Rose

The Two Most Important Things

Oops? Did I lie to poor little Rosie. Too bad. It's not like she doesn't deserve everything that comes at her. Victim One: Noah. Victim Two: Well wouldn't you like to know. But ya never will.
Have a nice six hours trying to find me. - A familiar face.

"Dangit!" I practically scream, throwing the phone down.
Phillip has to work tonight so he can't go with us to Pineworth Mental Institute. He suggested I call Johnny, but he knows literally nothing about any of this.
"Noah?" I call out, twirling around in a circle. She was just right here.
The door downstairs slams and the sound of something hard falling peirces the air. "Noah!"
Taking the stairs two at a time, I scan the living room before going to the kitchen.
Giggles erupt the second the door swings open. "You're gonna get in so much trouble." Noah can be heard giggling like a madman.
"Who's in trouble?" I ask, strolling all the way inside.
The little brunette points to Scarlett. "She broke a vase."
Scarlett let out a shaky breath, running a hand through her hair. "I'm truly sorry, Mom, I just slipped... I-I did-didn't se-see the vase." she looks close to tears as she stutters through her words.
"It's perfectly alright, Scar, calm down." I say calming, trying to keep the concern out of my voice. Scarlett hasn't stuttered in such a long time. "It was just a vase."
Wiping a tear from her cheek, I notice how she leans against the counter, keeping one hand there at all times. "Scar?" I examine her from head to toe, stopping at her bandaged right ankle. "Oh my gosh, what is this?" I rush out.
"Tha-that's wah-why," She clears her throat. "That's why I'm home early." She states simply. "Vikki, sh-she and her friends were ma-making f-f-fun of that E-Ed-Eddie kid and I stepped in." She pauses, pulling herself up onto the counter, and pointing to the bandage. "She tripped me, a-and I," Her voice cracks. "I fell on the metal divider between the playground and the..... The athletic field. Sprand my ankle pretty good." She finally gets through the story.
I

frown, not only thinking of how Vikki is a spawn of Satan, but also for Scarlett's speech. She went to therapy for years for a stuttering problem, but it had cleared up last fall.
I wrap her in a hug. "Vikki's a jerk, baby girl. I'm so sorry." I kiss the top of her blonde head. "She won't get away with this."
"Promise?" Scar looks up with big sad brown eyes.
"Promise. Now come upstairs, and we'll discuss this a little farther." I start to help her down when Noah stops us.
"But we're suppose to leave, Aunt Rose, 'member! Uncle Phill said so!" Noah reminds.
Crap the stupid note. Always ruining everything!
"Right, well, we will leave after I call Amber to see if she can stay with Scarlett." I sigh, returning to helping my little sister down.
"C-can't I g-g-go with you?" Scarlett protests, her voice tinier than Noah's.
"Well I don't know." I trail off.
That'd be dangerous, plus Scar doesn't need to injure herself any more.
Closing my eyes tightly, I open them praying that it was in optical illusion. Sadly nothing is ever that simple, is it? Next sloppily written in red was printed across Scar's bandage.
"Did you write that?" I ask hopefully.
Scar glances down. "Nope. Maybe Kai did?" She questions herself. "Yeah Kai must have."
"Kai?"
"Yeah he was taking something to his little brother when I went to the nurse's office. He assisted her in wrapping the ace bandage."
Kai couldn't have, could he? No someone else must have came in while no one was looking.
"Looks like you're coming with us after all, kiddo." I laugh, faking a smile.
"Yay! Let's go, Noah." The blonde reaches for her cousin's hand.
Guess this'll be interesting. I grab Mom's old journal and follow them out.

****

We had been wondering around the rec room of the old asylum for what felt like forever; finally when Scarlett couldn't walk anymore I decided to yell: "Where are you?"
"Where's who?" Scar echoes quietly.
I shush her. "Where the bloody heck are you! I'm here just like you said." I kick the ground out of frustration. "Show yourself!" I scream after a minute.
With a such, I pace around the room. The girls seem to have forgotten we're in a asylum-that is rumoured to be super haunted-and begin to play checkers at one of the tables, Scarlett's leg propted on Noah's chair. From the looks of it Noah is winning.
Okay, but where did a checker board come from? Did Noah get it out when we got here?
I look down at my watch-big mistake-we have thirty minutes left or else they're history. My little Scarlett who I've pretty much raised, and the only good thing out of Nancy's marriage. Both gone within no time.
No I won't let that happen.
"I'm tired of waiting." I announce. "Tired of games and riddles. Now come out of whatever shadow you're hiding in and talk to me. Because dare God if you let this time run out you'll regret it." I motion toward the girls. "You see them? Those are innocent sweet children, but better yet they are my kids, and if you touch them I'll be the one doing the killing." I threaten, continually looking back at kids happily playing checkers.
Sure it was a threat, but it wasn't an empty one.
"Goodness, someone's not happy." A voice comes from the left, followed by a door shutting, and footsteps. "Didn't realize you'd be this upset, I mean you never got emotional with Amber." As the figure comes into focus I can't believe my eyes.
"Dyl?" I question, the hurt in my voice very obvious.
Dylan smiles sadly. "I'm sorry, Ro, I really am." She sighs, holding a hand out. "The book, please."
Taking a couple steps forward, I place the book in her open hands. "How could you? To them? To me? I thought we were friends."
"We are." Dylan says. "You just.... You don't understand, Rose. I have to do this."
I shake my head. "You don't have to do anything, Dylan. Especially not this. Guess I had bad judgment after all in friends, you were right." I back away toward the table, never breaking contact with her brown eyes.
"Rose, please." Dylan begs. "Just hear me out. This-"
Holding up a hand to silence her, I lift Noah into my arms. "No. The only thing I want to hear is if they'll safe now." I state coldly.
"Yeah, they're fine." Dylan says.
"Then come on guys we gotta go now." I turn back once they're both out the door. "Bye, Dylan." With that I slip out after them.
"So who won the game?" I ask.
Noah raises her hand high. "I did! I did!"
"She only won because she cheated." Scarlett mumbles bitterly.
"Don't be a sore loser, Scar." I laugh, hugging both of them close as we wait for John to pick us up.
"Can we get ice cream?" Scarlett asks the minute everyone is in the car.
Johnny looks at me and we both nod. "I guess so."