My Sweet Liana

2

A few years have passed since then, her name is Liana and she's like a daughter to me. Every time I look at her I can't stop thinking about Liu, but it's also like a second chance."Hey Jeff?" I turned to see the now 15 Liana standing in the doorway. Her hair was now the length of her back. She was short and slender, with eyes that flashed like emeralds. Her clothes were tattered, and she wore a dull lavender tank top and a black jacket over it, her jeans were covered in dirt and mud."Can I go down to the lake?" She asked, I nodded and she smiled with glee. She ran up and hugged me tightly before dashing out the door.~~~I marched outside and stretched, happy that Jeffery had allowed me to leave. I knew he was a killer, I knew who Liu was, I knew his real name. I used to be terrified of him, I used to hate him, but now he was my dad. There will always be a spark of anger in me, and I will always scold him when he comes home covered in blood, but I just have to live with it. He's always telling me I'm too soft, like the time I came home with an injured bird, he had wanted to kill it but I had almost killed him over it. I locked myself in my room and slowly helped the bird heal, not coming out of my room for days.I smiled at the memory, and saw the lake. I saw my tree next to it and walked down the hill. I looked up at it, it's low branches perfect for a small child to climb. The first time we had come here Jeffery had warned me that I would fall. The first few times I had, but I kept on getting back up. Eventually he stopped me and we went home. I reached up and started to climb, I pulled myself up, before reaching for another one, finding footholds I continued to climb. I eventually reached a thick branch that allowed me to perch on it. I sat and watched the lake, the waves rhythmic whoosh as they lapped at the shore calmed me. I took off my jacket and used it as a pillow. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.***"LIANA!" I woke up with a start and nearly fell out of my tree. I looked down to see Jeff frantically searching for me. He called my name again, and I started to climb out of my tree. Once I got on the ground I ran up to him and hugged him, reminding me of when I had first gotten here. He hugged me back tightly.He pulled away quickly, as if suddenly remembering his anger and glared at me. I looked at the ground like a small child being scolded."Don't you ever do that again!" He yelled at me, making me jump again. I guess it was the fear from seeing what he could do and from seeing how insane, he truly was, no matter how calm and caring he was around me. But he always had the power to make me terrified of him when he yelled. I nodded obediently and followed him to the house.***I walked out of my room, after changing into my pajamas, and gave Jeffery a hug before going to bed.***I woke up the next morning and stretched, my back aching from sleeping on the dingy old mattress. I got up and changed into new clothes. I had long since gotten over the fact that these were stolen from Jeffery's victims. I walked out of my room and leaned on the counter, watching Jeffery as he moved carefully around the kitchen I smiled when he frantically pulled burnt meat out of the oven."Careful, this place has already been through one fire, it doesn't need another!" I exclaimed with a smile, trying to contain my laughter. He turned and glared playfully at me before going back to his business."I'm going for a walk!" I called, as I slipped my tan leather boots on. Jeffery gave no reply so I headed out. It felt good to have the warm sunshine on my face, I smiled and walked through the woods. After a while I came across a large cabin, it was around three high. I don't think it would even classify as a cabin! I continued walking, ignoring the cabin.After my walk I returned home. I had been out all day, just thinking and admiring the woods. I thought of that strange house that I had found."Hey!" Jeff called cheerfully.I waved and leaned over the counter. He was stirring a brown soup, "you ever notice that house?" I asked, curious to see if be knew what it was.He grew stiff and I could tell he was nervous. "W-what house?" He asked in a shaky voice."There's this large house in the middle of the woods." I said innocently."I don't know." He dismissed it and went back to his soup. I shrugged and went to my room.