Red's Family Diner

Chapter 11

September 6th, 1962

Drew had learned how long an hour could last that night. The sight of hearing his mom calling out his dad's name woke him up. He was so scared, hearing her blood-curdling screams. He only stood there, watching. His instincts told him to not interfere. That he had to stay hidden or else he would be next. That was no man in front of him anyway, but a devastating carnivore that hunted its prey with efficiency. He hugged his cow toy to his chest–before running towards his mom's corpse and trying to remember what she said. Her voice echoed, reminding him that anytime a big boo boo happens to grab the medkit and treat it with love and care. And that's what he did, hustling through the house to find the medkit. He walked over as he noticed the stink that soaked the house. He couldn't tell if it was the outside leaking through the broken window or if it was his mom's body. He fought through it, trying to take care of her before watching the dried blood seep. He needed an adult, someone to help.

"Bandages and healing kisses help make the cut go away!" Maddie's voice echoed, making Drew sob as he ran out of the house.

Out into the pouring rain. The clock struck 12. Drew had just started his first day, being 4 years old. Knocking frantically on his neighbors' doors, begging for someone to call 911. Begging for someone to save his Mommy.

Drew sat cold on the steps of his house, before seeing Elias pull up. Drew cried harder, hugging his toy closer to him. Elias' face only dropped and ran towards Drew. Hugging him. Drew knew that Elias saw the peak of the inside. Words only bubbled up into the atmosphere. "Drew–what happened? Where's Maddie?" Elias would repeat to the numb child as Drew only shook his head. "Bad man—Scary man..." He'd only mutter, a young cop easing him up as he only heard the same repetition repeat. The same words echo through the neighborhood. Drew just wanted to be home, why did Daddy kill Mommy?

The sun rose as the lights of the cop cars dimmed, the beautiful sunrise stained with the blood of a loving mother. They finally extracted Maddie's body from the house–letting Elias see softly underneath the blanket before he sobbed nasty. Returning back to Drew to cry and hug him. "I'm so sorry–if I only..." He begged as Drew only sat there. He didn't understand the feelings that flowed through him. He never felt like this, but he flinched whenever he got touched. Cops always asked him questions, making him feel the urge to tell them about his Daddy. That he saw his Daddy hurt his Mommy. But then they might confuse Elias for Daddy–when Drew knows he's only Elias. And nothing more. So he lied. He said he was asleep and woke up to screams. That the bandages were his attempt to assume his Mommy was only asleep. Drew, was only pitied. Why? Why didn't he get told anything else? All he heard was,

"Oh, poor kid..."

"I wonder where her ex-husband is."

"You think that matters? Where's the kid gonna go?"

Drew didn't like being talked about anymore, covering his ears. Elias gently pried his hands off his ears before pointing off to the cop car. More incoherent talk, but Drew knew. He's going to be in the station for the entire day. Why remove the only valuable witness?

Wilbur Beloved – COUPLE HOURS PRIOR

The countless showers I had taken did nothing to erase the sight of Maddie's blood on my hands. Her clunks of flesh still stuck underneath my fingernails as I breathed heavily. It was only 2 in the morning and I couldn't sleep. Red let me sleep in his house—after being weird about it as I feel like locking the guest bedroom door now. But now here I stood, in the horribly creaking house that infested my ears. The soft yellow light that buzzed filled the silence. I turned on the sink again, washing and scrubbing my hands as I couldn't even blink. Every time I blinked, I saw her expression. The fear layered.