Brittany stared at the dead rose. Black and shriveling.
I want to be that rose. She thought, wrapping a black blanket around her cold shoulders.
It was raining and she had to get home. The cook would get angry if she didn't.
Brittany started running for home, and quickly losing herself with each step. She was cold and hungry. Slender and scrawny.
As soon as she opened the door, Moriah greeted her.
"Brittany!" She shouted, hugging her.
"Hello Moriah." Julianna said.
"Miss Sheets," the cook said, "you are messing up the kitchen! Clean it up!"
"Don't you have two hands and some feet?" Brittany asked.
"Little brat child! Clean it!"
Brittany settled into bed.
"Nice night, right?" Moriah asked. "My little princess must be safe."
"I am." Brittany said.
"Do you have plans for tomorrow?" Moriah asked.
"No. Not really. Cook might need me." Brittany answered.
"Aw, I wanted to go to your mother's house with you!"
"Maybe another time."
"No! We are going tomorrow!"
"What if Cook needs me?"
"She can do things herself! That lazy, vulgar creature."
She is just that! Brittany thought.
Brittany woke up from Moriah shaking her.
"We have to go! Now!" Moriah shouted.
Brittany jumped out the window and raced for the end of the road.
Her mother's house was right there in sight.
Brittany jumped inside.
The walls were covered in weird codes.
Brittany touched her hand to one she could never decipher.
Ud tiy qwew
"Britt!" Mother called.
"Mother!" Brittany shouted.
Moriah stared at the code.
"I got it!" She shouted.
If you were. She thought. What the heck does that mean?
"Got what?" Brittany asked, running to her friend.
"The code."
Brittany gasped. "So, what does it mean?!"
"If you were." Moriah said.
"What the heck? If I was what?"
"If you were...alive!" Moriah shouted, pointing at Brittany disappearing.
"What? I am alive!"
Moriah leaned forward to kiss Brittany.
"You taste rotten." She said.
"Who the heck gave you permission to do that?!" Brittany screamed.
"Myself! I needed to see if you tasted alive! You taste like you're rotting...and fast!"
"Wha-?!"
Brittany fell to the floor.
"Britt?!" Moriah asked, shaking her friend.
Moriah stared sadly at the gravestone.
R.I.P Julianna PÄske.
Moriah carved a message into it.
No one can save us now.
