Flowers Among Thorns || Bob's Burgers

7- A Moment of Calm

Day Sixteen

Tina

Tulip showed up in the glass this morning. Too many are dying and there's literally nothing I can do to stop it.

Peony is only thirteen, so at least I don't have to worry about losing her due to her age any time soon.

"H-Hi Ivy." Daisy comes over to me shyly.

"Hi there." I say softly.

"Can you help me get my ball? I threw it into a tree and I can't reach. Blackthorn is with The Gardener right now." She asks.

I smile. "Of course."

Leading me to the tree, I see a bright red ball stuck between two branches. It should be easy enough to get.

I don't have to climb very high to retrieve it, tossing it down to Daisy. She cheers happily.

The Gardener hasn't touched her yet. Thank God for that. She's only nine. Though I can't imagine him sparing her for very long. He's a strange and evil man that I can't even begin to decipher.

I play ball with Daisy for a while, hoping she can hold onto the innocence she still has.

The Gardener hasn't tattooed her yet. She's much too small for one. At this point, I think Daisy is almost happy here.

She tells me about how she misses her parents, but is glad that Blackthorn is here with her.

She casually tells me her real name is Alexis. And her brother is Darren. He looks like a Darren.

I hope they can both see the light of day again. With their family. Even if it means that I can't. She's young. She's fragile.

"I want to see Layla again. That's my doggy." Alexis tells me.

"I bet. What kind of dog?" I ask.

"She's just a puppy. I think my mom called her a...lab?" Alexis thinks about it for a minute and nods her head. "A laboratory."

I can't help but giggle at this. "I think you mean a Labrador."

She giggles back. "Yeah!"

We lay in the light of the sun together while I tell her about my own life, just above a whisper so whatever cameras may be around can't hear us.

"You're really sweet, Alexis." I say.

"You are too. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She questions.

"You can call me Tina. But that's just between us, okay?" I reply.

Alexis nods. "I won't. I swear. Pinky promise." Holding out her little pinky, she links it with mine.

"I have a brother and a sister. I'm sixteen, my brother is fourteen, and my sister is twelve." I explain. "Gene is my brother. My sister is Louise."

She quietly takes in all of my words, adjusting her position in the grass so that she's laying on my chest.

I tell her about Mom and Dad. About Louise's pranks and Gene's hijinks. About the restaurant. Even about Teddy and his long stories that I never thought I'd miss as much as I do.

It's the little things that I miss. Teddy's stories, Gene's giggles at his own music, and the way Louise's lips curl when she smiles.

Dad and his gentle nature. How he can go from serious to silly in a blink of an eye.

Mom and her songs. How she can belt out any tune at the weirdest of times. But I loved it. So much.

And Zeke...oh Zeke. The way he can't sit still during a phone call, often pacing or tapping his fingers against his knee. Or mine.

The way he kissed me. With subtle urgency, yet so soft that it's almost hard to tell when he's actually locking lips with you.

His kindness. His jokes. His tough attitude and wildness that no one could ever tame.

And the way he screamed when I was snatched by four men in an alleyway. Like his whole life flashed before his eyes as he lost everything he held near and dear to his heart.

He is mine and I am his. That's how it's been for a long time. But in light of recent events, I'm unsure we could ever truly return to such a tender love.

But I know he'd try. And I know I will too. It's just a matter of getting out of here. If it's even possible to begin with.

My fire hasn't gone out. Even now. Maybe it's my family that keeps me strong. Maybe it's Zeke. Maybe it's Alexis. Peony even. Rose too. The girls I know as friends.

For Alexis' sake, I try not to show the fear I hold in my heart. It weighs heavy in my chest. It's damn near debilitating whenever I think about how much I miss my dad's hugs. Or my mom's kisses. The ones she's convinced I'll never grow out of. Because I won't.

"Are you okay?" Alexis asks.

"O-Oh sorry. I got a bit...lost inside of myself for a moment." I reply, realizing I'm crying.

"What do you mean?" She questions.

"I...I just miss my family is all. But...it's okay, Alexis. You know...if there's ever a chance of getting out of here...you'll be the first I set free." I tell her.

"Do you think there's a chance of getting back to our homes? To our families?" She looks up at me with inquisitive brown eyes similar to my own.

No.

"Yes. I think so...you know what, I know so." I lie. "Because they'll never stop looking for us. But until then...I'll look after you."

She nods. "Will you be like my sister? Like Darren is my brother?"

I smile, trying to hide my doubt. "Yeah. But whenever anyone else is around, you gotta keep calling me Ivy."

"I know. I pinky promised!" Alexis grins.

"Thanks Ali." The nickname comes out of nowhere, but the moment it leaves my mouth, it sticks. And Alexis absolutely adores it.

"Thanks erm, T." She calls me by a nickname I've heard before, and it nearly brings me to tears again.

Everyone in my family calls me T. It's another one of those little things I miss. I'd give anything for Mom to call me Teeny Tina again. Just to hear her voice.

I'm lucky enough to have talked to Dad at all. I'm beginning to think that maybe I shouldn't have. Because it may have just hurt him more.

At least he wouldn't have known I was raped. Because when I die here and he eventually knows it, he won't have to think the worst. The memory of my life could just drift away with time. And my family could move on with their lives without the violent and terrible thought of rape.

That makes it all the more difficult to let me go. I should have just let them forget me.

And every year before my twenty first birthday, I'll never forget them. For as long as I live this cruel and torturous life.