The Mysterious Visitor (and other short stories)

Pizza (M)

I slipped into the house as quietly as I could. My mom was home and I didn't want her to hear me come in. I knew if she did, she would ask about my report card.

"Sara? Is that you?"

Crap.

"Sara, dear, come down and bring your report card. Don't try to hide now. I'm sure you did better this semester."

Sure you do. I thought sarcastically. She knew I was no good at school. Still, she demanded perfect grades. It was "for my own good". She didn't want me to "end up homeless in a ditch", or so she said. I knew what she was up to.

She wanted my life.

You see, when a person dies before the age of 85, they can leave their unused years of life to others.
However, since I am a minor, if I die, everything goes to my parents, in this case my mom. That includes the remaining 73 years I could have lived. She was hoping I would cave under the pressure and kill myself. My dad had. He had jumped off a bridge and left everything to my mom, shortly after she found out she couldn't have any more children. That was when I had begun to catch on.

"Sara, dear," my mother's voice had acquired a sharper tone, "now!" I sighed and headed down the steps to the living room.

My little brother, Peter, was already downstairs. He was as pale as a sheet. My mother was glowering as she looked over his report card. She saw me enter the room and held out her hand.

"Give it here." I reluctantly handed her the manilla envelope. She opened it and looked at my grades. Her face darkened and she threw both report cards onto the floor in frustration.

"Neither of you will never amount to anything. I don't know what I did to deserve such worthless children." Then she said something we all dreaded, "There will be serious consequences for this."

My heart sank. Living here with her was bad enough on a normal day, but this meant she was going to make our lives a living Hell.

SLAM!

I jumped as Peter ran upstairs and slammed the door to his room.

"Oh dear." Mother murmured. "I hope he isn't thinking of doing anything foolish."

I tensed. This was bad, but I knew from experience there was nothing I could do. Even as a practically grown-up 12-year-old, I knew there were ways my mother could make my life much, much worse if I tried to intervene.

I knew what we would find in his room when Peter didn't show up for dinner. He had somehow managed to hang himself from the ceiling fan. I shook my head. I had tried to warn him, but there is only so much you can explain to a kid, especially when they are a blabbermouth who doesn't know how to keep secrets from mom.

My mother seemed so heartbroken. She really did. Everyone else seemed to believe it, but I knew better. I thought I was the only one who saw through her charade. That was why I was surprised when my older sister showed up at our house a few weeks later asking for me specifically.

Kate was 21 and married, and as such, my mother had lost interest in her. I had never really known Kate. She was from my mother's previous marriage who had died of cancer or something. I wasn't really sure. My mother never talked about it.

"Sara, we need to talk. Want to go out for pizza?" It was an odd request, as I had never really hung out with her before, but what 12-year-old will turn down pizza?

I don't know how she convinced my mother to let me go. I think she bribed my mom with her favorite tea and an offer to set her up with the cute guy at work.

My sister started talking before we even pulled out of the driveway. "I know you know what Mom is up to."

I was shocked. "I...don't know what you mean," I lied.

"Yes you do. Now listen closely. I can get you out of there. I forged her signature on these." She handed me some legal guardian forms. My mouth dropped open.

"You mean you can adopt me?" I practically shouted it, I was so excited. "No more getting grounded and school pressure and pills getting 'accidentally' left in my room?"

My sister nodded. "Yes."

We hung out at the pizza place for a while so it was late when we left. I quickly fell asleep in the car. It was early morning when my sister woke me.

Something was wrong. Why was it morning? She only lived a few hours away. I was too groggy to think clearly. Through my fogged mind I noticed we were way out in the county. Why was that? My sister helped me out of the car and lead me into the woods.

"Where-"

"Shh. Your mom is trying to find us. She found out I forged her signature on your adoption papers. We are going to hide out here for a while."

"Oh. Okay." I was still feeling too sleepy to question it. We came to a small clearing with a large hole dug in the center.

"I'm sorry, Sara."

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sick. Dying, actually, but with your mom dead and framed for your murder, her remaining years and yours will be given​ to me as the oldest remaining relative. It is the only thing that can keep me alive. So, I'm sorry."

"What..." Before my sluggish brain could process the meaning behind her words, I heard a bang and felt a sharp pain in my head. I felt myself falling, and my last thought was that the pizza must have been drugged.