Jungle Girl

My Child

A/N: A flashback chapter

"My child, what makes you so blue?" Scarlett's grandmother asks a smaller Scarlett as she caresses her face. Scarlett sniffled, looking up at her grandmother with teary eyes and a scrape on her knee, "Is it the hue of your laces? Tells me you've been places." Ada pulled on the loops of her shoe laces. "Why this on your knee? What is your strategy?" asked grandma Ada.

"My little honey bee, what makes you so glee?" Ada booped Scarlett's nose. "It's the leaves on the trees, the flowers above the towers. Nature isn't a macer, you just have you face her." Ada always talked in riddles. "Aiding your wound, is simple." Ada smiled.

Ada placed a bandaid over Scarlett's wound. "The kiss is something not to miss." Ada kissed Scarlett's cheek, making Scarlett giggle. "Remember, love is a dove. So small and beautiful, calling out to you and you and through."

"Through the trees and bees, the sun and the stars."

"Come on, child, you know the rest."

"Wherever we may be, it will always be you and me." Ada said and Scarlett joined in. "Through the trees and bees, the sun and the stars." The both of them said. "No matter how far, I'll always know where you are." Scarlett said as Ada wiped her tears. "Every time you bleed, it's another vessel freed." Ada kissed her forehead. Scarlett tried living by what Ada said, though, at the time she didn't quite understand it.

Nobody seemed to understand how someone like Ada could take care of Scarlett, a young girl, who needs someone with great knowledge and not riddles. The Department of Child Protective Services was called, came down to take Scarlett away. The house was full of clutter, little nicknacks, bundles of sage, books in different languages. Ada opened the door, "Yes?" said she. "Ma'am, we are here with DCFS." The man at door said, showing her the badge. "We got an anonymous call that you have been neglecting your grandchild. Can we come inside and speak with her? And you." The man said.

"Yes, I don't see why not." Ada let the men in her house. "Would you boys like some tea?" asked Ada. "No, thank you, ma'am." The man declined her offer as they sat on the couch. "Scarlett! Come out here, please!" Ada yelled down the hall. Scarlett came running out of her room, "Ada, Ada!" Scarlett said, hugging her grandmother. "Ay, mi amor." Ada kissed Scarlett's head. After evaluating both Ada and Scarlett, everything checked out, and the DCFS men left. "Who were those people?" Scarlett asked Ada. "Bad people. Very, very bad people." Ada said, "They want to take you away, but I know you want to stay." Ada pinched Scarlett's cheeks. "I don't want to go!" Scarlett sounded scared. "I know, honey bee." Ada said, pulling the small child close to her.

DCFS came back, and the house was filled with more clutter. But, once again, everything checked out. Until, they came for the third time, when everything didn't check out. Scarlett had this bruise on her arm and a missing tooth, raising suspicion, "How did you get that bruise?" The DCFS man asked Scarlett. "Oh! Me and Ada were playing! She says that I should face nature!" Scarlett replied, she had always enjoyed being outside. "Uh, huh." The man didn't believe her.

"Ada, Ada!" Scarlett cried as the DCFS man pryed Scarlett from her grandmother's arms. "Scarlett! It will be okay, we will make them pay!" Ada yelled as Scarlett was dragged out of the house, she kicked and screamed. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Scarlett yelled to the DCFS men. "That's what they all say." The DCFS man said from the front seat.

The court ruled that Scarlett would stay with DCFS, only having monitored visits with Ada. "My child, I don't mean to pry, but why do you cry?" Ada said at one of the visits, what Scarlett didn't know, it'd be her last. "I see the puffs, it is really that rough?"

"Yes! Yes, they leave me here in distress!" Scarlett replied. "I know, honey bee, but what gives you glee?" asked Ada. "It's the leaves on the trees, the flowers above the towers. Life isn't the best, you just have to not be a pest." Ada said. "Love is a dove. So small and beautiful, calling out to you and you and through."

"Through the trees and bees, the sun and the stars."

"Come on, child, you know the rest."

"Wherever we may be, it will always be you and me." Ada said and Scarlett joined in. "Through the trees and bees, the sun and the stars." The both of them said. "No matter how far, I'll always know where you are." Scarlett said as Ada wiped her tears. "Good girl." Ada said. "Times up." The social worker stopped the stop watch. "No! Please!" Scarlett begged. "Don't worry, baby. I call you, maybe." Ada replied, grabbing her cane, and beginning to walk out of the room. Throughout this time, Ada had become weak, but she didn't want her granddaughter to worry. Ada coughed, and again.

When the third cough struck she fell to the floor, "Grandma!" Scarlett yelled, running over to her, only to be stopped by the social worker, who yelled, "Somebody call 911!" Ada was rushed to the hospital.

Ada stayed in that hospital.
Ada died in that hospital.

"The plan is in motion, sir." The DCFS man said into the sleeve of his suit. "Excellent." Another man responded. After that, Scarlett stayed in the orphanage, looking after kid after kid, trying to remember the words of her Ada. Scarlett watched as everyone else got picked, but not her, oh, nobody wanted her. Scarlett was the product of the crazy lady, this made Scarlett realize, Ada's words, meant nothing, they held no power, they held no meaning.
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"My child, what makes you glee?"

Scar heard the voice in her head and got confused.