Flowers For McGee

13 - That Flower Was Floating

Rose woke up the next morning and McGee was laying on his back beside her in the same spot he'd been in when she fell asleep. She was comfortable and felt safe when he was in the same room. Nothing tried to suck her into the closet, under the bed, and she didn't have dreams.

They both sat up at the same time and stood. "I need a shower." She says.

"Do I need to go with you?" McGee asks.

"I think I can manage on my own. But stay close just I'm case." She says.

"Okay, if you need me at all, just say my name. I'm going to pester Johnny. It's quite entertaining, he gets so freaked out." He chuckles and she smiles.

She leaves her bedroom and walks to the bathroom and turns on the water.
-
Rose lets the water run over here face and she sighs. Her music played softly through her speaker and she didn't have a care or thought in the world.

She didn't worry about the fact that she was going to be late for school, and she didn't worry about the shadow of a girl behind her curtain. She didn't notice as it got closer and closer.

"Rose?" She hears and her eyes fly open and she gasps. She turns and see her standing there.

"McG-" She starts to yell his name as the girl flies at her through the curtain, wailing loudly.

Rose falls backwards and the shower curtain and the rod go with her. The curtain, the shower rod, and water all hit her face at the same time. Rose is stunned as she chokes on water and tries to fight the girl on her. Rose can't breath as the plastic of the curtain and the pressure of Rosaline's hands suffocate her.

"M-mom! McGee!" She screams loudly as she tries to pull it away but she can't.

"Stop fighting!" Rosaline says in low tone and Rose screams as loud as she possibly can with her face being covered. Her wet hands struggle to pull the curtain away but they keep slipping and she becomes lightheaded.

"McGee! Help!" She screams and the door burst open, but the pressure is still there until the curtain is pulled away and she takes a deep breathe.

"Oh, baby, are you okay?" Her mother asks. Maggie pulls a towel down to civer her daughter and then another down to press to her bloodied face.

Rose burst into tears and Maggie hugs her to her body. McGee had gotten the dead girl away from Rose but the damage was already done and he felt guilty.

"I think you need stitches." Maggies says and wipes the blood and tears away from Rose's eyes.
-
Rose didn't go to school that day. She was in no mood to be near the living after having a needle threaded through her face.

Or to be around the dead for that matter.

After Maggie brought her home, she goes to walk to her room, but her mom stops her.

"Rose, are you sure you are fine, honey? Have you been sleeping enough?" Maggie asks and Rose stops at the base of the staircase with her hand tightly in the railing, her back to her mom.

"No, it's not that, mom." Rose says and sighs.

"Are you staying up late and talking to your friends?" Maggie asks, silently begging that it was something normal for once. Maggie was concerned about how her daughter was acting. Rose was always secretive and moody, but Maggie was new to this with Rose.

Maggie could almost swear the name Rose shouted this morning wasn't Maggie or mom, but she didn't press it. Maggie knew Rose was too distraught. Whoever her daughter was yelling for definitely wasn't someone she knew of.