La Tua Cantante
Prologue
Her mother was singing; a soft humming without words.
Bella didn't know the name of the song, yet it was a very familiar melody and never failed to make the little girl feel warm and safe. Bella listened for a moment - large brown eyes closed and basking in the sun's rays - a brief appearance in an otherwise cloudy day.
All too soon Mr. Sun ducked back behind a large, dark and angry cloud. Bella huffed in a pout, her plump bottom lip sticking out even further, and returned to brushing her doll's hair.
"Looks like a storm's coming in. We'd better get the laundry in before we get rained on," Bella's mother said in a light, lilting voice. "Be a shame for the sheets to get wet after drying outside all day, wouldn't it, my Bella?"
Bella just grinned up at her mother, proudly displaying the gap from losing one of her front teeth the day before. She began gathering up her dolls and teddy bears while her mom worked quickly to fold up the white sheets that had been hanging on the clothesline.
Bella jumped when there was a sudden flash of lightening, followed by a distant rumbling thunder. The wind had picked up, tossing Bella's mahogany curls about her head.
She had turned to run into the house when she heard behind her a terrifying sound - like a deep, ferocious growl.
"It's only thunder," Bella whispered to herself. "It can't hurt you. Just go into the house."
She was frozen though, when her mother's piercing scream followed.
She turned slowly, her wide eyes staring in shock and horror. Her chubby little knees wobbled and she collapsed bonelessly onto the ground.
The screams and growls faded after an endless eternity and suddenly her father was there holding her mother and crying while others ran around frantically - wailing, crying, - 'Oh my God!'
But Bella was aware of none of it. Frozen - eyes staring at what was once a pristine white sheet - crimson rivers now flowing over it.