase my dreams. He always said "Princess, you can be whatever you want. Just say the word." Little did he know that I always just wanted to be like him and Mommy. They would ask what my dream was and I would always point to them, but they never understood what I meant. It was my 6th birthday and I was excited but I had a feeling. A bad one. Something is going to happen. But I don't know what it is. I thought I was probably just hungry so I went and told Mommy, who made me a delicious breakfast of pancakes and bacon. Seems American enough. I was listening to the sound coming from the TV screen while reading a book that Daddy got me. It was about a man who was very rich and handsome, kind and smart, and single. Women from all over would come to visit to try and get him to like them but he always had an eye for one lady who was a lot younger than him. And one day he wanted to ask her to marry him but a woman came in before a ball he was hosting and asked him if she'd seen her husband who got sold off as a slave. He never heard of anyone like that. Going back to his room he took a good look at his reflection. Soon after he realized what that woman was talking about. It was- "Princess?"
"Yeah, Daddy?"
"What's that story about, Hun, your nose is almost out the other side of the book!" Mommy laughed.
I giggled and closed my book.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Hun?"
"What do you call it when you have a feeling that something is going to happen and that feeling is so strong?" She furrowed her eyebrows for a second.
"Like? Gut instinct?" She looked at Daddy.
He shrugged, "Why, Princess?"
"I don't know. I'm having one of those gut ins- that stuff that Mommy said."
"Well.... Is it a bad feeling?" I nodded shyly. Feeling embarrassed by my negativity on my birthday.
"Oh honey, nothing's gonna happen. Those are usually your tummy saying "more!"" Daddy making a monster noise, causing me to giggle.
"Let's go get you dressed honey, we're celebrating your birthday with some of our friends." Mommy said. I nodded obediently and went to my room. I climbed onto my big bed while I watched Mommy open my closet and pick out a pretty dress for me to wear. She started humming a tune of a song I liked. I started singing along to the tune and when it was over Mommy looked at me with big eyes, "What?" I asked.
"You have.... A beautiful voice darling, where'd you learn to sing like that?" I shrugged and she gave me a smile and gave me a kiss in my forehead.
"Well you're very talented." She said, looking at me with her big, grey colored eyes. My eyes were the same color as hers but I looked mostly like Daddy.

Once we got to my friend's, Pheonix, place. Pheonix is one year older than me but we were in the same grade. I went upstairs to his room and knocked on his door.
"Who is it?" He asked.
"It's Ruby." I answered.
He opened the door and gave me a big hug. "Happy Birthday Red." He said.
"Aww thank you Birdy." We call eachother those names because my name means a red jewel, while his name means a bird that could burn and come back to life from its own ashes.

When the party was over I hugged Pheonix goodbye and told him I'd see him at school. He gave me a kiss on my cheek and told me happy birthday again.
"They're gonna get married." Daddy said.
"Yep that's for sure." Pheonix's dad said.
I giggle and ran outside to the car. I got inside and waited silently for Mommy and Daddy to come. When they did, the car was very silent no one said anything.
"Hey Daddy?" I said. He turned his head to look at me. And that's when. I screamed. Lights. My Mommy. My Daddy.