Red Paint

Mama and I were sitting in the sewing room, fixing up the blanket that papa used the most. As usual it was awfully boring. Mama always insists that I learn how to sew instead of playing outside like the other children. I don't understand why she wants me to sew, I'm not very good at it. I almost pricked my thumb dry before mama gave me a thimble.

Night was just beginning to fall and papa was out at the tavern. He likes to go there a lot, and when he comes home he smells funny and acts really funny. Mama always takes him away, though, so I never get to play with papa when he gets home. Ouch, I just pricked myself again!

"Oh hush, Annabelle, you stop whining about it. You just continue to sew." Mama scolded. I hate it when she does that, it always makes me feel bad.

I continued on with sewing, poking it in and out of the quilt. The same old thing, going over and over again. You can see why I don't like sewing that much. Suddenly, there was a loud noise from the back door. It sounded like someone had broken the glass, like when the ball I was playing with went through the window.

Mama got really still, and turned white as paper. She looked a lot like Bessy when Nana tells her, her ghost stories. The needle she was sewing with dropped down on the floor. That's silly, because then someone can step on the needle and get hurt. I did that once, and it hurt a lot!

"Mama, what are you stopping for?" When I asked her, she jumped almost right off the seat.

"Annabelle? Oh, thank heavens, wait!" Mama seemed to be talking to herself. There was more noise in the back, like someone was walking around in there. Maybe it was papa. Before I could ask mama, she started talking.

"Annabelle, sweet heart, how about you and I play a game, alright? How about we play hide and seek." Oh boy! I love hide and seek! Mama continued. "You're going to hide right in this closet here, and you don't come out until I find you. Alright?" Mama stood up, and ushered me into the small closet we had underneath the stairs.

"Alright mama, I'll be real quiet, you won't find me!" I smiled real big just for her. Mama gave me a small smile and closed the door. The light from our lamps slowly disappeared with the closing of the door. Finally, I was left in a pitch black cramped place.

Although I normally hide in here during the day time, at night it's extra scary. It's too dark, and I can feel the creepy crawlies looking at me. I whimpered a bit and settled on a desk. I don't like in here, it's too dark, but mama said we're playing hide and seek, and I want to win. I stayed put.

I could hear mama walking around outside, the wooden floors would creak whenever she stepped on them. She was heading towards the back, by the sound of it. Silly mama, she was going the wrong way. I giggled out loud.

Suddenly, I heard mama scream. I like to scream when I play, like when I was playing tag with Johnathan, I screamed real loud and he tripped up on his bum. So when mama screamed, I thought she was just screaming for the fun of it. Mama had never played with me before, and it was really fun!

I waited and I waited, but mama was taking too long. She must have forgotten where I am, silly mama. I opened the door with a loud creak. Dust floated up and made me cough. The lamps were so bright, but I like that better than being in the dark. Too many monsters come out from the dark.

"Mama!" I called out. "Mama, you still haven't found me yet!" There was no answer. Hmm, mama must be upstairs somewhere.

I raced over to the stairs, only to slip on something wet. I bumped my head hard on the floor and almost started to cry. But I'm stronger than Johnathan, I won't cry after a small bump. Sniffling, I wiped my hands off on my dress. I must have tripped on something dark, because it sure did look black in the hallway.

I stepped around the puddle of something towards the stairs. Only I tripped on something. And again, I hit my head, but it landed on something soft. I turned around and there was mama, laying on the floor. The puddle was leading right to mama's chest. Silly mama must have slipped like I did.

"Mama, get up." I pulled at her hands. She didn't move. "Mama, you found me, now get up." She just lay there.

I walked over to her head. Her eyes were wide open. Silly mama, she thinks that she can trick me into thinking she's asleep. "Mama, your eyes are wide open, I know you aren't sleeping." She still wouldn't move.

"Mama, come ON!" I pulled on her arm hard, but the wet stuff I on my hands made it slippery, so I fell on the floor, right on the puddle.

I could feel the wetness soaking through my dress. It wasn't very cold, but I had ruined another dress. Mama was going to be awful mad when she woke up. If she was even sleeping. Suddenly, the front door opened.

"I'm home!" Papa shouted. YAY! Papa was home! Maybe he could play hide and seek with mama and I!

"Mama, papa's home, come on!" I squealed as I ran over to papa.

He stood in the doorway with his favourite black coat on. Underneath were brown pants and a white shirt. Mama always tells him that brown and white are the best colours. I like red though, because it's brighter and more fun!

"Papa!" I shouted as I threw myself on his for a hug.

"Anna bear!" He laughed as he gave me a big hug. He smelt funny, which must have meant he was at the tavern. Beneath that strange smell lay his actually smell. The smell of pipe and the woods. I loved my papa's smell, it always made me feel so secure.

"God! Annabelle, are you alright!? Did you get cut?!" Papa set me down and started checking me all over.

"I'm not hurt." I was confused, I wasn't hurt, why was he checking to see if I was. Wait, he went to the tavern, I guess this just might be him acting all funny. Silly papa, he's always so funny.

"Good God, it's blood, you're covered in blood." He murmured, looking over his hands.

"Papa, why are your hands red?" I asked. Did he bring me some red paint?

Suddenly, papa grew very serious, like when he found out I broke his cup. He usually hits me when he get's like this, so I backed up.

"Annabelle, where is your mother?" His voice was quiet, not like his loud happy voice he used when he came home from the tavern.

"Mama's in the back. She's acting funny though, because she doesn't want to get up." I started pulling papa along by his free hand, the other one held a lantern. "I think she might be sleeping, but her eyes are wide open. Do you think she's playing a trick on me papa? Do you?"

Papa started to run, dragging me behind. Was he going to play hide and seek with mama and I too? He dropped the lantern as we got to the stairs. The glass broke into a lot of glittery shards. I wanted to pick one up, but when I tried to pick one up last time, I got cut real bad.

"Oh God..." He whispered, dropping on his knees beside mama. "Please no, dear God no!"

"I told you papa, she's acting really-" Papa cut me off in his real serious voice.

"Annabelle, sweety, did you do something to your mother?" I only shook my head. What does he mean, oh, maybe he meant when I fell on her.

"I think so. I accidentally fell on her, and she won't get up. Are you mad papa?" I asked guiltily. I don't want papa to be mad at me, I don't like it when he's mad at me.

"How could she... only a child... all of this blood... murder!" Papa was talking to himself. Sometimes I see him do that, late at night when I can't sleep. Mama thinks he's crazy when he does that, but I like to talk to myself too.

"Annabelle, dearest, do you want to play a game?" His voice sounded really happy.

I perked up. "Oh boy, what game are we going to play?!" I was bouncing up and down. A game, I get to play a game with papa!

"It's a special game... I don't think you know how to play. Follow me..." He grabbed my hand, a little too tight, and started pulling me to the living room. I was so excited, not only do I get to play with papa, I get to learn a new game too.

"Is it fun papa? Do we get to go outside?" I asked.

"You'll see sweetheart, you'll see." He stopped in the living room. "Stay here Annabelle, I'm just going to get something. " He walked off.

I was so excited. I can't wait to play papa's game. Maybe it's like tag, or hide and go seek. Hide and go seek is my favourite game. I was so happy when mama played it with me, maybe mama and papa were going to play with me. My smile stretched even wider than my face.

"Annabelle, sweety, can you face the other way." Papa had come back. In his hands was this big long shiny thing. Mama called it a gun, and I saw papa play with it outside a couple times. It made a loud noise and a poof of smoke. Maybe papa was going to let me play with it!

"What are we going to do papa?!" I asked, bounding over to him.

"Just stand over there, Annabelle." I walked over to the middle of the living room. "You just stand there, and daddy's going to show you a trick."

"Really?!" I squealed excitedly.

"Turn around, sweetheart, or you'll miss it." Papa ordered. I turned around, waiting to see what trick papa was going to show me. I was real excited, papa showed me a card trick once, and it was real neat, maybe he'll show me another card trick.

"I can't believe she did it..." Papa was talking to himself again. I guess he was just preparing for the trick. "She's covered in her blood, though. It's the only solution."

He took the gun and pointed the long metal rod at me. There were two dark holes at the end which almost looked like eyes. Over top of papa's jacket it looked like there was a face. I giggled. Papa looked like he got hurt.

"Are you alright papa?" I asked him.

He looked like he was going to cry, and I started to get scared. Papa never cried, not even when Laddie, our dog died. He's never cried or gotten scared, never ever! I started to cry when papa didn't say anything. He looked heartbroken.

"Oh Annabelle, I'm so sorry, so, so sorry... oh God." He sobbed as he started to cry.

"Papa, what's happening? I'm scared." I started to hiccup while talking.

"Please Annabelle, please, stop crying... stop crying." Papa moaned. I ran over to him to get a big comfy hug. But when I grabbed onto his legs, he pushed me down hard. I fell on the floor and bumped my head again. I began to cry harder.

"Papa?" I sobbed. I just stared at him. Why would he push me down like that, was this part of his game? Maybe we were playing pretend. But games are supposed to be fun, and this wasn't very fun.

"Shh, Annabelle, it'll all be over soon, shh." Papa pulled the gun up and aimed the two eye holes at my head.

"What are you doing papa?" I hate to cry because it makes my face all puffy and I can't see very well after.

"It'll all be over soon." Papa whispered and pulled the trigger.

The End