The Black Box Disease

Annie

I walked deeper into the icebox. The lights were out, great. I hobbled over to find the mysterious voice. The door open and I looked back and saw a boxer standing right in front of me. I hit it with my crutch.

"Stop!" A little girl screamed, I hit the boxer again and Ethan shot its head.

"No! Mommy, are you okay." The little girl went up to the dead boxer and shook it. I covered my mouth and gasped. I grabbed the girl, and hobbled quickly out of the icebox. Ethan pulled the boxer out of the freezer and disposed of the body. I sat the little girl down and got her a hot cocoa.

"Hi sweetie, what's your name?" I asked sitting down next to her while she sipped her hot cocoa.

"I'm Annie. I'm six years old." She says smiling with her cocoa mustache. I get a napkin and wipe off her face. I always wanted a little sister, but since my parents left when I was young that was never a possibility. Annie finished her cocoa, and we brought her upstairs. I hobbled upstairs, Ethan offered to carry me. I politely denied. We told Annie she could pick any room to stay in, she picked my room. We decided that Ethan would have the one bed and Annie and I would share the other one.

We decided it was time for bed. After a few minutes of searching, I found a pair of pj's in the dresser for myself , and I found a huge shirt Annie could wear as a night dress. She pulled it over her head, and it looked like there was almost more shirt than there was Annie.

When we went to go to sleep, Annie knelt by the bed and looked up at me, "Can you pray with me?"  she begged. Pray? Um, ok. Annie might need to teach me how to do that. I remember I used to go to church when I was little and my mom and dad were still a "happy" couple, but I haven't been in years.

"How do you do that?" I asked her. Annie crawled up and sat in my lap,

"I don't remember," she whimpered, "Mommy always told me what to say when we prayed at night." Oh, great, she's just sleeping in the same room as the people who killed that creature that used to be her mom, gotta be awesome for a child's ego. I don't know how to be a mommy, but I knew this was one time I'd have to try and play mom, even if it was just for this little cutie's sake.

"Alright Annie, we can teach each other what to say!" I said. "ok" she whispered. Annie took a deep breath, and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Please help mommy to wake up soon, and that she'll come and find me, and that I can see her again, and help Cwystal to be safe so we can play tomorrow. Amen." She said as I pick her up and lay her down. I tuck her in. Ethan walked in and I put my finger over my mouth, and pointed to Annie. He nodded, and went to change in the bathroom. I laid down and closed my eyes.

I woke up early in the morning, I heard a growl next to me. I looked and saw Annie, but she looked, sick. No, no, no! She crawled toward me, chomping her teeth.

"Ethan!" I screamed. He woke up, and looked at me.

"Watch out!" He screamed as Annie pounced. I rolled out of the bed, and onto the floor. Annie almost getting me. Ethan pulls me up, and pushed me behind him. I tucked me head into his back, and heard the gun go off. I screamed. He turned around and hugged me. I was shaking, crying, and I couldn't stop screaming.

"What's going on in hea-" I hear James say as Adri and him say as he entered the room. I looked around Ethan's body, and saw Annie laying there not moving. I gasped and fell to the floor, crying. Ethan crushed me to his chest and Adri ran over to me. I hugged both of them.

I still couldn't believe what happened. Poor Annie. She was like a daughter to me. She was sweet, too young to die. Everyone sat around the table eating and laughing. I sat there, picking at my food. My foot is still sore, but I am starting to walk on it. I poked my fork at my too runny eggs. James isn't the best cook.

"I'm going upstairs." I said putting my fork up and starting to hobble towards the stairs.

"Wait up!" I heard Ethan say. I continued walking up the stairs, knowing he'd catch up to me.

I finally made it up to my room. I went inside and changed. When I finished changing I sat down on the floor, and I prayed.

"Lord, protect us. Let Annie be safe in your arms. Let her be with her mother. And-" I couldn't do it any more I broke down and started crying. Annie was too young to die. She didn't deserve this. Ethan came into the room.

"Hey." I said wiping away tears.

"Hey." He says as he comes and sits down next to me.

I could smell his cologne, it smelled nice. I rested my head on his shoulder, he was wearing a soft jacket. I shivered. He shrugged off his jacket, a put it on me. I inhaled the scent of his cologne. That was the last thing I remember before I fell asleep.

I woke up, laying in someone's arms. Ethan. I really like him, and the way he was with Annie. He'd be a great father. Wow, Crystal. Slow down. You just met like three days ago. Just start with boyfriend. I really like him. Maybe I should ask him out.

"I love you Crystal." He says, as I roll over.

"What?" I said looking at him.

"You kind of said that... Out loud." He says with a laugh. I felt my cheeks turn bright red, and I giggled. Oh my heavens, I am such an idiot. I slammed my hand to my forehead. In the end, we found out we both had feelings for each other. Could this be the start of a new relationship?