Devil in Disguise

one

One: Write a scene where your villain attends his or her favorite niece or nephew's birthday and is somehow roped into being the entertainment.

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"Uncle Leo! Uncle Leo! Come play tea party with me!" my little niece, Elizabeth, screeches at me.

She tugs on my hand and pulls me toward her bedroom. As we pass my older sister, Lila, I shrug off her bemused look. Her face conveys that Elizabeth is my "problem" now. But, I do not mind it. For now at least.

It is Elizabeth's sixth birthday today and we are gathered over at my sister's for a little family get together. We've already done dinner and cake yadda yadda, and I am absolutely stuffed. No matter how much I hate my mother, I have to admit, she makes a pretty damn good spaghetti.

I step into the hallway and admire a picture that is hanging on the wall. It was one of my sister and I, celebrating her sixteenth birthday. I was twelve. Back when we were actually happy.

Elizabeth's grubby little toddler hands pull on me harder and I reluctantly follow her. Would I kill to be that happy again? You bet your ass. But then again, wouldn't want to be like my mother.

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"Here, Leo! Put this on! Then we can be pretty princesses together!" Elizabeth squeals, tossing me a frilly pink and white tutu. I catch it and hold it away from me in examination. The things I do for her. I stretch it a little, but it barely widens. "I don't think it'll fit, little bug." I say to her apologetically.

She chucks a fake, plastic crown at my head and it hits me above the left eyebrow, not hard enough to break skin, but just forceful enough to leave a bruise.

"Just try!" she whines, putting on a pout, and her own purple and pink tutu. "And don't forget the crown!"

I shake my head at her. There is no chance that I am going to try and force that pink mess over my build. It would rip in half.

"Please, Leo." She says a little quieter, eyes growing watery.

Oh shit.

"Nono! Please don't cry little bug!" I try to amend. I scoop her up and hold her in a hug, trying to calm her down before she really starts to cry.

I have only witnessed one of her tantrums once. It wouldn't be ideal to live through that again.

"It's my birthday!" she says between sobs. "Why don't you do what I want!"

I put her down gently and her lip wobbles as she stares at me. How could I say no to those big, brown eyes?

"Alright." I say, indulging her. "I'll put on the stupid tutu."

"And don't forget the crown!"

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After the tenth game of ring around the rosie, I am feeling more than a little nauseous.

"Okay Elizabeth, that's enough of this game."

"More! More!" she laughs.

I can't keep up this spinning her. Aren't her arms tired yet? Mine sure as hell are. My stomach feels ready to spill. I stop spinning and let Elizabeth down.

"I think I'm going to be sick." I mumble to no one in particular, rushing out of Elizabeth's room. What did my mom put in my food? Ipecac? Wouldn't surprise me.

I rush through the living room past my mother and Lila, hand over mouth, trying to make it to the bathroom before my guts fly everywhere.

"Leopold. Why are you running in the house?" my mother scolds, catching my arm and clenching her hand around it. I try to wretch it away, but she clutches it harder. "Take your hand away from your mouth and answer me right this instant!"

"MOM! Let go! I'm gonna-BLEH!"

I can't hold it in any longer and I throw up all over my mother's shoes. Lila lets out a short bark of laughter, despite some of it getting on her carpet, and my mother hisses.

"THOSE WERE PRADA!" she cries in horror.

"I said move..." I reply weakly, clutching my stomach.

Elizabeth runs into the living room just as my mother was going to reply. My mother's head looks about as if it is ready to explode.

"Uncle Leo! Why did you run away?" she asks, rushing towards me.

"Elizabeth! Stop!" I hold out my hand, not wanting her to get any closer. She ignores my warning and hurries to us.

"No Elizabeth!" my sister shouts.

Elizabeth reaches us and promptly goes down, slipping in my throw-up, landing flat on her back. Immediately, she starts bawling.

Happy birthday, little bug.

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