Flowers Among Thorns || Bob's Burgers

9- From Bad to Worse

Pretty extreme trigger warning on this one. I mean it. Like, don't read it if you think for even a moment that you cannot mentally handle reading this, because your health is far more important than reading my book. Thanks. And be safe.

Day Twenty

Tina

The Gardener steps out into the garden where we are all gathered. "Hello my flowers. I'm only here for services from one of you. Now don't make it difficult."

"Why would we make it difficult?" Blackthorn asks. "Umm...Sir." He corrects himself.

"Because I want Daisy."

Everything becomes so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Daisy is nine years old. Alexis. Oh God. No. Not her. Never her.

Blackthorn A.K.A Darren being her brother, immediately stands in front of Alexis. "No. No way. Sir I can take her place. I can-"

"I've made up my mind." He snaps his fingers, his assistants going in to grab her.

Blackthorn soon becomes surrounded, his whimpering baby sister behind him. "Stop this!" He begs.

I step forward, nearly falling to my knees. "It can be me." I say.

"I don't wish to make love to you tonight, Ivy." He replies. Make love. Right...that's what he thinks this is. His own little perverted fantasy.

And like the wicked man he is, Daisy is soon in his clutches. Alexis. The girl I've just been formally introduced to. The child. The little girl.

Blackthorn and I both fight this, but it's no use. And I cant risk being killed by these people because I know they would take her anyway. Even if I did manage to protect her for a moment.

She deserves so many more moments of safety then she got. When she returns, I know nothing will ever be the same.

"Please God, don't!" I scream, pounding on the doors to the estate he expects me to call home.

"It's no use." Peony says, sinking to the ground. "That twisted fuck...I can't believe...shit, Ivy."

I embrace Peony, and she lets herself show the first bit of vulnerability that I've ever seen from her.

She's so very Louise. From the way she speaks to the way she moves, with quick precision. Her essence is everything I miss about my baby sister. Even though she'd kill me if she ever heard me call her a baby. She's twelve, damn it.

"I'm such a stupid crybaby idiot." Peony sniffles.

"It's okay. You're not. You're goddamn strong." I reassure her.

She manages a smile, slapping me. "Sorry. I had to get my slapping hand calibrated after all that emotion."

Yep. Very Louise. And this makes me tear up.

"Oh man. Sorry Ivy. Don't go turning into a crybaby like me." Peony teases.

"I'm happy crying...you're just like...my sister." I explain. Then a wave of grief overcomes me as I remember just what is happening behind the doors of the estate.

I must look like a maniac. Happy crying from a slap to the face, to sad crying because of the cruelty of The Gardener.

Peony sort of just stands there awkwardly. "Umm...so...nice weather we're having."

We share a laugh. I never thought I could let myself go like this in front of anyone other than my family and friends. But Peony is a friend.

Some time later, The Gardener carries Alexis in his arms as she lies unconscious.