The Rose & The Hat [Rose The Hat/Female Reader Oc] [Doctor Sleep]

Prologue: How It Started

The first time you saw her, you must've been around age four. You only saw her for a moment, but that was enough to quit your crying. Something about her was soothing enough to stop.

A faint warmth invaded you slowly enough not to frighten you. The pain was less.

It hadn't been the first time your mom had struck you, and you doubted it was going to be the last.

You had been very lonely that day. Playing all by yourself, as usual. So when mom came home, you ran to her feet and held onto her skirt tightly. It almost made her trip—grocery bags falling, eggs cracking...

She was furious as she slapped you to the floor. And even more so, as she kicked you while you were lying there, shocked.

"Stupid little shit, why can't you behave? Do you know how much food costs?" She didn't pause the beating. "If you keep being so careless I might as well sell you to the highest bidder you ungrateful little bitch."

She had her angry moments. Usually, after yelling and punching you around, she would calm down, cry, apologize, and treat you kinder.

Money.

You realized.

Mommy is so angry because of money.

If only she had more...

That's what you understood.

"Mommy stop!" You cried. "It hurts, mommy. It hurts. Please, I'm-"

You were now being whipped by what seemed to be one of her pretty necklaces.

"Shut up, brat- SHUT THE FUCK UP-" She yelled.

"Please!" You yelped in pain.

You wanted someone to stop her, someone to hug you, someone to protect you.

You made yourself tiny, hugging your legs and bending your knees up to your chest. There was an intense moment where you could have sworn something in the house broke, like glass.

Bones?

You thought. You saw it on TV. Bones could crack.

You were scared as you felt it. Someone was there. Someone new.

You were afraid to look up, you didn't want Mom to slap your face again.

Yet, you felt something...

You had to look up.

And there was a woman at the end of the room. Tall, blue eyes —or were they green?—She wore a hat. A hat—usually worn by boys—. You had seen cartoons with similar ones, but they were always all boys.

She seemed surprised; lost. She turned to see you and you felt as if you wanted to run away. She smiled and it scared you, but at the same time, you wanted to run to her, to run to her arms so she could take you away.

A slap made you look away and to the floor.

There was a voice then.

Was it that woman?

But you couldn't understand her.

You had heard something similar, though. On TV. Another language? Either way, her voice calmed you. It made the pain subside. Or were you disappearing? You didn't know.

You fainted.

Your mom never hit you like that again. You didn't know why. But you were glad that was the case. She did, however, throw things around, including things made out of glass. There were times you cut yourself because of it. You always thought blood had a pretty color, so it was so sad one had to hurt every time it came out.