What If She Never Died?

I looked at the camera with a genuine smile covering my face Karmin, Oliver, Karsyn, and I all stood side by side while the monster himself stood behind us, Gary Harold. A fake smile plastered his face, as he sat his hands on Karmin and I's shoulder. I have been her before. Not just in my dreams but in real life. What the hell is going on?

"Let's go kids!" My grandfather called us as my grandmother put the camera away.

"I love you guys! Have fun!" My grandmother called. She looked so different, carefree, and rested. The bags under her eyes were no longer there. The smile on her face was genuine. This was the start of our first summer with him, tonight is the night the abuse started. What is happening? Why am I in the past?

"Hey, Cece let's go!" Karmin said with a smile. I looked at her in shock, I grabbed her just as we were about to reach the black truck. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her. This wasn't 17 year old Karmin this was 12 year old Karmin. She was younger, her hair was still it's natural color all the way to the ends. This was not the Karmin I had seen covered in blood, this Karmin had a pulse, she had time, five years to be exact.

"Wow, why so loving" she giggled adjusting her black nerdy glasses. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail. She wore dark jean shorts and a random graphic t-shirt with her low top black converse to pull it all together. In later years she would cringe at the pictures taken on this day, but for know she seeped confidence.  

“I felt the braces on my teeth and the glasses on my face. I wore black shirts and my hair was thrown in a messy ponytail. Black shirts peaked out from under my oversized plain black t shirt.

Karsyn and Oliver's preteen appearances made me almost smile. both of them tan and trying their best to act much cooler than they new they where.

"No, reason" I smiled as I let go of her.Your breathing, I can feel your heartbeat.

“Come on kids!" His voice sent shivers down my spine. I have another chance, I can fix it. Karmin doesn't have to die, Margaret doesn't have to die, Karsyn doesn't have to get sick. I ran to my grandmother's car, parked a few feet away.

"Grandma, I don't want to leave! Dont make us go with him!" I pleaded, a desperate tone lacing my young voice. She gave me a strange look and covered it with a smile, my heart sank.

"Oh hunny, hurry up your keeping everyone waiting." My grandmother chuckled. Of course my grandmother had not believed me. My anxious preteen self was always filled with worry. As far as my grandmother knew, I had now way of knowing this man.

I looked at the black four door truck before making my way to it. The two hour drive to the cabin was silent, I held onto Karmin's hand the whole time. Idea after idea went through my head in hopes of finding something that could work to save my sister. Trees surrounded us as we traveled farther and farther into the forest. All you could see was green and brown, the last town I saw was well over 30 minutes away.

"Here we are." The monster said as we pulled in the curvy driveway to the two story cabin. Tree branches hit the window and the car began to rock as we drove over the gravel.  My siblings jumped out with excitement as I slowly followed them. My throat fell sore and my hands trembled.
We walked through the front door of the two story cabin. The stairs, the floors and the walls were all made of the same wood, it looked as if some one had removed the bark from a tree outside. In the center of the living room was a fire place burning a fresh wooden log. A red L shaped couch sat in front of it, along with a metal coffee table, while a TV sat on the mantel. A bar with 3 metal bar stools sat behind the couch, a doorway leading to the kitchen sat next to the bar. The scent of Steak filled the whole cabin as Margaret cooked dinner.