She knew what she did, but she didn’t think anything of it. It was all a mistake, and she couldn’t help but regret what she had done three years ago it was unforgettable.

“Susie! It’s time to wake up!” My mother would yell from downstairs, her voice always seemed to echo loudly, these walls are thin and movable too. I sit up in my bed and rubbed my eyes, a yawn escaped my mouth as well. I managed to get up without even noticing and grabbed my outfit for today and slid them on. Opening my door, I walk out of my room and walk down the stairs. I stop halfway to listen to my mom say, “Wake up your brothers and sisters,” I wanted to hesitate, but I did it without question. Salina, the oldest, tends to sleep in a lot lately and I must be the one to wake her up. “Mom said get up Sal,” saying this in a cranky tone is normal for me, I’m only thirteen. Walking downstairs entering the living room, my eyes land on the floor and I stared at it. I see red spots on it, the carpet is stained.

Lifting an eyebrow, I look closer and gasped. Those aren’t just red spots; those are blood stains and they are staring at me coldly. I screamed of course, what else was I supposed to do, there’s blood on my carpet and it looks like it has been here for years. “Mom! There’s blood on the carpet!” I holler out in fright as I backed away from the seemingly bloody floor, I was terrorized but my mother seemed confused about the situation. “What blood?” She asked, puzzled. I can’t believe she can’t see that, she walked into the living room as well and stood beside me with her arm around my shoulder looking at the floor. She even squinted but saw nothing I see. “There isn't no blood on the floor baby,” she assured me in a calming voice. “How do you not see that--” before I finished, I took one more look at the carpet and the stains were gone.

I know what I saw, there’s no way it wasn’t there the entire time. “But I saw it,” I pouted as I turn to look at the kitchen counter, Momma patted my back and shook her head. She kissed my forehead and brushed my curly brown hair with her left hand then said, “Don’t worry so much, you’ll hurt yourself.” Momma walked back into the kitchen and continued cooking breakfast. What was that? I can’t believe I was seeing things that everyone else isn’t seeing, I don’t usually do this. I shook off the feeling and walk into the dining room with my arm rubbing my shoulder feeling the goosebumps rub against the palm of my hand. That was extremely hair raising, I couldn’t tell if that was a hallucination or not. “Happy birthday sis!” I hear Salina shout out as she slowly made her way down the stairs.

Salina isn’t all that innocent I love my sister and all, but she could handle her life choices a little bit better. She's wearing a cleavage revealing shirt with holey pants. Her stomach is showing a little too, I didn’t like the way my sister dressed, neither does Momma and Daddy. The funny thing is that she’s only fifteen and trying to get her life straight and that includes dropping out of school and living in an apartment with a newborn baby, that’s right, I’m an aunt. Jamie walks downstairs five minutes after her and ran up to hug me, “dang man, you almost taller than me,” he commented laughing afterward. He’s fourteen just a year younger than Salina. I laugh hesitantly along with him and smiled. “Thanks, y’all. I don’t I don’t know what I would without you all.” I had this warm feeling within me having everyone here with me in the same room, happy and joyful. But we’re missing someone. Daddy.

Immediately I turn to Momma and ask, “Where’s Daddy? He can’t just miss out on my birthday.” Salina and Jamie both shrugged in sync and said, “Daddy was supposed to be home today, but I guess not.” I sigh but smile again I sit down in the glossy wooden chair and faced the table. I always hated the dining table, it’s only because it reminds me of someone’s face, someone I know. “Why do we still have this table?” I asked randomly as my eyes widened for, I said that out loud. “Stop complaining and learn to love what we have, alright? And Salina, may you please bring me another bottle of dish soap?” Momma reached her hand out waiting for the bottle to land in it. Salina bent down to open the cabinet, grabbed the dish soap and handed it to Momma.

Momma always seemed to change the subject of the conversation often I wonder why though I asked her one day, but she never gave me an answer. Salina washed her hands with soap and water dried her hands off and sat down in the seat across the table. She had a frown on her face my sister never frowns unless someone or something is messing with her feelings. I sigh and shook my head telling myself not to get involved in her life like Momma told me to. But of course, I couldn’t help myself, so I look up at Sal and ask, “What’s the matter sis? Something wrong?”

The first five minutes was quiet all we could hear was Momma washing the dishes and cooking breakfast. Before Salina could tell me, anything Jamie sat in the chair beside me and pulled his chair up to the table producing a loud petrifying noise. Getting aggravated I turn to him and gave him and obvious angry look. “Why are you being extra? I’m trying to talk to my sister about something important so why?” Jamie just stared at me shocked at my reaction he scoffed and said, “I was just trying to sit down by my baby sister.” His frown became a grin and he rubbed my head with his fist roughly I told him to stop but clearly, he didn’t understand English.

“Yeah well, it’s my birthday and I shouldn’t have to deal with this much stress,” I scoffed and looked away from him. Momma turned the stove off and turned to look at me with a disgusted face. “Girl hush! Stop trying to act all grown, looking like your daddy,” she shook her head and walked to the table with the eggs and pancakes, enough for the five of us, and sat the plates on the table. I reached to grab the fullest plate, but Jamie had already grabbed it before me and Sal. I smacked my teeth and crossed my arms dramatically. “You so greedy,” I say to Jamie sticking my tongue out at him playfully. But I’m not going to fuss over a plate of food, that would be ridiculous and idiotic. I grabbed the other plate and said my prayer before eating the food. After that, I dug in and enjoyed the fluffy eggs that were nicely placed on the paper plate.

I thought about Salina not answering my question five minutes ago, maybe she doesn’t want to talk about it. That’s what I think, if she doesn’t want to talk about it then I’ll leave her be. We all finished our breakfast and cleaned up the table by putting our plates in the sink. I figuratively rubbed my tummy; I was so full. “Thank you for the breakfast Momma, it was truly delectable.” I always complimented Momma’s cooking because it’s always good. My face cringed after leaving the kitchen though, I walked into the living room with this face and looked around. “Why does it smell like straight up dead body?” I asked myself as I covered my nose blocking the abhorrent odor from entering her nostrils. I started coughing and it was as if the smell or a pair of hands was choking me to death. Falling onto the floor I try calling my mom for help, my mouth opened but nothing came out. Clearly petrified, I attempt to crawl back into the kitchen, but my arms gave up on me, so I was laying there on the floor choking and coughing.

I was gasping for air and waiting for someone to even notice me. Soon I hear the front back door open and I turn to look who walked in. Daddy was home and he was shocked to see me the way I am, so he dropped his suitcase and the groceries and darted toward the nearest bathroom. “Laura! It’s happening again!” He yelled out to Momma as he ran back out and kneeled beside me. I’m still gasping, I look at Daddy’s hand to see an EpiPen. He clicked the button right after Momma comes into the room and kneels on the other side of me placing an icepack on my forehead. But before Daddy could use the EpiPen on me, I black out now I only see darkness and no light whatsoever.