Ragdolls | Jason Todd

Chapter One

Chapter One

      "Wake up sweetheart," My father had pulled the curtains open and light hit my eyes, causing me to clench my lids and furrow my eyebrows, "Did you forget we're going on that trip?"
     "It's to early." I complain, pulling my blanket over my face with a groan.
     "It's one pm Valentina," my father sighs, a pinch of annoyance could be heard, "What would be your early?"
      My fathers gaze was on me and I huffed slightly, "This is my early."
      It took a few seconds to reply, either he was shaking his head or thinking about something, "Either way, we must get going." He chuckled finally, and I sighed pulling the covers off. I looked around for my father and noticed he was standing near my shelf above my desk that occupied most my old stuffed animals and so forth.
     I shimmied out from under my covers, swinging my feet to the side of my bed and landing them on my soft, fluffy, white carpet, "What are you doing Daddy?" I called out, he didn't reply for a moment and I furrowed my eyebrows, "Remember-" He cut himself off for a short moment, "Remember when I gave you this rag doll my little Valentina?"
     "I was eight," I replied and smiled as he went to grab it, to clutch the doll in his hand while his other was behind his back, "You and mother were coming home from a long trip," I looked down at the floor, still smiling, "You had bought it because it reminded you of me, the long black yarn hair, and green buttons for eyes," I giggled, "You told me you'd never go away that long without me, and then handed me the rag doll as a gift," I looked up to look at him, "You wanted me to smile and feel loved because I had been crying since you had left with mother."
       "Of course I did my little Valentina," He turned back toward me after placing the rag doll back onto my shelf, his hands behind his back, "I love you very much."
      I smiled and looked at my suit cases, "I'll get ready okay Daddy?"
     "We'll be waiting downstairs," He nodded, "I'll send up Eden to carry any other luggage."
     "Okay." My smile tugged my lips. My father was a kind man. He loved me so, I knew it, and mother too. Mother, she is a quiet kind hearted  lady. But she's always working just as much as he, yet lately Mother seemed to be far too stressed, more stressed then when she worked with the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne.
    I moved toward my dresser to select an outfit. I changed quickly to not be a burden and then grabbed my phone and my two suit cases that rolled, heading out to meet everyone downstairs after I slipped on some sandals.
     Half way down our grand stair case, Eden had stopped me, "Ms. Valentina, shall I fetch the rest of your suitcases?"
     "That be appreciated Eden, thank you." I smiled brightly, he wasn't that much of an old fellow, yet his manner seemed to resemble so.
      I managed to make it down the stairs, meeting eyes with these marvelous, extraordinary green kind, "Hello mother," I kissed her cheek and she grabbed my chin gently to lift my head up to meet her eyes. Her smile wasn't far different, "Hello my beautiful darling."
     She let my chin go and I looked around, "Where's Daddy?"
     "He had to retrieve some items from his office my dear," She placed her hands on the side of my face and kissed the top of my forehead, "Let us go get comfortable within the car for our ride to the airport, shall we?"
     I nodded and followed behind quietly, clutching the ends of my suitcases until Walden and Frankie took them so they'd place them in the back trunk.
     I hopped in and grabbed my headphones to get them ready for the drive,  "Did you finish your project for your Jr High Science fair so you don't have to do it when you return from break?"
        "Yes I did mother," I replied while putting in my earbuds, "I'm positive enough I'll ace it."
        I watched her smile and then heard her say, "That's my girl," before I put on my music.
       Not long father had arrived, and we all were off to the Rio De Janeiro in South America.

•••

      We had taken the long flight to Rio, and I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to fall onto my bed and sleep, "Reservation for the Hensley family." My father spoke to the front desk, and the man nodded. I waited patiently with a yawn.
    Once we made it to our rooms, I began to unpack my clothes into the dresser, my tired smile soon fades as I pull out a copy of a photo of the one I have framed at home next to my bed.
Jason Todd.
   One of Bruce's ward sons that had died nearly a month ago. My brows furrowed. I had hung my arm around his shoulder, and he had his head turned away with his arms crossed. I had the widest smile in this photo, because he was one of my closest friends. A friend I met through my mother and fathers work. Well, met again.
      Was.
      Jason Peter Todd no longer lived upon this earth. My heart felt like it was being dragged to the bottom of the sea floor. I wish I had been there, or it was possible for me to just let him stay at my home. He wouldn't have died out of country, because he would have been with me for the week while Bruce had left on the trip by himself instead. It had nothing to do with Jason, nothing! He didn't need to be there, he didn't have to die! Now my best friend, some one so important to me — is gone.
     I took a single breath in and then set the photo down on the desk top so I could finish up unpacking.

•••

     It had been a couple days into our vacation. Mother, father and I had been walking a trail in the Tijuca rainforest and I couldn't help a smile of enjoyment spreading across my face. I turn to father to point out the beautiful scenery, but his face had sunken into complete gloom. Nothing but sorrow, until I look away and I glance back to see a hardened expression. Mother had her camera with her, she was a photographer. A good one at that. Most of the photos within our home are blown up photos she's taken over her life time.
     "Mother, may I take a picture of you and Daddy?" I asked her as I looked toward her, she smiled and her shaded eyes gleamed my way, "Of course my darling, remember what I've taught you."
    I had taken the camera from her and both father and mother stood next to a waterfall we were about to pass, mother smiled and father still had that gloomy expression. I furrowed my brows and, snapped the shot handing it back to mother.
     Father was beginning to worry me.
     As we made our way down the trail further, we had stopped as we heard ruffling within the greenery, I looked at mother, "It must be some animals, don't worry." She runs her thumb on my cheek as we continue our way, yet I couldn't help but look back.
Only a minute more and it happens again, "Are you sure mother? Wouldn't the animals be afraid to follow us?" I asked looking back again in fear, then toward father. He placed his hand on my shoulder, "Just enjoy our retreat, okay my little Valentina?"
I only nodded and looked forward, trying to push away my paranoia. Not long after we had made it to a beautiful clearing that had trees reaching to the sky only to arch over just a bit, vines were dangling down, and flowers littered the forests floor, "Oh look at this beauty," I rose my arms in the air, "Oh father, mother," I gasp in happiness and then turn toward them, "Isn't Rio just extraordinary-" I cut myself off as I noticed men snaking out of the greenery around us. In their hands, guns. I froze. My expression must have made both my parents turn around in surprise, my mother had screamed backing up, and grabbing fathers arm.
     "Emilio!" My mother screamed with undeniable terror.
      "Who are you!" My father yelled and I took a step back, "What do
You want?!"
      "It seems you won't have time to find out." One of the men spoke, and I watched his devilish mouth speak sending chills down my spine, "We'll start with her," He pointed his handgun at me and soon not even seconds after, all the men began to aim their machine guns, pistols, and rifles at me. I was frozen. A deer caught in headlights. I began to search for my fathers eyes, but my mothers caught my attention before I could look at fathers, "Take her boys."
     "No!" My mother screamed for me and stepped forward quickly, "Run Valentina!" She put her self before the men, shielding my frail body and giving me enough time to do just that. So I ran. I ran and I ran my sixteen year old heart out, pushing leaves and branches out of the way with my eyes still widened. Yet, feeling like my eyes would burst as I heard the sounds of gunfire being shot. Bullets slid past that I did my absolute best dodging, only I had failed and screamed in pain as my leg had caught one, causing me to collapse face first into the soil. My eyes watered from the pain, and I began to use my strength to get back up as I groaned.
    Although, as I was getting up, my hair was yanked and I was beginning to be dragged. Most likely back to my parents, or their dead bodies before these men gave me the same fate. I screamed for help and cried out in pain, terrified! How could a simple vacation turn into a nightmare, and was I going to end up like Jason? Tears flooded my eyes, and glided down my damp cheeks as I was slammed to the ground.
     My breath left me, and I could hear ringing, my vision was blurry and soon I rolled over on my side, pressing my hand at my forehead before I began to try and sit on my knees. I looked up to see my father and a gun being held up to his head. Then I looked at mother as men held onto her to keep her still. Tears strum down her cheeks from her fearful eyes, she couldn't scream either. A hand was clamped over her mouth as she struggled to get free.
    "Daddy," I looked up, and then began to stagger to stand. Why was it me? Why was it me they wanted? My voice squeaked as I began to question, "Daddy, what did I do?"
    "Nothing my little Valentina," He got out in a hushed tone, sorrow plaguing his face once more, "You didn't do anything wrong at all."
   Then a different man, he had a revolver at his side and looked at my father, as if, waiting for something. That's when my father looked at him- their eye contact catching my attention. That was- that was way to odd. But before I could even get words out to speak, that man aimed the revolver at me, "What-"
    A deadly shot rang through the forest, and I was forced to the ground, pain swarming my body and tears streaming. I looked up to the blue sky, then the beautiful scenery I tried so desperately to have my father enjoy too. But my vision began to blur, and I couldn't make out any objects living or non. Nor could I hear anything at all. I only could see the brightest light blanketing my eyes until it faded into nothing but darkness. Before It felt like my breath left for good, I had only one thing running through my mind, and it was:
     Did my father just order my murder?