Anna stood next to her father, who, like Anna, was staring up in between the cracks of the floorboards. See continued to stare up, listening to what was going on outside. There were noises, sometimes it sounded like glass shattering, or wood braking.
Without looking, she
knew her mother was trying to comfort Nicholas. He was clinging to
Ivy, his eyes closed very tightly. That's always what he did. Anna
use to do it also. But when she was truly frightened she'd have her
eyes close tightly, her hands over her eyes. She'd not want to hear
or see what was going on. It was odd, to her, that she wasn't doing
it. She was staring up, listening intently.
Her hands, arms,
and legs were shaking violently. It was a wonder how she could stay
standing. Anna didn't understand herself, her mind was quite calm
but the rest of her body was panicking.
She felt her father's
hand on her own shaking one, "Don't worry..." Lucius said just
above a whisper, "It'll be over soon."
Anna looked up
to her father and she nodded, "Yes..." Her voice answered in a
quiet voice. She gulped and closed her eyes, the memory of when she
was five flashed back to her mind.
The little girl was
watching her uncle in interest. His clothes were always perfect, no
wrinkles. Hers would be covered in dirt though. The man looked away
from his wife, Kitty who was walking away from the two of them, to
Anna. "How have you been, Ann?"
She tilted her head to the
side slightly and gave a sweet shy smile, "Good."
"Good?"
He asked with a raised eyebrow and a grin.
Anna nodded, "Yes."
She said in the same small child tone.
Christop took a few
steps closer to her and smiled, "Well, you're growing if
anything." He said holding his hand down an inch or so below her
eyes, "You use to be just this tall."
"That's when I
was little though!" She said, and she lifted his hand to her head,
"Now I'm this tall."
Smiling, he kneeled in front of
her, "Yes, I can see that." He lowered his eyes down to the grass
then back to her dark ones, "So... Do you miss your cousin? Michael
really misses you... Feels awful that he can't come out and play
with you. He is sick though."
Anna looked down, "I
know..." She said quietly with a nod. Though Michael was six years
older, she'd always love to tag along with him.
"He asked
for me to give this to you." He took a small yellow flower from his
pocket and handed it to her. Christop then stood up, "Well... I
suppose Ivy and Lucius will be out looking for you soon. I should be
getting you home before it takes to long." Christop put out his
hand for her but sudden had a look of pain on his face.
The
creature was behind him, and had whipped it's claws down his
back.
He let out a yell and stumbled forward, knocking Anna to
the ground. He fell and leaned over her, trying to protect her. But
every few seconds he'd take a sudden gasp of air in pain.
Anna
heard her uncle's cries, she covered her ears, not wanting to hear
him any longer. She had her eyes closed as if that would someone
help. A cry escaped her mouth as she felt a sharp pain on her lower
arm.
After a few more moment she felt a couple others helping
Christop off of her. Someone softly pulled Anna up so she was
sitting. She watched her uncle; there were a few grass stains on his
front. On his back... his clothes were torn and his jacket was
stained with blood. The creature though, was no where in sight.
"You need to get that cleaned." Someone said to her and
Anna looked to her sleeve which was ripped, and covered with blood.
"Anna?" A voice tore her from her thoughts and she opened
her eyes and looked at her father, "It's done now..." He
climbed the ladder then helped Anna up. She looked at Nicholas was
shaking very badly. Anna watched her father help Ivy up.
Anna
knew she should stay there, but she couldn't help herself. Before
anyone could stop her, she ran outside. Anna ran around the corner
to the window which the creature had past earlier... It was
completely shattered. Biting her bottom lip, she looked down
expecting to see the pieces of glass... But there was something else...
Her favorite
color.
She gasped at the small clutter of red flowers. Anna
took a few steps away from it and looked around herself; this wasn't
the only bunch of red. Some others were now staring at the red
patches of flowers.
"Anna! You shouldn't be out here!"
Nicholas said, walking toward her. He didn't see the small hole in
the ground though. Nicholas tripped landing in a patch of the red
flowers. His eyes widened as he stared down at the flowers.
Not
wanting him to scream, Anna quickly pulled him off of the ground.
"There's red everywhere!" Someone in the distance
shouted.
