Bella (Book 1)
Bella walked into the thrift store holding mama’s hand, mama was Bella’s first word and she still used it at the age of eight. It was two weeks before Halloween and mama just got paid so it was time to buy a costume. Of course mama wouldn’t buy her a real costume, mama said she couldn’t afford it. Mama spent her money on her own things, Bella knew that even at her young age. Bella would get a second hand costume, maybe even third or fourth hand. Bella lived with mama, her aunt and her two cousins. The three should be best friends but Bella hated them both very much. They lived in a rich neighborhood, so Bella was always made fun of for her lack of fancy clothes. And of course, here she was in the thrift store again. The young girl didn’t understand why she had to suffer because her dad left, Bella had nothing to do with that.
Bella knew that two weeks from now on Halloween during the school parade that she would be ridiculed, just like every day of her life. She wore her cousins hand me downs and they made sure everyone at school knew it. She also wore thick glasses on large frames from the eighties. Bella was forced to eat a peanut butter sandwich everyday for lunch because that is all mama would make for her. Kids could be so cruel, and in Bella’s eyes the more money the kids parents had the more cruel the kid was. Mckenzie would make fun of her for sure, once Kenzie started to make fun of you then the whole school would make fun of you. The parade started with the kindergartners then into first grade next second and so on until they walked through the sixth grade classrooms.
Most of the costumes in this shop were exactly what Bella thought they would be. Cheaply made plastic masks that would be held on by a single elastic band. They depicted most old cartoon characters as well as characters from video games. Bella wanted nothing to do with anything to do with video games. Bella would ask to play with her cousins and the poor girl was always so hopeful. She always wished for the day that they would be nice to her.
“Of course,” either one of them would say and reach the controller out to Bella. The little girl would always be so excited, “When your mom isn’t poor you can.” Then would yank the remote back and everyone in the room would laugh at her. She would always end up running away to her air mattress in the basement. She went to sleep crying more nights than not, Bella hated this life.
Her cousins were also sweet enough to make up a little song for Bella. There would be days that Bella was minding her own business coloring in her color books. The books had become her best friends, various coloring books and her crayons. The cousins would bang on the door then sing Bella Bella i really have to tell ya tell ya you are ugly and you really smella smella. The only times that Bella could really be happy was when her cousins would leave on their annual summer vacation. That was the only time Bella ever had without bullies.
“Bella honey, Did you see this one?” Mama questioned. She was trying to get Bella excited about anything, probably more so mama could go home then wanting her daughter to be happy. “Isn’t that the game that you play with your cousins?” Mama never saw her playing games with her cousins, she may have seen Bella watching her cousins play games. Mama didn’t care what went on between Bella and her cousins.
Bella shrugged her shoulders then walked over to a rack away from mama. Bella knew that mama knew that Bella was talking less and less as the days passed. Yet she never asked Bella what was going on. The little girl wondered what it was like to have a person really care about her. That’s when Bella saw the beautifully terrible witches mask. It was very hideous but Bella fell in love with it immediately.
Bella was a very well read young girl, she was smarter than most children her age. Her favorite subject just happened to be witches. Bella felt like she could relate to a witch. She imagined that all witches started life as sweet, but misunderstood girls. They were just different from the “normal” people so they would be teased and bullied. They probably got pushed away by society, and wound up being loners to avoid hurt from others. Bella felt like an outcast for as long as she could remember. She sometimes wondered why mama didn’t give her away to a family that would love Bella. She even felt like an outcast where she lived, it wasn’t home. Bella never had a home, she just lived in her aunt’s house. Bella thought, and not for the first time, that she would probably have studied magic and eventually been burnt at the stake.
Bella hardly noticed the pretty black dress or the black shoes with the golden buckles, it was that face Bella loved. She smiled for the first time in probably three months. The eyes , though empty, looked at Bella with love that she had not felt in her entire life. Bella touched the face and heard the voice of the old woman, probably a grandma or even great grandma. But it was in and out of her mind before she could understand what it said.
“Oh yikes,” mama said from behind Bella, mama didn’t like the mask. “You don’t want that one do you?” Bella smiled wider, “Look over there,” mama pointed to the costumes on the walls. “Wouldn't you rather be a princess or that unicorn.” Bella hated both of the costumes.
“That’s an interesting choice, young lady,” an old woman said and Bella thought the voice sounded familiar. “That costume was made by my great great great grandmother. We have put it out every year since my family opened this store seventy five years ago. I have never seen anyone look at it, not to mention admire it.”
“She does seem to like it for some reason,” mama said, “I don’t understand why. How much is it?”
The old woman pulled mama close to where she thought Bella wouldn’t hear. “I’m guessing a Halloween costume isn’t really in your budget,” she said kindly, mama tried to act embarrassed but Bella knew she was faking. “We all have been there, as you can tell from the mask and my shop that I don’t come from a family with money. So let’s do this, this sweet little girl can pick out any costume that she wants for free.” Bella had still not taken her eyes off the witch.
“Oh no,” mama said, she was again being fake. Mama loved getting free things, “We couldn’t do that. I really do have the money to pay for it.” Mama always declined the first offer for free stuff. Bella knew, even at her young age, that her mama was a bit of a scam artist.
“Don’t be silly,” the woman was so kind. Bella could hear it in her voice, “I have a granddaughter around that age, I hope someone would do the same for her.” Mama gave her a hug, Bella knew as soon as they came in this store that mama would leave with free stuff. Mama was the best at talking people out of their things.
“You are truly the best,” mama said and the old woman hugged Bella from behind. Bella turned and buried her face into the woman’s ribs. The girl had never had someone do something nice for Bella just because she was Bella. The woman had two small wet spots from small tears Bella shed out of love. After mama finished her scam, Bella got the witch’s costume. Mama walked out with three shirts and a ring that belonged to the old woman’s mother. Mama tried to talk Bella out of the costume but Bella was determined that she must own that beautiful mask.
Bella was right, as soon as she walked into the classroom McKenzie started in. “You should have worn a costume,” the mean girl told her, it was obvious Bella was wearing the witch mask. All the kids laughed of course, they were all her minions and Bella hated them. And that was when Bella found out that her sweet cousins taught Kenzie their favorite song.
Bella Bella I have to tell ya tell ya that you are ugly and you really smella smella.
The whole classroom joined in for a few verses of the annoying song. All twenty six of her classmates singing to her, even the other kids that McKenzie picked on had joined in. Bella teared up under her mask, she was glad nobody could tell. It took the teacher a good minute to quiet the class down.
“I think you look adorable Bella,” Bella hated when adults patronized her. This teacher was like everyone else, she didn’t care one bit.
“Don’t let them hurt you Bella sweetie,” the voice sounded like the sweet woman from the thrift store. Bella looked around wondering how that woman would be in her class. Bella smiled, no matter where it came from, the voice was soothing.
First came a long line of kindergartners through her classroom followed by the first graders then second. Bella’s class joined the line, fourth would join next then fifth. They would walk through the sixth grade classrooms where they would join them back to kindergarten and reversed the process. This would have been something that Bella would have loved, if she wasn’t the whole school's punching bag.
Recess came, normally Bella’s teacher let her stay in and read but the facility was having a quick potluck in the teacher’s lounge. So Bella had to go outside and be tortured by the mean kids, Bella hated everything. To make it all worse, her cousins not only bullied her at home but they also joined McKenzie any time they had the chance. Bella wished that her mama would move away from her family or even someone would take her away. An eight year old should never need a fresh start, Bella did. It pained her heart to know that mama would never be able to give Bella that, she teared up again.
Bella sat on the steps looking over the basketball courts, tears in her eyes and wondering why everyone was so mean to her. She was lost in her thoughts when something hit her hard in the top of the head making her vision flash white. The playground roared with laughter, all of it at Bella’s expense. Whatever hit her knocked her mask askew. She straightened it and was looking at McKenzie pointing and laughing. Of course it was McKenzie.
“Sorry smella Bella,” she said with mock sincerity, “The ball slipped right out of my hand.”
Normally Bella would have found a corner and cried to herself for the rest of recess. But right now she was fed up with all the bullying from all the bullies in her life. She may never put up with bullying again, something seemed to have changed inside her.
“Don’t let them hurt you my child,” that same soothing old woman said. Bella didn’t need to look around to know that the voice had come from inside her head. “You don’t have to live this life Bella.”
The sweet lady in her head was right, if she didn’t like being hurt then she needed to stop them. Crying never did her any good. All the laughs were echoing off the walls and inside her head. Bella’s hands began to shake and everything seemed to come into hyper focus. The temperature in her blood was quickly reaching boiling point.
Bella smella, Bella smella, Bella smella, the crowd chanted. McKenzie’s voice was drowning out all the other voices, she hated that blonde little brat. Bella stood up, the chanting stopped but the crowd burst out with fresh laughter. Bella saw the fear flash across McKenzie’s face, but she did erase it quickly. Bella smiled under her mask, she knew at that moment that she won.
“You better watch out McKenzie,” a voice said from the mob Bella didn’t care who said it. “Smella Bella is going to get you," fresh laughter broke out. This time it was not nearly as loud and had a nervous quality.
“Show them no mercy Bella,” the old lady’s voice told her, “Not one person has ever shown you any.” Bella knew that the magic in the mask was speaking to her. She had of course read about magical items. She now had one and she had felt different since she put it on.
McKenzie stepped back and her eyes got as wide as dinner plates. Bella knew the fight was already over, her bully was terrified. Still Bella would show her no mercy, Kenzie would pay for the years of torment. Bella grabbed McKenzie by two handfuls of her golden blonde hair. McKenzie screamed and Bella dragged her down to the ground then gave her a hard slap to the side of her head. McKenzie was wailing like a wounded banshee. The voice in her head was laughing like Bella had never heard. Bella joined in.
Bella was now clawing at McKenzie’s head and back, digging her nail in deep. Skin peeled off McKenzie's body and got stuck under Bella’s fingernails, still she laughed with the voice in her head.
The whole playground went wild with screams and cries for help. Bella tuned them out and continued the task at hand. Blood was streaking in Kenzie’s hair and on her clothes where Bella gouged deep. McKenzie’s other victims began to cheer almost as loud as the screams of protest being launched at Bella. That’s how bullies operate, they push people to the limit then play the victim when said person snaps and hurts them. Bella gave up on clawing and began to bite at the other girl's head. Luckily for them both the mask prevented Bella from getting ahold of her.
“Get off of her,” someone shouted but Bella barely heard, “you’re hurting her.” Like Kenzie didn’t spend everyday hurting people with her nasty words.
Bella abandoned the biting strategy and went back to pulling Kenzie’s hair out of her head. The voice in her head was cackling like a maniac, Bella didn’t notice but she was as well. At least two pairs of hands try to pull Bella off of her. That was ok, the harder they yanked on her the harder she would yank on Kenzie’s hair.
“Show her no mercy Bella,” the voice in her head no longer sounded sweet, she sounded evil. Either way her new friend that lived in her head was soothing and very helpful. “Yank her pretty blonde hair out of her head, strand by golden strand. No mercy Bella my sweetie.”
“Break it up,” that was an adult voice, “Let her go Bella, let her go sweetie.” It was the vice principal. She always had a soft spot for the outcasts, especially Bella. She knew far too well just how mean McKenzie could be to Bella.
Bella sat through a lecture from the principal, her teacher, and the recess monitor about what happened. Bella sat quietly listening to them, they never lifted a finger to help McKenzie’s victims. Most of the kids told the adults that the ball hit Bella by accident, which everyone knew was a lie. There were only a few brave ones that said they saw Kenzie throw the ball at Bella. The principal knew which story was true but he would still not punish Kenzie. Bella was right, she was the girl that would be punished. They called mama to come pick her up, normally Bella would have been scared but not today. Bella would be suspended for the rest of the week and all of next week.
“Now what am I going to do Bella?” Mama asked, she was so upset about the situation. Bella did not care how mama felt. Mama rechead to the passenger seat and tried to pull the mask from Bella's face. Bella dodged away easily and mama swerved the car into the turning lane. “I can’t afford a babysitter for you,” mama said then started crying, Bella had seen this act before. “I was nice enough to buy you that costume and this is how you repay me?” She said like Bella had not been standing right next to mama when the sweet woman gave it to them.
The rest of the ride was a lot of the same things over and over. Mama didn’t know why Bella was so difficult lately. Bella didn’t know how hard it was to raise her after Bella’s father left them. Bella wondered to herself if mama knew how hard it was to be raised by mama and no father. She thought probably not. Mama said she was sick of Bella getting in trouble which was crazy, Bella had never even been late for school in her life. Mama droned on but Bella was no longer listening.
Now they stood in the living room with mama still scolding her young daughter and her young daughter barely listening. Bella hated hearing how terrible of a child she was. Bella’s cousins walked in smirking at the younger Bella, she really hated those two. Before Bella had time to react mama pulled the mask of Bella’s face then threw it down the hall. Mama flinched away as if she heard the same scream that Bella had, but Bella’s mouth never moved.
Bella ran down the hall and picked up her new favorite toy then sprinted for her basement dungeon. Mama chased Bella but Bella’s was much faster than the older woman. Bella flew down the stairs and slammed the door behind her. She was so happy that mama never took the lock off Bella’s door like she always said she would. Mama banged on the door for about twenty minutes then told Bella that they would have a long talk when she got home from work. Bella barely even heard her. She put the mask back on and felt instant relief.
Mama went back to work and told her cousins that they were in charge. Mama was gone for ten minutes before the screams started.
Bella sat smiling and staring wide eyed out the kitchen window waiting for mama to get home. Bella had never heard the word giddy so she didn’t know what it meant, but if she did know the word that’s how she would have described the way she felt. The moon was huge, glowing bright, and hanging in the dark sky beautifully. Bella thought the moon looked like a face, it looked like the face of an old woman. Bella’s wide smile widened almost all the way to her ears.
Mama should have been home ten minutes, Bella hoped she hadn’t been hurt on her way home. Headlights appeared down the road and slowly rolled closer. It crawled almost to a stop in front of the house, Bella’s heart did a loop-de-loop, then sped up and stopped two houses away. It was a food delivery woman Bella was disappointed again. She could not wait to see mama’s face when she saw the surprise that Bella left for her. More headlights approached, Bella’s hope freshened. This time she was not disappointed, mama pulled into the driveway.
Mama didn’t get out of the car immediately. She put a lightbulb in her mouth then put a lighter close and inhaled the smoke that filled the bulb. Bella had seen mama do this before but she didn’t understand what mama was doing. She did this four times before she leaned her head back on the headrest. Mama opened the driver’s side door, Bella was full of excitement like she was a rich kid on Christmas. She left the surprise on the floor in the living room to the left of the entryway. It would be one of the first things she would see.
Mama shut the car door and Bella got goosebumps covering her small body. Mama walked around the front of the car, the voice in her head cackled softly. Mama got to the walkway and Bella nearly giggled out loud with excitement. Bella clapped quietly when mama put the key in the door. The door opened then shut softly. Bella strained her ears, she wanted to cherish every note of mama’s scream from the first note to the last. The silence was maddening, Bella had never been good about having patience.
It was more than Bella could have ever wished for. The high pitch left her mouth and quickly through the entryway and into the kitchen to Bella’s ears. She covered her mouth to hide a laugh but it didn’t escape her lips. Mama didn’t only scream, it was mixed with wailing cries of disbelief. To Bella, it was the most beautiful song that she heard in her young life. Relief washed from the top of her head to her shoulders all the way down to her knees and toes. The voice in Bella’s head cackled again.
Bella smiled and thought about what mama was seeing. First she would have hung up her coat then looked into the entryway. The living room sofa faced the door and that is where Bella put her cousins. It was a lot of work for Bella, her cousins were bigger than her. The older cousin sat with her back propped up against the couch so she looked out the door to the entryway. Her throat was cut and she was also stabbed three times in the belly, but mama wouldn’t have been able to see that. The younger cousin was laid across the floor with her head in her sister’s lap. Mama probably noticed now the blood trail from the kitchen like horrific snail trails. The younger also had her throat cut and three stabs to the guts. Bella had also got a hold of mama’s makeup. She painted exaggerated smiles with black mascara and circled around their eyes sloppily with bright pink lipstick. Mama’s screams died away slowly just the way her cousins did.
“Bella?” mama questioned quietly. She must have thought that their house was broken into. “Bella, where are you honey?” Bella rolled her eyes, mama never cared where Bella was. “Bella?”
She could hear mama walking out of the living room back to the entryway. She would most likely follow the blood trails to the kitchen, Bella didn’t want to be seen yet. Mama was moving slowly and cautiously. Bella scittered from the window and slid under the table.
“Bella honey, is that you?” Mama was speaking softly but the fear came across clearly. “Bella, who did this? We need to get out of here.” The fake sincerity in mama’s voice made her very angry.
“Don’t let her fool you sweetie,” her new best friend said from inside her head. “She has never felt anything but resentment for you Bella, she has never felt love for you.” The mask was right but Bella had known that as a fact for years. Since she first put on the mask Bella never felt better in her whole life.
Mama walked into the kitchen with only the lock screen on her phone as light. Bella had to cover her mouth again to stifle a giggle that never quite escaped her lips.
“Bella?” Mama whispered, “Bella come out honey, it’s mama you are safe now. Don’t be scared honey, let’s get out of here please.” Bella could see mama’s feet approaching the table, she hoped she wouldn’t be found. The game was not over yet. Mama still thought intruders did this, soon she would find out the truth. Bella smiled again, she was sure that she had never been this happy in her whole life.
Mama came so close to the table that Bella could have stabbed her in the foot she had found in her uncle’s tackle box stored in the garage. She found it about a month ago and had been considering using it on herself ever since. Bella moved the knife preparing to stab down into mama’s foot. She decided to wait, the mask wanted her to scare mama for as long as possible. Bella decided that she agreed, she always loved the adrenaline rush when she was misbehaving. Bella heard a whisper, this one was with her ears and not in her head. Mama screamed then clapped her hand over her mouth.
Somehow the kitchen faucet turned on, Bella hoped that she had somehow gained magic powers. However she did know that it was most likely the mask. Mama was walking past the stove to the sink, probably to turn off the water. Bella focused hard on the knobs for the gas stove. All six burners ignited brightly, the front one caught mama’s shirt on fire. Mama screamed again, Bella was really starting to enjoy that sound. Mama ran to the sink, picked up the sprayer, then turned it on herself. Before a drop of water came out, the sink turned off. Bella’s new friend, either in the mask or in her mind, was bringing Bella’s thoughts to life. Mama yanked hard on the water handle but it would not budge. Bella almost giggled again as mama stripped off her shirt then stomped the fire out.
“Bella,” her voice was soft but the fear was more than evident. Bella thought that mama may be catching on to what was going on, “Bella honey, please come out.”
Mama walked to the lightswitch then flicked it up. Nothing happened so she tried again then again. On the third attempt all the lightbulbs in the kitchen exploded. Bella used this distraction to dart from the table back into the entry way then turned right to go up the stairs to the upper level.
“Bella!” Mama called after her daughter, “Please honey we need to leave, come to mama. We need to get out of here.”
Bella rolled her eyes again and thought the mask did the same, the mask already had hate for mama. Bella slipped into her cousin's closet and shut the door as quietly as possible. She knew that mama couldn’t have heard where she ran to. Bella heard mama climbing the stairs tentatively, Bella smiled. She smiled more in the last eight hours than she had in years.
“Bella please honey,” Mama was at the top of the stairs now, “I can’t leave without you.” Bella was counting on that even though she didn’t believe it fully.
Mama was making her way towards the cousins room, maybe mama had strong intuition. Bella didn’t know, she really hoped mama had not heard the closet door shut. Bella thought she had been silent but she had no idea how good mama’s ears were. Bella looked through the narrow slats in the closet door. She heard mama flick the light switch in the hallway, again the bulb exploded. Mama was crying. Bella was fighting to keep a giggle behind her teeth, she didn’t want mama to hear. The voice in the mask giggled for both of them, Bella loved her new friend.
“Bella,” mama was whispering through soft sobs. It was like she was looking for Bella but at the same time not wanting to find the young girl. Bella smiled at the fear in mama’s voice, it was about time someone else felt the fear that Bella lived with every day. “Bella come out baby, please Bella you are scaring me honey.
Bella hated when mama talked like she had any love for the young girl. Almost everyone that knew mama believed that she was a great mother. They thought that mama and Bella were best friend’s but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Mama was so good at being fake that she fooled the world. Bella knew she didn’t like mama for years but tonight she could feel that it was much stronger than that. Bella hated this woman. Bella adjusted her feet, mama must have heard her that time. She had been passing the cousins doorway, she stopped to look into the moonlit room. Bella froze and held her breath, it was not yet time for her to be found. Mama stood on the threshold while Bella watched from the closet. Mama slowly walked to the older cousin's bed, got on her hands and knees , then pulled up the sheet. When she didn’t find Bella she crawled to the other bed, Bella was not there either. Mama stood then looked around the room, her eyes fixed on the closet. Bella took a quick breath, a silent gasp. Bella gripped the knife tight, mama reached the door and reached for the knob. The knob began to twist, Bella gritted her teeth. Mama was getting ready to pull when the bathroom door slammed. Mama pulled the door open but walked off before she had a chance to look.
She turned left out of the room towards the bathroom. Bella was overcome with relief and let out her breath. Mama opened the door and Bella moved quickly and what she hoped was quiet. She ran down the stairs, mama heard her and was quick enough to see her daughter descending the stairs to the main level.
“Bella!” She yelled this time, Bella thought she sounded more frightened than ever. “Bella please, I can’t leave without you.”
Bella thought again that wasn’t true, she thought mama was on the verge of leaving right now. Her voice was shaky and extremely worried, Bella thought it was more for herself than for Bella. She was quickly down the stairs, then down the hallway towards the basement door that led to her dungeon. She flew down those steps also, barely feeling her feet touch the stairs. She ran through the family room, to her room and jumped on the bed. She was breathing harder than usual and smiling wider than ever. Her mind was going crazy, like an old TV without a signal. Bella was only conscious of one feeling, hatred. She felt it for all the people that ever bullied her in her lifetime. But most of all towards the mama that never protected her.
Bella heard mama come down the main level stairs, then through the hallway, and now she stood at top of the basement stairs. “Bella, please honey,” mama called down the stairs, “You’re scaring me so much honey. Please come up so we can leave. I won’t let anyone take you away from me.” Bella wondered why mama said that, Bella wanted nothing more than to get away from mama.
Bella sat in her bed with the knife in hand, a witch’s mask on her face, and a smile as wide as The Grand Canyon. Her eyes were as big and as round as the moon, Bella felt like a wild animal. She would wait for mama to hit her doorway then decide what to do from there. There are thirteen steps from top to bottom and Bella recognized the squeak from every one of them. Mama stepped on the first one, then the second, third, fourth, fifth, and stopped on the sixth.
“Bella please come here honey,” Bella could tell that mama was still crying. “I am so scared Bella,” Bella thought mama had hit the point that she would leave her daughter behind. If she started back up the stairs then Bella would charge, mama would never leave this house again. Bella would make sure of that. “Please Bella, I don’t want to come down there. Say something, please girly.” Bella continued to say nothing.
Bella and mama were in a standoff, mama wouldn’t come all the way down the stairs and Bella wanted to wait for mama to come to her room. The door at the top of the stairs slammed hard enough to echo through the basement. Mama screamed and ran to the door, Bella could hear her fumbling with the doorknob, but it was not working just like the faucet. Mama pounded on the door but Bella didn’t understand why. The only ones here were Bella’s cousins, and they wouldn’t be opening the door. She got a fresh feeling of happiness at the thought of her cousins. The basement door opened then slammed then opened and slammed, mama screamed and Bella heard her descend the thirteen stairs. Bella was ready, the anticipation was killing her. She wanted to get on with the fun.
“Here she comes my pretty,” the voice told her, “It is time to end this.” Mama turned on her phone’s flashlight and Bella could tell that she was getting closer. Bella’s excitement was overwhelming, she couldn’t wait to see mama. “Easy my heart's delight, be patient.”
“Bella, I’m coming to you then we can get out of here,” Did mama really think Bella didn't just hear her trying to beat her way out of the basement door and leave Bella behind.
The light was close now, Bella was fighting back laughter. Her eyes were popping out of her head and she thought her head was about to explode. Mama stepped into the doorway and gasped when the light hit Bella’s masked face.
“Oh my god Bella,” Mama said and Bella finally got to see the terror on her face. Bella relished in it. “What’s wrong sweetie?” Both Bella's clothes and the knife had dried blood staining them. “Did you do that to your cousins?” Bella smiled again at the mention of the other victims.
Mama must have sensed something, she bolted away from the door and towards the stairs. Bella jumped off the bed and was in hot pursuit. Bella was faster than mama but mama had surprised her. Mama ran up the stairs, Bella had hoped that the door would have been shut. It was not. Bella ran up the stairs and followed mama down the hall. Bella was gaining fast and mama was screaming like a lunatic. Bella was right on mama’s heels when they hit the entryway. Bella swiped the knife at her mama’s nearly naked back, she missed. Mama was almost to the door when Bella dove and slashed the knife downward and tore deep into mama’s calf.
Mama screamed then fell hard to the ground. Bella had the advantage but she still had to be quick and be careful. She quickly crawled to mama and stabbed deep into her other leg, mama screamed again as she tried to crawl away.
“Bella honey,” mama begged, “I’m hurt so bad, please baby stop.”
Bella thought back to all the times she had seen mama smoking that lightbulb instead of spending time with her daughter. She thought of all the times mama ignored Bella’s cries for help, from both her cousins and school bullies. Bella stood over her looking at this sad pathetic creature she once called mama. Never again, mama was nothing but dust in the wind. Bella brought the knife down hard into mama’s back, two women screamed. The one on her head with pleasure, the one on the floor in pain. Bella did it again and mama screamed in pain again. She loves the sound, Bella was sure that she found her new favorite hobby. Bella brought the knife down three more times, mama’s breath was already getting weaker by the second. Bella stood over mama still holding the knife and watched hoping each breath would be mama’s last. Finally mama exhaled one last time.
Bella stood there wondering what she would do now, she was smart enough to know that people would have questions about what happened tonight. Her aunt and the cops would not be happy with Bella. That didn’t matter, Bella was happy with Bella. The door opened on its own and there stood a sweet looking old woman. Bella knew who it was before she even spoke.
“My name is Hazel,” the old woman smiled, “I would like to be your guardian and teacher.” Bella nodded, “That’s good sweetie.” The woman walked to Bella and took her hand, “We must go before people arrive and start asking questions.” Bella nodded again.
Hazel took Bella’s hand and led her through the door. Instead of going outside, Bella and Hazel walked into a bedroom. In the bed lay McKenzie. In Bella’s hand was the knife. Bella used it.
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