Karen O'Neill COMPLETED

4

"What about the name Karen?"
"Ron, we don't even know if it's a boy or girl yet!"
"Sorry, Anne. I just want to look ahead, you know?"
"Ok, so if it's a boy, what're you gonna name it?"
"James."
"You really do look ahead dont you?"

"Ron, wake up!"
"What? Where have you been all night?"
"Its noon, baby. And speak of the baby, I found out!"
"Well?"
"Its a girl!"

"Oh, Anne, you have a beautiful baby!"
"She is, isnt she?"
"My, my, yes!"

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Karen! Happy birthday to you!"
"Yay!" The two-year-old giggled.
"How about some cake?"
"Yeah, yeah, cake, cake!"

"Go, Karen, go!"
The five-year-old laughed joyfully as she rode her bike for the first time without training wheels.

"You really are pretty, you know."
"Am I?"
"Yeah, you are." John closed the distance between himself and twelve-year-old Karen.
When they parted, Karen laughed. "I am arent I?" She could feel John's head nod as he chuckled.
"Yeah."

"Karen! Come here, it's your mother!"
"Mom?" Almost-thirteen-year-old Karen raced down the stairs to find her mother collapsed on the floor in a heap. Her lids were cracked barely open and she was clutching her stomach where Karen's baby brother once lived. Before Anne fell down the stairs onto him.
"Mommy!"
"Karen... come... here." Anne placed her hand over Karen's heart. She kissed her hand and said, "I'm sorry, baby. I love... you..." And she passed on, with the baby who's name was going to be Jack, to the life beyond death.

A tear escaped from the corner of Karen's eye. She quickly swiped it away as she stared at the black coffin, which held her mom and her baby brother.

"What? Did you kill her? I bet she did!" Bessie Millers pushed Karen into a locker. She kicked her. "Pathetic!" She hit her.
"Uh.." But Karen let her.

"Dont listen to her."
"But everyday..."
"I said dont listen. Just ignore her." John took Karen's hand and let her lean into him.
"But...I cant..."

"I CANT DO THIS ANYMORE!" Karen slammed the door in her principal's face.
"Karen, I know its hard..."
"DON'T YOU TELL ME ITS HARD! DID YOUR MOM AND BABY BROTHER DIE?! I DONT THINK SO! STOP ACTING LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND!"

"And how do you feel about that?"
"I. Hate. It."
"Yes, but how do you feel?"
"Like. I. Could. Murder. You."
"Oh... that's not... on the list... how about-"
"STOP. Just... STOP."

Karen cried uncontrollably. She could feel the cool metal on her hands. She cried more.
"I'm sorry, Mom." Karen heard a loud noise ringing in her ears. Her last thought was 'I'm coming, Mommy.'