Blood Stained Rose

Prologue

Prologue

​I skip down the hallway humming a song I heard Mary singing at school today. I struggle to remember the words but I keep the tune just fine. I normally would pass mommy's room without another thought except she is singing the lyrics to Mary's song! Daddy told me not to talk to mommy because she is very sick but I just have to know the lyrics! I peek through the crack in the door to see her sitting in the corner with her back to me. My long damp hair hangs on my shoulders, smelling of lavender from my bath. I am barefoot and already in my night gown. If I am really quiet maybe I can just listen until the song is done and then sneak out. Yeah, that's what I'll do so I won't get in trouble with daddy! I push open the door as quiet as I can. I carefully take a couple of hesitant steps towards her. She doesn't move or stop singing. I stand silently focusing on her melodious voice.
​"Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her father forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, gave her mother forty-one."
​I turn to leave but faster than my eyes can trace she grabs my hand and pulls me towards her. Her voice rings louder still singing the song. Her black eyes bear into my own.
​"Help, daddy! Daddy, help me!" I scream. My mother pushes me up against the wall and smiles at me. Her black eyes grow darker. She tilts her head at me and growls like a dog. I call out to daddy again. Dad throws open the door and pulls my mother off of me. He lifts me up and runs out of the room. He sets me down roughly and locks the door quickly behind us. Dad turns to me and puts his back to the door, out of breath. Mom claws and kicks at the door, screaming and growling. I quiver and cry until daddy wraps his arms around me.
​"Alice, what were you doing in there?" Dad asks. He pushes me back a little bit to look into my eyes. Little tears well up in them. I shrug my shoulders and he holds me close to him.
​"She-she was sing-singing the same so-song Mary w-was at the play-ground to-today. I just wanted to h-hear her so-song. I'm so-sorry daddy," I say, in between sobs.
​"It's okay. You're okay that's all that matters." Dad takes my hand into his own and leads me to my bedroom. He lifts me into bed and kisses me goodnight. I roll over as my daddy turns off my light. My mother's voice splinters the silence.
​"Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her father forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, gave her mother forty-one."

​My legs swing out and my giggles echo in the silence. Daddy's strong hands grab hold of me and then release me, sending me higher. I love the tickle bumps in my tummy when I come down from the height. Daddy doesn't say a word, only watches the sun sink below the horizon. I grow quiet as well, waiting for daddy to tell us to go inside. My stomach grumbles and daddy pulls me off the swing.
​"Are you hungry, pumpkin?" He asks without any emotion in his voice. I nod and run inside and daddy slowly follows. I pull out the bottom of the fridge where the frozen food is kept. I pull out my favorite meal: chicken nuggets. Daddy hardly smiles when I run up to him with the giant bag of frozen chicken. He simply takes it from my hand and pulls out a cookie sheet. I open the giant doors of the fridge and pull out some ketchup and grape juice then struggle to carry both back to the table without dropping them. Daddy leans against the counter rubbing his temples as I return to the kitchen for a cup, hoisting myself up onto the kitchen counter to reach into the cabinet for my favorite cup with pink spirals all over the sides. I climb down and run to the table. I quickly unscrew the top of the grape juice and I struggle to pour it. I lose my grip on the bottle and it topples out of my hand and onto the table. My cup tips over and the contents of my cup mix with what used to be the contents of the grape juice bottle on the table into a long stream. The stream moves quickly and drips off the table. Daddy turns around and I flinch expecting him to get upset but he doesn't. Instead he sighs and grabs a damp rag from the sink. Without a word he wipes off the table and pours me a glass of water instead. He fixes my plate and squeezes some ketchup on my plate as well. He sets it down in front of me and I start eating. He takes the chair next to me but he doesn't eat, he simply puts his face in his hands. I stuff a ketchup-drenched nugget in my mouth and take a big gulp of my water. Five little ketchup dots remain on my glass. I continue eating and daddy gets up to fix himself a plate. A blood-curdling scream emanates from the hall. Daddy drops his plate of chicken, which shatters on the floor and turns to run for my mommy. First he turns around and looks at me, desperation and panic clear in his eyes.
​"Stay there Alice. Don't move." I nod and he runs off. I stare, wide-eyed, at the shattered plate. I hear more screams and daddy's faint voice. I turn back to my food and dunk another nugget into the pool of ketchup. I pick it up and toss it in my mouth, making a game out of my meal. I feel warm breath against my neck. My breath catches in my throat and I turn around to see my mommy staring back at me. She bears her teeth like an animal, breathing heavy. Her eyes darker than night and her hair tangled in knots. I open my mouth to speak but she pulls me off my chair and covers my mouth with her hand. She smiles at me and laughs. My vision begins to blur and fade. The last thing I see is daddy pushed mommy off of me and picks me up before I black out.
​I wake up in my booster seat in daddy's car. I roll my head to the side to stare out the window. I am disoriented and my head still throbs. A million questions tumble around in my little head. I glance at the passenger seat to find it is empty. Where are we? Where are we going? Why didn't mommy come with us? All the questions are bubbling over I don't know what to ask first.
​"Daddy, where are we going?" I ask, rubbing my eyes. He glances back at me and gives a faint smile. Under his eyes are prominent black bags. Daddy is not very old but whatever is bothering him has taken its toll.
​"We're going to see Grandma Martha," he says, sighing. I love going to Grandma Martha's house because she makes good cookies. The last time I saw Grandma Martha was the last time mommy did something scary. I fall asleep against the window and when I wake up daddy is lifting me out of my booster seat. Grandma Martha is waiting in the doorway with her arms crossed.
​"Grandma Martha!" I scream and run into her awaiting arms. She hugs me and gives me a kiss on my cheek.
​"Go inside, dear, I made you some cookies." I run inside after she lets me down. My tiny hands reach up onto the counter to snag a warm cookie from the awaiting plate.
​"I don't know what to do, Martha. If I can't take her to a professional then I can't have Alice in the house. She's becoming more and more violent with her," Dad says real quiet.
​"Do you what you have to. After what Danielle has done this time I realize it's no longer just about her, it's about Alice's safety as well," Grandma says, tears welling up in her eyes.
​"Thank you, Martha. I'll be back by Monday, I promise."
​"Take your time. I'll keep Alice safe, don't you worry." Grandma turns to me after shutting the front door. I stand quietly behind her waiting for her to turn around and tell me what is wrong with mommy. I know something's wrong because I remember when mommy was nice and loved me. She gives me a faint smile and sits in her rocking chair. I watch as the tears fall down her cheeks.
​The next morning I wake up in grandma's empty bed. She has already gotten up to make breakfast. I jump out of bed and run to the kitchen. The smell of bacon and eggs make my tummy rumble. I sit at the table and wait to get my food. Grandma sets my food in front of me and sits in the chair across from me. She bows her head and I lace my fingers together and squeeze my eyes shut.
​"Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful granddaughter, Alice. Thank You for keeping her safe. We pray for her daddy, that he should have a safe trip. I pray You put Your angels around my sweet daughter and heal her ailments. We thank You for letting us wake up to a beautiful day and for the food we're about to eat. In Your name we pray. Amen."
​"Amen!" I echo and shovel eggs into my mouth.
​"Alice Claire, slow down. You're eating like a pig," Grandma scolds.
​"I'm not a pig, silly! I'm a girl!" I say with a smile. I pick up a piece of bacon. "He was a pig!" Grandma laughs and I take a bite of my bacon. Grandma's phone rings on the counter. She sighs and gets up to answer it.
​"Hello? Edward, is that you? Calm down, son, I can't understand you." There is a long pause. Grandma's face grows weary. "What do you mean, she's gone?"