A Little Girl's Guide to Murder

Esmeralda

After they got back to Maroda's house, she looked at Esmeralda. "If you could dye your hair any color, what would you dye it?"

"I don't know... Green... I guess..."

"Ew, why green?"

"I don't know... It's the color of grass..."

She shrugged. "Fair enough..."

Maroda pulled out a green hair dye and scissors. She pointed to a door. "Grab a chair and go into the bathroom."

Esmeralda did as told, soon Maroda walked in and picked the chair up with her in it.

"What're you doing!?" She gasped and gripped the chair.

The woman laughed. "This isn't where I meant to put the chair, I meant go to the walk in shower."

Esmeralda blushed with embarrassment. "Oh... Okay..." She got up and walked into the shower, sitting back down.

Maroda walked into the tub and had Esmeralda hold the green dye. She cut her hair to shoulder length before bleaching it.

"Why do you wanna be my Mom?" The girl finally spoke up.

"I've always wanted a daughter... But I don't really wanna bare one..."

"So... Adopt?"

"I can't. I'm a wanted criminal, I can't risk them knowing who I am. Even with the identity change."

"Ah..." She stayed silent for a minute before getting wide eyes. "You're a criminal?"

"Serial Thief and Killer."

"Oh my god! Are you serious?!"

"I'm not laughing, am I? But don't worry, if I were going to kill you, I already would have."

"...I guess that's true..."

"Hair dye?"

Esmeralda held up the dye as Maroda took it and poured some into her hair scrubbing it in.

"What did you do with that guys body?"

"I'll spare you the details until you're 16."

"Okay..."

"What about you? You were naked when you came into the store."

"..."

She pulled her head back and looked at her. "Is that why you freaked out on that guy?"

"..."

"Oh honey..." She kissed her forehead as Esmeralda teared up. "Don't worry, we'll get them back." She smiled. "You're my daughter now. No one will ever hurt you again."

She began to cry as she sniffed. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry. You have every right to cry. But like I said, we will get them back."

She nodded and smiled. "Okay... Thank you."

"You're welcome. You know you still have to go to school, right?"

She groaned. "Damn it- I-I mean—"

"You can cuss around me. I don't mind."

"Thank god..."

"You know sometimes Karma takes a new form, and sometimes that form is us." She told her new daughter as she washed her hair out to show it's new color.

~•~

A few weeks later, Maroda walked up to Esmeralda's new room. "Essie!"

She didn't answer due to not knowing her new name well so Maroda invited herself in.

Of course, in her doing so, her daughter jumped a bit. "Maroda!"

"Call me Mom."

"Sorry, Mom..."

She smiled and went over kissing Esmeralda's head. "It's okay, I know you're not use to it yet but I had to tell you, face to face." She sat on the bed in front of her. "You're going to a Middle School in Heartsick, California. We're moving there in October, just before Halloween."

"Wow... That quick?"

"Yep!"

Esmeralda smiled. "That's amazing. I'm excited!"

"We'll go shopping for houses in September to pick the best one."