Fix me

19

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I wrote. Hope everyone is doing well.
*
"Bullshit." Rose muttered after a few minutes of silence.

"Language, Reneè." She gave her a stern look, her hand on her hips. The longer Rose looked at her, the more guilt she seeped into heartstrings. Tightening and pulling her thumping heart, How could she not recognize her aunt?

"You're lying! This is a trick! I'm hallucinating." She ran her hands through her hair, gently tugging it to make herself feel. The thought of her aunt playing with her in the playground, swirling her feet off the ground. Those were the happiest childhood memory she had and now she couldn't even remember what exactly happened that night when she ran off with her sister. How could everything be so hazy? Her train of thoughts quickly interrupted by her unrecognizable aunt.

"Your Uncle is mad, Rose." Her aunt looked her dead in the eye.

"Don't you dare change the subject! You were dead! H-how is it even possible?" the air was tense, everything was mad. Hell, Rose could've sworn she was too.

"Your..father staged my death to help me escape."

"Wait.. what about mom?" For once, her mind was somewhere else. Somewhere between hope and pain, hoping that her mother was alive and painfully acknowledging that she wouldn't recognize her even if she was.

"Unfortunately, that was real. Look, we don't have much time before Simon finds you, you need to go to your father with me. He can keep you safe."

"What were you escaping from?" Her aunt looked rather impatient with all her questions.

"Simon, he was never the same after he came back from the war. He turned abusive and it was risky for you and Denise".

"So what you decid-"

"What do you remember about what happened back then?" her aunt cut Rose off before she could finish her sentence.

Rose's mind spun as her memories flashed. She was hiding in the cupboard with her younger sister in her arms. The darkness swallowing both of their small figures, concealing them from two adults downstairs quarreling. Suddenly, everything went silent and Rose could hear a loud thump. She heard loud footsteps coming from the stairs, she clenched tighter on to her sleeping sister. Swallowing hard as the wooden floors creaked as the person walked up the stairs. Her mind was focused on what her mother told her.

"Stay here until I come and get you. Renee, it's essential that you stay here until I open the cupboard. Regardless of what you hear, do not come out. Do you understand me?" Her mother's voice echoed in her ears everytime she has the urge to go out. The creak became closer and louder as the person walked. She held her breath, praying that her sister would not spontaneously burst into tears. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she could feel her heart in her mouth. The creak faded making its way to other rooms and out the front door. Rose stayed put, waiting for her mother to open the cupboard and tell her everything is alright. She waited.. and waited..until she fell asleep. She was woken up by the loud sirens outside of her house. Instinct took over and Rose rushed downstairs, her baby sister still in her arms. That's when she saw her mother stiff on the floor. A puddle of blood around her head as she laid still on the ground. The policeman came up to her and touched her on the shoulder as she failed to breathe.

"Renee, look at me." He slipped his hands around the baby girl in her arms and turned her gaze towards him. " Look at me, Sweety. It's alright, we got you now. Your mother kept you safe.." It was all her brains could process before all she could do was just watch him talk her. Only certain words she could process was "robbery" and "forced entry". She was small enough for him to scoop her off the floor and gave her a big hug. He brought her out of the house, she watched as her mother's body was covered with a white cloth.

"Renee! Oh honey!Thank god you're alright!" her aunt cupped her face as the policeman placed her on the floor, she clung to her aunt. It felt as if tomorrow has ended and it would never come. She remembered countless sessions with a counselor but eventually, it was her aunt who brought her back to her feet. Reminded her that she wasn't alone, no matter how bad days were. Aunt Leslie tried her best to put food on the table while Simon was off serving his country, Rose could remember 'Smiley Toast nights' when they would decorate toasts with ketchup for dinner. It was only when Rose started growing up then she realized that it was a budget meal. Regardless, she enjoyed it as a child.

It was rather hazy for Rose to remember every single detail that happened that night when someone she loved was taken away again, only the traumatizing parts engraved itself onto her memories. She remembered being pushed out of the backyard with her sister in her hands.

"Renee, you run and don't you dare look back or come back for me! Do you hear me? I love you both so much. Please be safe. Now GO!" She pushed both of them out of the backyard where Rose could barely see her way out of the bushes, still holding onto her sister to make sure she won't get lost. She stopped when she heard shrieking and screaming, her arms pulling her sister into a hug as bushes shielded their miniature body from being seen. Then everything went silent, she sat there clutching the only family she had left with her eyes shut hoping that this was all just another nightmare. The only thing that snapped her out of it was heavy footsteps stepping onto tweaks heading their way. The only instinct left in her was to run and they did.

Rose snapped out of her thoughts when Leslie snapped her fingers.

"We have to go, Simon is back! So you're either coming with me to find out about the truth or give yourself up to Simon!"

*

Sorry guys, it's been awhile since I've written ever since university started and what not. Hope you'll enjoy the story regardless.