What About The Girl?
By Risty Maskell
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it. If you don't recognise it, it's mine.
Summary: This little bunny is quite interesting and won't leave me alone. It's kinda hard to ignore a Hannibal the Cannibal bunny who is threatening to eat you if you don't write it's story...
~*~*~
1995
~*~*~ Alexandra came home alone from school two days later. Katrina was sitting in the kitchen with Tim and Renee when the oldest girl came in for a after- school snack. She looked up curiously from Timothy's homework.
"Where's Juliette?" She asked, handing the pencil to Timothy.
"Where do you think?" Alex said, sighing and sitting down. "Library, again. Ever since she found out about Uncle Hannibal, she's been practically living there, trying to find information."
Katrina sighed. "It's going to rain soon, I'd better go and get her so she doesn't walk home in the rain. Can you help Timothy and Renee with their homework?"
"Sure." Alex said with a smile and sat down with her siblings. "What are we doing?"
"Geography." Tim said with a face. Alex laughed as Katrina smiled, put on her coat and walked out the door.
~
Juliette was looking feverishly through the newspaper chronicles on the first floor. She jotted down information and photocopied any articles she found on her father. She found another old article and scrunched her eyes up to read the small writing.
'Hannibal Lecter, MD, renowned for his psychiatric work for the American FBI was court marshelled last week and found guilty to nine counts of attempted murder. Special Agent Will Graham testified against Dr Lecter. Dr Lecter chose not to plead insanity and has been sent to Baltimore Prison for the Criminally Insane.'
She propped her head on one hand and wiped her eyes free of tears. Her father was a cannibal. He ate people... she'd also read somewhere that he made gourmet meals from people's body parts. Is that what that dinner was, that she wasn't allowed to attend? The one right before she found him in the study with arrows sticking out of him? She began to cry, tears pouring down her cheeks as she closed the book and buried her face in her arms. QUestions ran through her head at an amazing pace.
How could my own father do something like this? Why? He seems like such a nice man.
*Looks can be decieving* Her other voice said.
But why? I need to know! None of these books will tell me!
*Why don't you ask him yourself? You can still write to him.*
I need to see him face to face.
*Hardly. He's in America and you're in Italy. Not really possible, is it?*
No.
*Does your opinon of your father change? Do you still love him?*
Of course I do! And I would like to see him again!
*There you go, you still love him, and want to see him, but you can't. Write to him instead.*
She sniffed and jumped as a hand lay on her shoulder. Katrina stood behind her, a worried look on her face. Juliette stood up and hugged her, crying. Katrina rocked back and forth making soothing sounds.
"It's all right, Juli... don't cry. You've found out the truth, I know it's hard... shhh" She said, wrapping her arms around the young girl. Juliette looked up and wiped her red eyes.
"Zia Katrina?"
"Si?"
"Can I write to dad?"
"Sure you can. Nothing is stopping you, is it?"
"No... Zoa Katrina?"
"Si?"
"Did my mother really die in a car crash?"
Katrina looked at her niece in shock. "You think your father killed your mother? Oh heavens, No! He didn't."
"Do you know what happened? Dad doesn't really like to talk about it."
"Okay..." Katrina closed her eyes. "It was a few days before Christmas. David and I had been living here in Florence for just over three years. We came over to spend Christmas with you and your parents and my parents. Angela was still at work when we arrived. Your father called her, telling her we had arrived safely, she said she would be there soon. While we waited, I remember Alexandra was playing with you, trying to read you stories, making us laugh, she dressed up as an Elf and started parading round giving 'presents' to everyone. Mine was a ribbon from her hair and yours was one of your picture books. She was so funny. After about half an hour of waiting, there was a knock at the door. Your father went to answer it and two policemen told him the bad news. There had been an accident, a four car crash. Someone had swerved to avoid a dog running across the street and in turn, three other cars swerved to avoid hitting the first car. Your mother was the third car in the crash. She swerved hard and ended up rolling the car. She was taken to the hospital for treatment, but died in the ambulance on the way." Katrina had tears in her eyes. "When they told us that, I realised that it was going to be the saddest Christmas for our family. Your father was very upset."
"I'll bet," Juliette said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Zia Katrina? Can we go home now?"
"Si." Katrina said, picking up Juliette's school bag. Together they ran outside and hailed a cab back home.
~
"You still think you're going to walk on some beach, and see the birdies? No, I don't think so. I called Senator Ruth Martin, she never heard of any deal with you. They scammed you, Hannibal.." Chilton said, looking quite amused. He looked toward Barney. "Stand outside, and shut the door."
Hannibal, in the straightjacket, the face mask on and tied to the dolly, looked passive. "Barney." He said, adding onto Chilton's sentence. Politeness always has its effect. Chilton ignored him.
"There never was a deal with Senator Martin - but there is, now. I designed it." He said, looking smug. "Of course, I've worked in a few conditions for my own benefit, as well. Identify Buffalo Bill, by name, and if the girl is found in time, Senator Martin will have you transferred to Brushy Mountain State Prison, in Tennessee... Answer me, Hannibal. You'll answer me now, or by God, you never leave this cell. Who is Buffalo Bill?"
Hannibal remained passive. "His first name is Louis. I'll tell the rest to the Senator herself, but only in Tennessee... And I have a few conditions of my own." His eyes trained toward his cot, where Chilton had stupidly left his fountain pen.
Chilton sighed and looked toward Barney again. "Clean him up and get him ready to go."
Barney hurried to apply. Chilton left, leaving Barney and Hannibal alone.
"Are you ready, Doctor?" Barney asked, unstrapping him from the dolly.
"Ready, Barney." He said with a merticulous smile. "Please, may I have a fresh change of clothes, Fredrick has left me in these ones for almost four days. I must really start to smell."
"Sure. I'll be back soon." Barney said, leaving the cell and locking the door, not noticing the gold pen on the cot. Hannibal got out of the straightjacket, which Barney had loosened and picked up the pen. He smiled and hid it under the sheets before Barney came back with a fresh pair on coveralls and a white shirt. "Here you are, Doctor." He said, putting them in the sliding drawer.
"Thank you, barney, do you think you could lower the lights so I can protect my modesty?"
Barney smiled. "Always the gentleman. Sure thing, Doctor." He left and as the lights lowered, Hannibal quickly changed into the clean pair over coveralls and carefully slipped the pen into a torn seam in the ankle.
"Ready, Barney." He said, putting on the straightjacket and waiting for Barney. The nurse came back down and strapped him to the dolly once more. Wheeling the dolly out, they made their way to the loading dock, where supplies were taken and got Hannibal into the panelvan that waited there.
Before long, they were at the airport and boarding the small plane that Senator Martin had sent for them. The trip took only a few hours.
~
That night, Juliette sat up writing a letter to her father.
Dear Dad,
Here is my weekly letter to you. I'm sorry I didn't write last week. Settling into a new school and everything got kind of hectic. How are you? Is Chilton treating you well? He'd better be, or I might be tempted to come back to the States and bust a cap in his... well, you know what I mean.
Dad, I'm wondering. Why didn't you tell me about your more... interesting appetite. It's not that I'm angry or anything, but I've just found out what you did and why you're in jail. You know you could have told me.
I still love you, and I must know one or two things. Did you ever feed me any of the more exotic dishes you've cooked? Did mum know about your habit?
Please answer me my questions.
Love,
Juliette.
She put it in the envelope and licked it, addressing it to her father. Then she changed for bed and fell asleep, thinking about what she had learned.
~
Author's Note: Thanks so much to twistedmind for ideas and for feeding the plot bunny.
By Risty Maskell
Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it. If you don't recognise it, it's mine.
Summary: This little bunny is quite interesting and won't leave me alone. It's kinda hard to ignore a Hannibal the Cannibal bunny who is threatening to eat you if you don't write it's story...
~*~*~
1995
~*~*~ Alexandra came home alone from school two days later. Katrina was sitting in the kitchen with Tim and Renee when the oldest girl came in for a after- school snack. She looked up curiously from Timothy's homework.
"Where's Juliette?" She asked, handing the pencil to Timothy.
"Where do you think?" Alex said, sighing and sitting down. "Library, again. Ever since she found out about Uncle Hannibal, she's been practically living there, trying to find information."
Katrina sighed. "It's going to rain soon, I'd better go and get her so she doesn't walk home in the rain. Can you help Timothy and Renee with their homework?"
"Sure." Alex said with a smile and sat down with her siblings. "What are we doing?"
"Geography." Tim said with a face. Alex laughed as Katrina smiled, put on her coat and walked out the door.
~
Juliette was looking feverishly through the newspaper chronicles on the first floor. She jotted down information and photocopied any articles she found on her father. She found another old article and scrunched her eyes up to read the small writing.
'Hannibal Lecter, MD, renowned for his psychiatric work for the American FBI was court marshelled last week and found guilty to nine counts of attempted murder. Special Agent Will Graham testified against Dr Lecter. Dr Lecter chose not to plead insanity and has been sent to Baltimore Prison for the Criminally Insane.'
She propped her head on one hand and wiped her eyes free of tears. Her father was a cannibal. He ate people... she'd also read somewhere that he made gourmet meals from people's body parts. Is that what that dinner was, that she wasn't allowed to attend? The one right before she found him in the study with arrows sticking out of him? She began to cry, tears pouring down her cheeks as she closed the book and buried her face in her arms. QUestions ran through her head at an amazing pace.
How could my own father do something like this? Why? He seems like such a nice man.
*Looks can be decieving* Her other voice said.
But why? I need to know! None of these books will tell me!
*Why don't you ask him yourself? You can still write to him.*
I need to see him face to face.
*Hardly. He's in America and you're in Italy. Not really possible, is it?*
No.
*Does your opinon of your father change? Do you still love him?*
Of course I do! And I would like to see him again!
*There you go, you still love him, and want to see him, but you can't. Write to him instead.*
She sniffed and jumped as a hand lay on her shoulder. Katrina stood behind her, a worried look on her face. Juliette stood up and hugged her, crying. Katrina rocked back and forth making soothing sounds.
"It's all right, Juli... don't cry. You've found out the truth, I know it's hard... shhh" She said, wrapping her arms around the young girl. Juliette looked up and wiped her red eyes.
"Zia Katrina?"
"Si?"
"Can I write to dad?"
"Sure you can. Nothing is stopping you, is it?"
"No... Zoa Katrina?"
"Si?"
"Did my mother really die in a car crash?"
Katrina looked at her niece in shock. "You think your father killed your mother? Oh heavens, No! He didn't."
"Do you know what happened? Dad doesn't really like to talk about it."
"Okay..." Katrina closed her eyes. "It was a few days before Christmas. David and I had been living here in Florence for just over three years. We came over to spend Christmas with you and your parents and my parents. Angela was still at work when we arrived. Your father called her, telling her we had arrived safely, she said she would be there soon. While we waited, I remember Alexandra was playing with you, trying to read you stories, making us laugh, she dressed up as an Elf and started parading round giving 'presents' to everyone. Mine was a ribbon from her hair and yours was one of your picture books. She was so funny. After about half an hour of waiting, there was a knock at the door. Your father went to answer it and two policemen told him the bad news. There had been an accident, a four car crash. Someone had swerved to avoid a dog running across the street and in turn, three other cars swerved to avoid hitting the first car. Your mother was the third car in the crash. She swerved hard and ended up rolling the car. She was taken to the hospital for treatment, but died in the ambulance on the way." Katrina had tears in her eyes. "When they told us that, I realised that it was going to be the saddest Christmas for our family. Your father was very upset."
"I'll bet," Juliette said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Zia Katrina? Can we go home now?"
"Si." Katrina said, picking up Juliette's school bag. Together they ran outside and hailed a cab back home.
~
"You still think you're going to walk on some beach, and see the birdies? No, I don't think so. I called Senator Ruth Martin, she never heard of any deal with you. They scammed you, Hannibal.." Chilton said, looking quite amused. He looked toward Barney. "Stand outside, and shut the door."
Hannibal, in the straightjacket, the face mask on and tied to the dolly, looked passive. "Barney." He said, adding onto Chilton's sentence. Politeness always has its effect. Chilton ignored him.
"There never was a deal with Senator Martin - but there is, now. I designed it." He said, looking smug. "Of course, I've worked in a few conditions for my own benefit, as well. Identify Buffalo Bill, by name, and if the girl is found in time, Senator Martin will have you transferred to Brushy Mountain State Prison, in Tennessee... Answer me, Hannibal. You'll answer me now, or by God, you never leave this cell. Who is Buffalo Bill?"
Hannibal remained passive. "His first name is Louis. I'll tell the rest to the Senator herself, but only in Tennessee... And I have a few conditions of my own." His eyes trained toward his cot, where Chilton had stupidly left his fountain pen.
Chilton sighed and looked toward Barney again. "Clean him up and get him ready to go."
Barney hurried to apply. Chilton left, leaving Barney and Hannibal alone.
"Are you ready, Doctor?" Barney asked, unstrapping him from the dolly.
"Ready, Barney." He said with a merticulous smile. "Please, may I have a fresh change of clothes, Fredrick has left me in these ones for almost four days. I must really start to smell."
"Sure. I'll be back soon." Barney said, leaving the cell and locking the door, not noticing the gold pen on the cot. Hannibal got out of the straightjacket, which Barney had loosened and picked up the pen. He smiled and hid it under the sheets before Barney came back with a fresh pair on coveralls and a white shirt. "Here you are, Doctor." He said, putting them in the sliding drawer.
"Thank you, barney, do you think you could lower the lights so I can protect my modesty?"
Barney smiled. "Always the gentleman. Sure thing, Doctor." He left and as the lights lowered, Hannibal quickly changed into the clean pair over coveralls and carefully slipped the pen into a torn seam in the ankle.
"Ready, Barney." He said, putting on the straightjacket and waiting for Barney. The nurse came back down and strapped him to the dolly once more. Wheeling the dolly out, they made their way to the loading dock, where supplies were taken and got Hannibal into the panelvan that waited there.
Before long, they were at the airport and boarding the small plane that Senator Martin had sent for them. The trip took only a few hours.
~
That night, Juliette sat up writing a letter to her father.
Dear Dad,
Here is my weekly letter to you. I'm sorry I didn't write last week. Settling into a new school and everything got kind of hectic. How are you? Is Chilton treating you well? He'd better be, or I might be tempted to come back to the States and bust a cap in his... well, you know what I mean.
Dad, I'm wondering. Why didn't you tell me about your more... interesting appetite. It's not that I'm angry or anything, but I've just found out what you did and why you're in jail. You know you could have told me.
I still love you, and I must know one or two things. Did you ever feed me any of the more exotic dishes you've cooked? Did mum know about your habit?
Please answer me my questions.
Love,
Juliette.
She put it in the envelope and licked it, addressing it to her father. Then she changed for bed and fell asleep, thinking about what she had learned.
~
Author's Note: Thanks so much to twistedmind for ideas and for feeding the plot bunny.