12:00

warnings

"Nothing good ever happens after twelve o' clock."

That was the mantra my mother kept repeating to me during our annual talk. This annual talk was where my mother sat me down, and lectured me about the outside world, proclaiming that a "small, innocent girl like me should always be careful." It would always start by her softly knocking on my door, asking for me to spare a moment of time. I would sigh or groan, but eventually shut my computer if I was messaging my best friend or I would of slammed my textbook closed, angry that my study session had been interrupted. My mother would drag herself in, making sure the door was locked, before gingerly making a home for herself next to me by fluffing up the pillows and smooting the crease lines in my duvets. 

Mother would look at me for a long moment with a glimmer in her eye, and brush my curly orange locks out of my face, admiring that I had gotten my good looks from dad. She would ease into the talk by asking how my day had been and how my friends were. I would always reply with,"Good. Nothing special."  I couldn't forget to offer her smile or else she would have pressed me further into talking, and I'd never felt like sharing information with her about my life away from her. 

"That's great, bunny," she would whisper, using my nickname. "I wished I had friends like yours when I was in high school. My friends would party all day and night, do reckless things, and make complete fools out of themselves."

I would ask her why they were her friends, but I would only receive a shrug. That was when mother would launch into the real conversation. She talked about everything from making sure you did you best in school to what the smoking could do to your lungs. I would nod occasionally, pretending to actually care about her words. She had told me all these things once before, and didn't need it repeated to me every year till I was dead. 

"Of course, mom," I would reply once she was done.  

Mother would smile, and gather me into her embrace, whispering how I was such a good girl. She would stand up, pat her dress, and wish me sweet dreams before stalking back to the door. 

When she was almost gone, mother would catch herself though, and peek her head through the door. 

"Cora," her voice broke. "I know its nearly impossible to stay away from the wicked evils that crawl this earth. I know you won't always pass a test, say no to a cigarette, or realize when you had too much to drink. I know. But I pray to God that you always have a watch on you. Nothing good ever happens after  twelve o' clock. "

She couldn't have been more right.

*

this is a short story, so it will only contain a couple parts. I would just like to warn you that this book may deal with some heavy stuff, so if you can't handle it, please do not read on. thank you.