And We All...Fall...Down

Prologue

"Amelia Elizabeth Sinclair, what on Earth has gotten into you?" Susan asked, sweeping up the last of the soil from the overturned hosta plant. "This is absolutely uncalled for and I think that you need to go to your room and think about what you did."
Four-year-old Amelia remained silent, watching as her mother with the jet black hair, swept up the dirt. BJ stood next to her, laughing. It wasn't fair! She didn't knock over the plant, BJ did but her mom didn't believe her. Taking a step towards her momma, Amelia knelt down on her little knees and tried to help pick up the dirt but her chubby hands made it worse by grinding the dirt deeper into the carpet. Losing her patience, Susan snapped at her.
"AMELIA! I said go to your room. You're just making it worse."
"But momma -"
"Amelia, I mean it. Just go to your room and don't come out until you can tell me the truth. I don't want to hear anymore about BJ, ok?" With her head down, Amelia begrudginly trailed to her room, BJ quick on her heels. Once inside the safe haven with the soft yellow walls, BJ flung himself down on her bed, rumpling the once straightened covers.
"Isn't that great? Your own mom doesn't believe you!" Sitting up, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and watched as Amelia sat down in front of her dollhouse. She didn't think it was all that great that her mom didn't believe her. In fact, it made her sad but she couldn't tell BJ that. "Aww, come on now, girlie. Why the long face? Wouldn't you much rather play with me in here than helping clean up anyway?" Amelia looked towards the bed, but BJ had moved. Scanning her room, she looked everywhere but she just didn't see him. Faintly, she heard his cackly laughter.
"Where'd you go?" More laughter sounded out and this time, Amelia looked down at her dollhouse. Unsnapping the hinges, she opened it only to discover BJ sitting in a bubble bath in the upstairs bathroom. "BJ get out of there right now!"
"Well, if you insist." Before Amelia could stop him, BJ was standing next to her, shaking his long green hair out, splattering her with water. His clothes, a green two piece suit, was still drenched in bubbles and water as he dripped onto her carpet. Leaning his head over, he empty his head of water and then sat back down on her bed. Amelia wasn't impressed.
"You're the worst friend ever, BJ. You always get me in trouble," Amelia turned her back to him and fidgeted with the dollhouse, cleaning up the mess that BJ had left behind. "Why do you do that?" BJ frowned at the question.
"Do what, Amelia-Felia? Have fun? Bring you excitement? I haven't done anything short of what you really wanted to do." BJ moved from the bed back to the floor, kneeling beside her. "Deep down, we're doing everything that you've ever thought of doing." Reaching out, he caressed her soft curls but Amelia shrugged away from him.
"You're mean, BJ and I think you need to apologize to my momma," Amelia said. BJ looked at the little girl and sneered.
"She doesn't even think I exist, Amelia-Felia. What do you want me to do, write her an apology? Besides, that woman is mean and deserves everything that is done to her." Amelia turned her head towards him, eyes wet with tears.
"If you don't apologize to my mom, I'm not - " BJ cut her short.
"You're not going to what, Amelia?" BJ's voice taunted her, waiting for her defiant words. He wasn't let down.
"I won't be your friend any more!" BJ gasped, taken back.
"You don't mean that?"
"Yes I do - but if you apologize to my momma, I'll still be your friend." Amelia watched as the emotions crossed BJ's face. Sadness, anger and then finally, a face that she didn't recognize nor liked, settled into his porcelain features.
"You want me to apologize to that old croon? After all the times that she wouldn't let you have your favorite candy or when she sent you to room because she didn't feel like playing with you? You're going to choose her over me?" BJ grabbed Amelia's arm and grinned. Amelia saw a darkness cloud his green eyes and knew that something wasn't right.
"You're hurting me, BJ. Let go."
"You're such a baby, Amelia-Felia," BJ threw her arm down and stood up. "If you want me to apologize to your mom, I will. But know this little girl, no one, and I do mean no one, threatens to not be my friend. After this, you'll never see me again. Do you understand?"
"But BJ - I told you that if you said that you're sorry, we could still be friends," BJ shook his head in protest. "Please BJ!"
"Nope, sorry. Smell 'ya later!"
And before Amelia could stop him, BJ was gone, leaving her in her room with a damp bed and damp cheeks. Throwing herself on her stomach, Amelia buried her head as she began to cry. BJ had always been with her, appearing one day out of thin air. Of course, BJ always had a mischievous personality, playing mean pranks and tricks, but he was still her friend. It didn't take long before Amelia fell asleep, her cheeks stained with her tears.

*****

It was the growling of her stomach that woke Amelia up, aware that it was way past lunch time. Sitting up, Amelia looked around, confused as to how she fell asleep on the floor, but then it all came rushing back.
The knocked over plant, Momma's anger, BJ's cackly laughter and then his leaving.
Standing up, Amelia rubbed her eyes and then decided to go downstairs to ask her mom if she could have lunch. However, when she opened the door, she noticed that it was unusually quiet. It was rare that her mom didn't have either the TV or the radio on and here it was, so quiet that Amelia could hear her own breathing.
"Momma?" Amelia walked towards the kitchen, thinking that her mom might be in there, but couldn't find her. Going into the living room, Amelia saw that the plant had been picked back up, but there were still some remnants of dirt on the carpet. Propped next to the couch was the vacuum cleaner, waiting to be used. But still, no momma.
"Momma! Where are you?" Walking into the hallway, Amelia headed towards her momma's bedroom when she heard a soft noise coming from the bathroom. Turning towards it, she saw that the door had been pulled shut. Amelia knocked softly.
"Are you in there, Momma?" Not hearing a reply, she knocked again. "Momma?" Amelia put her ear to the door and heard a scruffling sound. Twisting the knob, she opened the door slowly. "Momma, it's just me. I was hungry." Walking in, Amelia could hear what sounded like water dripping. The shower curtain around the tub had been pulled and Amelia grabbed it and started to pull it back.
"Are you taking a bath - " Amelia was cut short as the image of her mom floating in blood tinged water stopped the words in her throat. "Momma? MOMMA!"

*****

Later that night, Amelia was being comforted by her Aunt Sandy while the police went over the entire house with a fine tooth comb. Her mom had already been taken out, so her Aunt Sandy thought it would be okay to bring her back in while the cops talked to her and scoured the house. With her head in Sandy's lap, Amelia watched as Lt. Andrews walked over to her and her aunt. Sandy adjusted Amelia so that she was now sitting up and leaning against her shoulder.
"Have you found anything, yet?" Sandy asked, her voice strained. Lt. Andrews glanced once at Amelia, and then spoke.
"As far as we can tell, no. There's not any signs of forced entry, not defensive wounds, no jewelry or money taken. I'm sorry. It's going to take a while longer."
Amelia felt her aunt go tense with anger as she listened to her and the cop talk. While they didn't know who could do such a thing, Amelia did. His threat still clear in her head.
Know this little girl, no one, and I do mean no one, threatens to not be my friend.
BJ had left goodbye message.