Fateful Encounter

Chapter 1

It was the afternoon, and the sky was beginning to turn a dark orange as it transitioned to evening. I was walking back towards my house through the forest. It was a pretty nice house, though my family isn't exactly rich.

I lived with my foster father Daniel, and my two brothers Jared and Aaron. Jared's always been my guardian, as he was technically the "man" of the family at 21. He always keeps watch over my me and my younger brother Aaron, even if we didn't like it. He wants to make sure we don't get into any trouble. Daniel was never home, anyways. I've never liked him, but at least my brothers and I have somewhere to live. As a foster parent, he only goes off the money he gets from "taking care" of us. I'll never consider him to be my father. I never knew my real parents; at least, not as well as Jared did. He said my parents were nice people. Until the day she and her husband gave us up. They put us in adoption, but of course no one wanted a little boy and his two younger siblings. So they put us into foster care. Thanks to them, Jared, Aaron and I had been switched to many homes. Daniel's was our latest one. Daniel wanted to make sure we gave him money for his needs. I doubt he gives a shit about us, or our well-being for that matter. At least Jared's always taken care of us.

I open the front door to my house. "Hey, Jared, Aaron," I say as I walk inside. I set my boots by the door. They were both in the living room, watching the TV.

"Where the hell have you been?", Jared says, standing up. I try to walk towards the stairs, but he steps in front of me. "You've been gone almost all day, Maria."

"I've been taking a walk. That's not illegal, is it? I'm perfectly capable of doing things myself, thank you." I attempt to push past him.

"Don't talk to me like that, Maria. I'm just trying to protect you."

"Well, I'm getting real freaking tired of it! I wish you would just get off my case, for crying out loud!!"

He stares at me for a bit, then moves out of the way, allowing me to walk past. I begin ascending the stairs.

"Maria," Jared says. I pause, turning to face him. "... I'm sorry. If you ever need your personal space, just let me know."

"Whatever." I turn away from him, walking down the hallway upstairs to my room. It was near the end of the hall: Jared and Aaron's room was next to mine, and Daniel's was across the way. His room was completely off-limits to us. I open the dark brown door and close it behind me.

My room was a cozy size; it had a closet on the right wall, a dresser on the left side of the door, a desk on the far wall in front of the window, and a full-sized bed on the left wall. The bed had a dark purple comforter and sheets, and the window had dark purple curtains. The walls were painted a dark red to match the house, and the floor was black carpet.

I open my top dresser drawer and pull out a pair of dark grey sweatpants. I take off my camo pants and baggy black sweatshirt, then slip my sweatpants on. My pajamas only consisted of a dark purple t-shirt, dark grey sweatpants, and socks.

I look in the mirror above my dresser. My jet-black hair was in two messy, curly pigtails, and my bangs were on the right side of my face, concealing my right eye. My dark green eyes had bags under them; the result of insomnia from reasons I can't explain.

I pull out my pigtails, my hair falling down to my waist. I had never got around to cutting it; though I'm not sure I want to. I've always preferred long over short.

I walk over to my desk, sitting down in the wooden chair. I open the right drawer, pulling my knife out of it. I'm not sure why, but holding this has always made me feel... safe. I've been pretty good at wielding it, though I've never actually practiced on people. I took it from one of the last foster homes I was in. It's not like they're gonna miss it, anyway.

Just then, I feel a cold breeze. I look up. My window was open, letting in the cool night air. How did I not notice before...? Jared must've opened it. Man, I wonder how many times I've told him to stay out of my room? I close it, and that's when I see it.

A singular rose.

On my windowsill was a rose, dyed in the deepest crimson. I pick it up carefully. It was mesmerizing. Too bad I couldn't smell it. I lost my sense of smell some time ago, in one of my other foster homes. I'm sure it had a beautiful scent.

Anyway, how did this get up here? Jared couldn't have got it, and I doubt Daniel would ever get one; much less any flower. Did it come from outside?

Well, anyway, it was time for me to sleep. Even though school wasn't tomorrow -- thank god -- I still tried to get as much sleep as I could. Insomnia will do that to you.

I put my knife back in the drawer, and I bring the rose over to my bed with me, setting it on the side table gently. I would put it in a vase, but I don't have one. It made me sad to leave such a beautiful rose alone without water, but I couldn't do anything. Daniel doesn't have any vases, and he doesn't like us to use his bigger cups and glasses without asking him. He always used those for his drinking habits.

I crawl into bed and stare at the rose one last time before falling into dreamland.