Why Me Daddy?

     It was almost midnight when little Legend was awakened by a loud, piercing scream. Jumping out of her bed she took off down the cold dusty hallway, she could not believe that her daddy had rented this stuffy decrepit mansion for the summer. Reaching the spiral staircase looking down at the winding turns, she always feared she would fall and break her neck. Tip- toeing down each cold step, her heart was pounding, her little feet bareley moving. The last step she walked towards the black corridors which led to her daddy’s library. A small crack was left open enough to take a little peek. She could hear her daddy mumbling as she saw the bloody knife in his hand, and him walk over what looked like a body. But she wasn't sure and thought to herself, what was it? Her daddy saw her peeking in so she bolted up the staircase, running as fast as she could. She slid under her bed where she felt safe from all monsters. She could hear her daddy walk on each creaky step, calling her name in his demanding voice.  “Legend, where is my beautiful girl?”

            Peeking from under her bed she saw her daddy’s brown, drab shoes, the laces half tied. The bedspread flopped up and their eyes met.

            "I need to talk to you about what you saw in my library." 

            She saw the blood still on his hands. “Daddy, what did you do? Why are your hands bloody?”

            “That's what I am going to talk to you about.”  She sat on the bed and it only took her a few minutes to get herself together but she couldn't get the image out of her mind. 

            “Baby girl, what you saw was me doing an act for my new book, that's all.” 

            A feeling of freedom came to her, but she didn't believe her daddy.

            “Now get under those warm blankets.”

            “Ok, Daddy.” 

            “Don't forget to say your prayers?” he reminded, kissing her softly on the cheek, and then walked out of the room.  

            Her eyes grew heavy in the middle of her prayers, falling fast asleep. She was awakened by the smell of bacon. She tossed her covers off and rolled out of bed. Heading out of the room, through the hallway, dreading the stairs, she took a deep breath and ran down them, passing the library. The image still burning in her mind she had to peek in the forbidden room and seeing nothing, she took a deep breath and smiled.  Maybe daddy was telling the truth. It was just a scene.

            She jumped, hearing her daddy’s angry voice.

            “Legend! What are you doing in here? Didn't I forbid it?”

            “Yes daddy, I'm sorry.”

            “That's ok sweetie. Let's get out of here and get breakfast before it’s cold.”

            After breakfast Legend ask her daddy if she could go exploring the grounds. “Daddy, can I go outside and play?”  The newspaper made a soft rustling sound as he shifted to Legend’s view.

            “Sure, just stay on the grounds and do not go wandering by the lake, you hear?” 

            "Yeah."  Running up the stairs into her room Legend tossed her clothes everywhere, finally getting dressed and grabbing her favorite doll which she had name Camile. With doll in hand she walked down to the front foyer where the main doors led outside.  Opening the door, she could feel the warmth of the sun as she headed outside. "Look, Camile, a rose garden shall we go check it out?”

            Skipping all the way into the garden and admiring all the beautiful colors she spotted a shinny object. She picked it up and saw it was a heart locket.

            “Camile, look! Lets show daddy what we’ve found!”

            Skipping back to the mansion she found her daddy who was still reading the paper in his black leather chair.

            “Daddy, look what I found!” 

            “What did you find precious?”

            “This golden locket, can I keep it?” 

            He stood up, shocked, and demanded to know where she found it.

            “I found it in the garden!” 

            He ran outside to the garden mumbling strange words. Following him outside with sadness in her eyes she asked, "Daddy, what's wrong?"

            His look was frightening as he peered around like he had lost something.

            “What's wrong Daddy?” 

            “Nothing! Now let’s get back inside, and I want you to stay out of this garden, do you hear? The thorns in here can cut you.”

            “Ok, Daddy.” 

            They walked back, Legend ready for a nap. A few hours passed before she was again awakened by another noise. Getting out of bed she rubbed her eyes and walked to the window. Looking out she saw her daddy digging in the dirt. It only took her a few minutes to get her shoes on and head outdoors to see what her daddy was digging.  By the time she got to the garden he was gone. All he had left was a huge hole, leaving her puzzled to what he was looking for. Bang! Bang! She heard shots and looking around she spotted a window on the bottom of the mansion.    She ran to peek in the window where the curtain was slightly torn, bricks half broken cob webs everywhere, and her daddy standing next to a black bag, dirt all around it. She knew that bag came from the garden and she was curious to find out what was inside it. Seeing her daddy run upstairs, she ran back inside knowing where the small room was as she once saw him open it in his library. Entering his library she remembered being told this was a forbidden room but she just had to see what was in that bag. Pushing the corridor open, making sure her daddy was no where in sight, she walked to the bookcase and pulled a single book. The bookcase opened wide and there was the staircase to go down that dirty dungeon. She saw the bag as she walked down each step. She tip-toed near the bag that stood half open and saw her own mother's face covered with dirt and mud. She had thought her mother was in another town and that was why she couldn't come with her and her dad to the hotel.

            “Mommy!” she cried. Tears ran down her shivering face.

            “Legend!” her daddy called out in his angry voice. “You’ve made daddy sad, you bad girl! What is daddy going to do now?”

            As he looked at her with eyes of rage Legend

saw the knife on the table. Her heart was pounding with fear as her daddy walked to her. She started to shiver. They looked at each other and her father reached for the light switch. Legend grabbed the knife before the lights went out.  Both let out a piercing scream as blood splat on the window....

                                                 The End!!!!!