The Perfect Family

Pressure

Emily:

Chills ran down my spine as the strange child looked at me with pure glee in her eyes.  She really thought that the four of us were going to be a happy family, and that scared the hell out of me. 

The poor child had bad genes running through her veins.  She had most likely been brainwashed by her mother since the day she was born, and now she was being brainwashed by Vincent. 

My maternal and teaching instincts kicked in with a vengeance. I reached my hand down and touched her shoulder, giving her a little smile. "You are going to be alright, sweetie. I will take care of you."

Vincent's face lit up.  "I knew you would love her!"

The smile fled from my lips and I had to bite down on the insides of my cheeks to keep from cursing.

I wasn't saying that to make him feel good!

I could not help but feel obligated to help the little girl.  I've seen so many troubled children that have come out of broken homes, and it pained me so much that I could not help them.

But this one I could help. This one was still young enough to have a fighting chance to live a good life.

I kneeled down in front of her and rested my hands on her soft cheeks.  "You're very pretty.  What is your name?"

She looked down, embarrassed.  "Matilda."

"It's very nice to meet you, Matilda."  I stood back up and looked at Vincent. "Can I please see Cora?"

His eyes melted like butter. He really thought that I was being kind to his daughter for his sake. I felt like punching him in his stupid throat.

"Yes.  Of course."  He placed his hand on the small of my back and took me to one of the bedrooms. 

When he pushed open the door, Cora sat up and stared at me with tears in her eyes.  My heart felt like it was going to crumble into pieces.

"Can we have a few minutes alone?"

"I don't know..."

"Please, Vincent."  I said, taking hold of his hand.  "I need to assure her that everything is alright."

"Okay. You can have five minutes."

He closed the door behind himself, and I waited for his footsteps to fade before running over to Cora.  I carefully peeled the tape from her mouth and untied her hands.  "Are you okay?" I asked, taking her face into my hands.  "Did he hurt you?"

"N-no. I'm alright." She threw her arms around me and laid her head on my chest. "I thought that I was crazy when I saw his face. But he was real."

"Shhh...it's okay.  I'm here now."  I rubbed the top of her head and squeezed her tightly.  My words were nothing more than hollow comfort.  I didn't know how we were going to get out of this, but I had to be strong for her.  She needed me.

"He killed Trevor."

"I know. I'm so sorry."

She picked her head up and wiped away her tears. 

"I was going over to his house to apologize because we had an argument.  If I would've gotten there a little sooner, he....he might still be alive."

"You can't do that to yourself.  Even if you had been there, there was nothing you could've done."

"I could have saved him. Vincent wouldn't have hurt him if I asked him not to."  She put her hands over her face and began weeping.  "Why did he have to come back? Why won't he leave us alone?"