The Cleaner's Daughter

Feeling alone in the world

Scarlett POV:

I run and run until I'm out on the pier. I fall to my knees and scream out in anger. My lungs feel like they are going to burst into flames. I'm so pissed off my whole life has been basically a lie. The one person who took me in, the one person is the one who actually destroyed my life.

Rebel is all in my face worried about me. I pet him to let him know that I will be alright. We sit there looking out into blackness of the night. I don't know when I dosed off.

***

I'm playing in the family room. I hear a bang and my mother rushing over to me. She grabs me and carries me upstairs to her room. As we are on the stairs at the top I'm looking down and I see him. He has no hair, completely bald and he is wearing all black. He is standing over my dad kicking him in the side to make sure that he is dead. My dad lays there lifeless. I see the tattoo on his hand that is holding the gun and I try to force myself to remember that.

Now I'm in my mother's closet, she is pushing clothes to the side and opening another door that was hidden.

"Baby girl listen to me," she whispers while wiping a stray tear from my face. "Scarlett, stay here don't come out no matter what you hear...you stay here understand."

I shake my head. I'm so scared.

"Sweetheart look at me. You have to be very quiet; no more tears dry it up. I will back for you. If I don't there will be a man that comes for you; he will not hurt you."

"Mommy don't leave me I'm scared."

"You're a strong brave little girl. I will come back. Please don't cry and be super quite. If the man comes for you, you do what he says understand. I promise he will not hurt you."

She kisses me on the forehead and gives me the biggest strongest hug ever then shuts the door.

Minutes pass maybe hours I don't know because I'm trying to concentrate on being silent as possible. I'm scared. Monsters are in the house and my mommy is fighting them.

The door opens and it's not my mom instead it's this tall man staring down at me. He reaches out for my hand and I let him.

"There is something about you kid come on you can live with your uncle Zane."

This man is not my uncle but mom swore he wouldn't hurt me as long as I did what he says.

We walk out and there is blood everywhere. I know it's my mom's blood because my dad is downstairs. He hands me a mop. "First time for everything kid, clean up this mess." And I do because I'm seven and I don't know what else to do.

When I finish I go to the bathroom and the man is there knelling on his knees by the bathtub. His is holding my mom. I can't hear what he is saying to her but he is holding her so close and then he kisses her on the forehead. I think he is about to turn around so I turn and leave.

That was my mom in the bathtub lifeless.

The next thing I know I find myself in a big bed in a huge room. I go searching for him in this massive unfamiliar house.

I have several visions of working out, studying and getting hurt including my feelings several times. However those feeling are eventually gone. I'm strong and powerful and I could care less about anyone. I've seen way too much in my life, mostly bad but this is who I am now.

I wake up to Rebel barking and the sun is just coming up over the horizon.

My life has been a lie. How will I ever forgive him for what he has done? This whole time he was really my father. So it's true I am the Cleaner's Daughter.