Rosehead

Chapter 30. The Unsuccessful Plan

A hushed silence filled the room, giving Lilith the false hope that perhaps her parents felt something. They didn't, and just looked at their daughter with worry. Muttering an excuse to Ed, she grabbed her clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. It was her last clean outfit, a red shift dress, matching cardigan, and flats, intended for the pompous good-bye dinner. Lilith dried her hair and dressed reluctantly, studying herself in the mirror. She didn't approve of formal dresses; they restricted her movement.

"Bloody perfect dress to die in, isn't it?" she asked her reflection, thinking that if by some miracle she survived, she would adopt Rosehead as her new nickname, out of spite. She stood like this for another minute, thinking about life, death, and love—three big things she had so little time to grasp.

"It is what it is." She shrugged. "There is no death without life, like there is no life without love. Does that mean there is no love without death? Do I have to die to know what love means?" She fixed her new beret, contemplating. "Do I have to lose everything, before I can gain anything?" It seemed true to her in the moment. Her thoughts turned to her mother, to her awkward attempts at teaching her how to knit. Lilith always commented that knitting was certainly not an activity suited for sick people, lest she managed to poke out an eye with a needle. Gabby would typically balk and ask Lilith if she took her pills.

Deciding that she ought to stop dwelling and enjoy her last day, Lilith emerged to the day's first sunrays coloring the room gold.

Ed was gone, perfectly in line with his annoying habit of disappearing. Panther snored on a pillow. Gabby and Daniel rushed to their daughter. Her father asked about her wellbeing. Her mother announced that today it would be okay to skip her medicine.

"You look great!" said Daniel.

"A traveling circus is coming tonight, with trained elephants. Your friends Gina and Daisy asked me if they could sit next to you, such sweet girls," said Gabby.

Lilith's stomach churned. "Gwen and Daphne, Mom."

"We're leaving tomorrow, pup. Aren't you happy about that? We'll be home in no time," chimed in her father.

Lilith suddenly swayed. Not enough sleep, not enough food, and plenty of exhaustion finally took its toll. Her parents exchanged a glance and led her to bed, sitting on either side. This is worth dying for, thought Lilith, this moment, this golden sunrise, this view of a stunning rose garden, Panther wheezing on a pillow, mom and dad hugging me, no lectures, no annoying questions.

She leaned on her mother's shoulder and closed her eyes. Gabby asked something. Daniel answered something. Lilith couldn't detect their words. I'll just sit like this for a bit. It's so cozy, it's like sitting in a pile of sleeping whippets, it's like... She struggled to think and then wasn't thinking anything anymore, drifting off.

When she opened her eyes, hours later, her head was propped on a pillow, she was covered with a blanket, and the sun hung low over the horizon.

"What?" Lilith bolted upright. "I fell asleep!"

The evening colored the sky lavender. A sweet fragrance drifted in on a light breeze. The serene atmosphere would've fooled anyone but Lilith. She felt the throbbing in the very walls of the mansion, in the ground of the garden. It hummed with anticipation like a hungry predator.

"How long did I sleep?" Her heart hammered.

"I may have mentioned that I don't happen to own a watch. Nor do I know how to read." Panther yawned, sitting up.

"Panther!" Lilith covered her mouth in horror. "We slept through the day!"

The whippet jumped, looked out the window, looked at Lilith, and barked wretchedly.