Destruction of a Rose

Destruction of a Rose.





         The back of my head hit the cold cement wall and I felt warm liquid trickle down the back of my head. “Mama says you cant come out till you’ve learned your lesson!” Rina smirked and slammed the small wood door. I groaned and sat up feeling the back of my head lightly. I then stuck my hand down my shirt and pulled out a small lighter from my bandages. I lit it and looked around. A small mouse scurried off away from the light and a few bugs crawled into the brick floor. I pressed my hand against the back of my head and I looked at the blood on my hand. I looked to the left where there was a broken water pipe, I fixed it up myself to work like a sink. I opened the hatch and water poured down onto my bloodied hand. I felt my lip begin to swell and I bet I had bruises on my thighs.

         I sighed and turned off the water and leaned against the cold wall. I looked to the left where I wrote down my name and my birthday. My name is Serenity, I’m six years old. I’m in the first grade, and my real mama and papa died last year in a car accident. My aunt Vivian is the only relative I have left. She has three kids. Rina, who is fourteen, Tyler who is seven, and Christine who is sixteen.  Vivian hates me, and she often hits me for no reason. Today is the Cave punishment. Rina accused me of Digging in the trash for food so Aunt Vivian had me thrown in here. I’m smarter than most six year olds, I stole a lighter from a store near my school and I fixed up the leak down here so I could drink water.

         Two hours into my punishment, Vivian opens the door and lets me out by grabbing me by the hair and throwing me against the tile floor. “Get up and go clean the bathrooms.” She ordered and threw the bucket at me along with the cleaners and other stuff. I nodded and ran along to the first of three bathrooms. Mamma and Papa would never have done this to me.  I’m still wearing the bow’s mamma and papa bought me for my 5th birthday they’re golden yellow but they’re slightly brown now. I wear my hair up in pigtails and I wear the only dress I have which is blue. The only shoes I have are black with little flowers on it. “Move it.” I felt an elbow to the back and I fell into the bathtub as Christine went potty. I cleaned the tub while she did. When she left I finished cleaning the rest. Then I went to the upstairs bathroom to clean. Tyler passed me on the stairs, he doesn’t really bother me, he just ignores me most of the time.

         This is my usual thing I do, I clean, I clean, I watch the family eat, then I go to bed in the attic or get punished then go to bed in the attic. My bed is just a tarp I found and my teddy bear I hid upstairs. I wear a big shirt that I found up there and I always use an old table to lay on so that the bugs don’t get me. I don’t usually get to eat much, only scraps and leftovers. Sometimes I don’t go to school because Vivian wants me to stay and clean or I have to be punished for being a bad girl. She really likes the Cave, but also likes the stove treatment and the whip and sometimes the gas chamber which is more like smoke and stuff... “I’m taking my kids to school you worthless piece of shit, if those bathrooms aren’t clean by the time I get home it’s the stove to you!” Vivian yelled up and I hurried up with my work as I heard the door close. I would go get food but she has the pantry and refrigerator locked. Same goes for the garbage.

         I finished early and I waited for aunt to come in. When she did though she checked the bathrooms and came out again. “What a terrible job.” It didn’t surprise me that she didn’t like the work. She grabbed me by the pig tail and took me to the kitchen. I cried and pleaded. “No aunty Vivian no please don’t!” I cried and I heard her snigger. She pulled my hair harder and turned on the stove . I squirmed harder against her hand and when she grabbed my arm and put my hand over the fire, I screamed at the top of my lungs as the fire licked at the palm of my hand, I smelt my hand burning and I pulled and tugged as hard as I could trying to pull my hand away from the fire. “Hold still you little bitch.” She growled as I struggled and I tried doing as I was told I held my breath and tried to stand still but it hurt so much I had to pull away so I pulled even more.

         I was saved by the phone ringing, Aunt huffed and threw me to the floor while she answered the phone. I stayed on the floor as she talked, crying, my tears stinging my  burnt hand. “Go to the hole.” Which was another word for ‘Go to the little damp cave’ I did as I was told, more than happy to since I had water there. I went in and she locked the door behind me, I pulled out the lighter and went to my faucet and turned it on while holding my burnt hand under the cool stream of water dripping down from the metal.

         I couldn’t feel my hand anymore when Aunty came to get me. The palm was burnt, bubbly and red. “Come on you stupid brat.” Aunt snapped as she urged me up the stairs to my attic room. “My friends are coming over and I don’t want you hanging around and stinking up the place.” She pushed me into the attic and locked the door behind her. I cried and climbed onto my bed (Table) And cuddled up with my teddy bear and blanket.

         I couldn’t stand living like this anymore its not fair that mommy and daddy died and had to leave me with these people, I want to go home to momma and our dog Rusty. I want daddy to tell me the stories about their adventures in the Amazon and in Egypt. Momma and Papa where explorers/ scientists, they often went on trips to really neat places and often brought back really cool things for me and when they didn’t, the stories would do just fine. They promised me that one day when I was older they’d take me with them but for now I had to stay with Nanny Elizabeth. I didn’t mind Nanny Elizabeth was very kind to me, she treated me very well and took me to nice places like the gardens or a theme park. She was always very patient with me no matter what.

         I heard the laughter downstairs meaning Vivian’s friends where over now and they had started drinking and most likely playing poker or something. “So how’s the orphan?” One of them asked, the vents working as speakers. “Ah bitchy and whiney as ever, she never shuts the hell up.” Vivian answered “ I fold.” Someone said and there was shuffling. “HA I won.” Another voice went and the sound of coins played. “Yeah yeah lucky whore.” Vivian scoffed and I rolled over. “So watcha gonna do with the brat?” A male asked. “Eh, hope she dies.” Was the response and I sniffled a little. I hope she dies first. Laughter came from downstairs and the front door opened. The kids are home. Greetings where exchanged and they ran up to their rooms. Rina unfortunately ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door opened, I managed to throw teddy in the back behind some old boxes and blankets before she saw. “Hey slut!” She pointed her middle finger at the sky. I turned my head away and looked to the black and brown, spider web covered ceiling. “Hey I’m talking to you dummy!” She walked over and pushed me over, I landed with an ‘OOF’ and my hand burned sharply, I cringed and held my hand against my chest. “Fucking baby.” Rina grinned and kicked me sharply on the ribs. I coughed and squirmed away. “Whatever Mom told me to give you this.” She said as she dropped a small baggy onto the floor. She left the room with one last kick to my ribs.

         I looked at the baggy suspiciously and cradled my hand. I sighed and got up and walked over to it, picking it up gingerly with my un-burnt hand. I shook the bag around and something moved along with the bag. I sat down and opened it, the smell was terrible! As I gagged I dropped out the contents of the bag revealing it as a dead rat, tongue sticking out from its long snout, legs contorted in a way telling me she beat it with something. I cried, she expected me to EAT THIS! I wrapped my arms around m y legs and cried. She cant make me actually DO THIS! Its INHUMANE!

         Footsteps hurried up the wooden planks of the stairway and the door opened to my cell. “Ungrateful, I give you food and you don’t take it!” Vivian leaned against the door frame and tapped her fingers against her arm. “But Aunty it’s a RAT!” I sobbed and stared at the dead, rotting rat on the floor. “Its FOOD, eat the fucking thing if you want to live!” She ordered and from behind the door she pulled out the broom and stabbed the rat, Black stuff began to ooze out of it along with white puss and something green. She pulled the broom away, spilling its guts against the floor… “Eat the damn thing!” She ordered and I flinched. “Fine, suite your own damn self.” She turned around and left. I cried and climbed onto my table. I curled up into a tight little ball and sobbed. I couldn’t take much more of this if I did I would end up going insane like uncle Marty!

         I didn’t want to end up like him, running around biting random objects, shrieking! I want a normal life like all the little girls at my school, I miss my mommy and my daddy! I jumped down from my bed and slammed some books down against the floor. I kicked the dead rat against the wall, blood splattering all over. I screamed out loud and punched the wall and kicked the wall and sobbed against the stupid WALL! “SHUT THE HELL UP” I heard from down below and I stomped my foot. “MAKE ME!” I called back and hurried steps came upstairs, I turned around and I got a hand to the face. I fell backwards and my head hit the floor sharply, my burnt hand scraping against some scissors. “Shut the HELL UP!” Vivian screeched and kicked me sharply forcing me back some more. I squirmed and I yelled at her.  She kicked me again and I yelped out loud then she picked me up by the hair and dragged me downstairs. She opened the small wooden door and I yelped again as she threw me in and my forehead cracked against the wall. She slammed the door shut and locked it. I stayed on the floor not bothering to get up. 







         It felt like days passed rather than hours when Vivian finally let me out of the damned dungeon. I coughed occasionally, my only proof that I was still alive, that and the constant coming and going of the pain in my body (Like the ocean waves crashing against the rocky shore). I didn’t want to eat, or drink, and for once I didn’t want my parents (They abandoned me!). I feel like giving up and just let myself rot away (Like the Rat) Eventually reaching the peaceful sense of death… Then a flicker of hope shot through me. Maybe I could live through this, I just have to fight harder! If something isn’t good enough for her then I’ll do better! If my grades aren’t good enough, I’ll work harder! If I have to change myself in EVERY WAY I will live and if I have to, I will run away I cant tell anybody because Vivian would hurt them but if I ran away she couldn’t hurt anyone because there is no one to blame but ME.

         To survive, I’ll do anything that is possible. I’m not a little girl at mind anymore because the little girl would hold me back from making it very far so I’m an adult at mind and heart, only a little girl in appearance. The only things left now is to work on a way to keep her from hurting me (Like with the stove) or feeding me such revolting things (like the rat) I am willing to do a lot but not even a starving cat would eat such a vile and disgusting thing such as a rotting rat!

         I took a few breaths, I hummed some Beethoven that I remembered from constantly listening to mother  play on her Grand piano. It was a beautiful instrument that my grandfather bought for her on her twentieth birthday. She played it every afternoon while dad worked, every evening after we had dinner, and every evening after we had dinner, and every time before I went to bed. “Music is something that keeps me going” She had once said to me “It keeps the soul alive.”  If I could I would play an instrument but I’m sure Vivian would never allow it. She’s like that, she hates anything that is more beautiful than her (Though I’m not beautiful) Mother always told me how easily jealous she would get.

         I was cleaning the front room when the door bell rang, I ignored it, Vivian didn’t like it when I answered the door, she says “I’m a bad sight to see.” So I wasn’t allowed to even show my face to guests. 

         I heard the door open and in that quick second of my life I never felt any happier. “Oh my god, Serenity?” Nanny Elizabeth’s beautiful voice rang through the room like a choir of angels. “NANNY ELIZABETH!” I screamed out and ran into her arms and bawled. “Take me away, take me away!” I begged and cried. “What did you do to this poor girl?!” She demanded towards Vivian.

“I did nothing she’s been hurting herself for attention.” Vivian answered calmly and quietly, it truly frightened me. “No I didn’t please don’t leave me here all alone.” I sobbed and Elizabeth picked me up and examined me.

         I felt freedom coming and I was more than ready for it I wanted to get out of this place. “I’m taking her with me to child services.” Elizabeth said firmly and started walking out the door.  I felt the warm night air kiss my face and I felt so alive as we walked down the steps towards Elizabeth’s car.

         “ I don’t think so.” My world came crashing down all over again as I heard the shot from the double barrel shotgun, and as Elizabeth fell forward, cracking my head against the cement. I smelt the coppery scent of my blood, and I felt it drip onto the concrete, I crawled off of my dear Elizabeth and held her to me as best as my little body could.  “I suggest you get back in the house, unless you’d like one of my bullets in your skull too.” Vivian said too calmly and I looked at her with wide eyes and I felt the tears coming. “GET INSIDE NOW!” She shouted and I stood slowly and I stumbled my way up, she kicked me in and I fell onto my hands and knees. “Absolutely worthless you are.” She spat and went over to Nanny’s body and began dragging her to the garage.

Why didn’t anyone come to help? Didn’t they hear the Gun? Didn’t they hear the screams? Did no one care about what would happen to me? If I live or die? Does the life of a little girl mean nothing?

         If anyone could answer that, I wish they would I feel so alone, so cold, so alone. “God, please save me, I’ve been a good girl my whole life, please don’t leave me here all alone, Please  God, save me.” I prayed under my breath as I crawled up into my room (the attic). I kneeled down by my bed and I began to pray some more. “Now I lay me down to sleep, Pray the lord my soul to keep, If I die before I wake, Pray the lord my soul to take, Amen.” I layed down and closed my eyes, The blood making a dripping noise against the soft wood.

         Sleeping was pleasant, I dreamt of my mother, my father and Nanny again. It was as if everything in reality was just a nightmare and everything in a dream was all real. Maybe if I where to die I’d get to live in a dream forever. I hope I bleed out then, tonight, I don’t want to live any longer not anymore.

         But what if I can have a chance at living, what if something where to happen to Vivian and her damned children? And what if they where to die unexpectedly? I would be free. And I would Live. Well then, they have to die now and I know the perfect way to do it.



         Serenity sat in the swing in front of the house, the house that was her cell for far too long. She held a knife in one hand and she swung, singing nursery rhymes. Rin the youngest of girls was tied to the swing next to her crying. Long cuts going down her cheeks she bleed and bleed. Serenity enjoyed this, she is wearing her little black shoes and her little white dress with a big feathered hat she found in a box in the attic. “Hush little baby don’t say a word.” Another cry from Rin made her smile. “Momma’s going to buy you a mocking bird.” Her aunts car was driving up the street. “And if that mocking bird don’t sing, Momma’s going to buy you a diamond ring.”  The car drove up the drive way now and out came rushing Vivian and her daughter and son. Serenity quickly held the knife up to little Rin’s throat. “Let’s play a game Aunty Vivian.” She sang, her eyes shining. Serenity led them into the house and tied them up in separate rooms. You could see the terror in each of their eyes. “Awe is the baby still crying?” She asked Rin as she walked into the her room. “Let me go you crazy bitch!” Rin screamed, tears stinging her cheeks, her tidy clothes now torn and tattered. “Hmm I don’t think I will.” Serenity replied and slapped her across the face. The slap sent out a sharp noise and her cheeks began to bleed again. “Hurts doesn’t it?” She asked the crying girl and then she kicked her sides. Rin let out a “Oomph” and bawled, calling for her mother. Serenity grinned and pulled out a small bag from a corner. “Never again.” She said and pulled out a half rotting rat from the bag, holding it up by its tail. “Yummy.” She grinned and placed it back in the bag. She grabbed Rin and forced her to open her mouth. Serenity grabbed her tongue and slowly began to carve into it with the knife. It felt to her like a worm being put through a hook. And the blood dripped down her little hands in a river of red. The screams where beautiful to her and they became more pronounced as she pulled out Rin’s teeth, one by one throwing them onto the floor. She then took the dead rat out and stuffed it into Rin’s mouth and forced her to keep her mouth shut as she threaded a needle. The rat’s tail stuck out of Rin’s mouth like a piece of pasta. And her blood covered the floors, her skin going pale and cold. Serenity stitched Rin’s mouth close slowly. “Hush-a-bye baby on the tree top.” Serenity sang as she grabbed a pair of tree trimmers. “When the wind blows.” She opened them and put Rin’s head between the blades. “The cradle will rock.” She smiled and Rin shook her head. “When the bow breaks the cradle will fall.” She snapped it closed and Rin’s head tumbled to the floor, blood spurting. “And down will come baby, cradle and all.” Serenity left the room and went to the next, where Vivian’s son was.

         “Hello Tyler.” She greeted at the tied up boy. “Why are you doing this Serenity?” He demanded. “Because I want to be free!.” She answered and Pulled out a small box filled with needles. She stuck them in him one buy one till he was covered in them. “You’re insane.” He moaned and threw up on the floor. “Perhaps.” She responded and grabbed a hammer. “But not as twisted as you and your family.” she said and Slammed the hammer against his arm. “Georgie Porgy” She began her nursery rhymes again as she swung the hammer against his leg now. “Pudding and Pie.”  She swung at his other leg. “Kissed the girls.” She broke his other arm. “And made them cry.” She went for his ribs now. “Please god, no.” He begged as she slammed the hammer against his ribs. “When the boys came out to play.” He remembered his father who had sexually abused him as a small boy and he cried out in both pain and fear. “Goergie Porgy ran away.” She brought the hammer down atop his head, the crack of his skull was sickening like the snap of a plank of wood.

         She left the room and went up to the final room where Christine and Vivian would be.  “Hello sweet aunt, hello sweet cousin.” She greeted with a smile. “Let us go right now!” They both yelled and she laughed as she pulled out some different weapons she had chosen. She poured bleach in Christine’s eyes and stuffed a rat down her throat. “Tasty isn’t it, your mother tried feeding me the same thing.” She said and stabbed Christine in the abdomen with a large cooking knife. Vivian called out to her daughter. “There was a crooked man who walked a crooked Mile.” Serenity loved using the nursery rhymes, it gave it a sweet taste in her little mouth as she pulled out a lighter from the bandages under her shirt. “He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.” She continued and set fire to Christine’s clothes as Vivian screamed and struggled against the bindings.

“He bought a crooked cat who caught a crooked mouse.” Christine burned alive, the stench burning into the house. “You little bitch I’m going to kill you I’m going to destroy you, bitch I’ll avenge my children.” Vivian screamed and screamed and screamed but Serenity enjoyed it most of all. “And they all lived together aunt Vivian.” She said and cut her chest up. “They all lived together in a Little crooked house, just like yours.” Serenity gouged out her aunts eyes and shoved them in her mouth, she cut her up in all the places where Serenity herself hurt. She burnt her Aunts hands and cut her feet off. And at the end of the night, Vivian’s head came clean off. “Off with Her head, the queen of hearts would always say, but she should have cut her own head.” Serenity smiled, blood coating her from head to foot. She walked outside and sat on the swing. “It’s ok momma I’ll be home soon.” She said as the red and blue lights came down the street.

         The police who saw the scene where so disturbed, many had to go to mental help for months. How could a child as sweet as Serenity do so much in a single night. And she just rhymed and rhymed and occasionally spoke of her mother and father. And she occasionally spoke of her freedom. But more than anything she painted the same scenes over and over. But either way’s she was happy she was free and she was alive.