Secrets:Chapter 2

Dedicated to Scratch

"What?"

"Remember those men that came
over?"Carol asked.

"Yes.."

"They were acting strange so i decided to
listen in on what they were saying."

"Carol you know that eavesdropping is
wrong."
"I know but I'm thankful that i did.The one
who appeared to be the leader told your
parents that they have been your parents
for eleven years and now that 'he' has
returned that they have been ordered to kill
you tonight."
"Carol what nonsense are you saying.I'm
seventeen not eleven and who is
'he'?.Besides my parents have not and
would never hurt me or anyone.They're too
kind."

"I know but it's true.And i don't know who
'he' is.When your parents asked them why
they said they were not allowed to ask
questions and if they had grown any
attachment, they should get rid of it or
they'll be killed too."Carol explained while
looking around her to see if anyone was
listening.

"Carol...if this is a joke please stop it's not
funny."Malia whispered, with tears glistening in her eyes and her voice was beginning to
crack.

"I know you might not believe me but you
have to be careful tonight."

Malia felt her knees go weak.She shifted so
she was resting against the wall.

"I'm going out for air.Tell mother and father
that I've gone to bed early".She said and left
before Carol could say anything.

Malia sat on a tall tree branch and gazed at the moon.She had many thoughts running through her mind.Carol never lied especially
about things that had to do with death but her parents...she couldn't imagine them
doing anything evil to her.They had been her parents for eleven years?! Come to think of it, she couldn't remember anything about the first six years af her life.Her parents had said that she had had a nasty fall and hit her
head.Everything was just so...I hate complicated,she thought.
Suddenly she heard a small noise in her room and moved so that she could see through her room window which was near
the tree.She saw her parents.Her father raised something in his hand and it glinted
in the moonlight.She stifled a gasp with her hand and hid...it was a knife.They really were going to kill her.Her father placed his free hand on something over her bed and
stabbed whatever was on it.She heard a faint gasp but assumed that it came from her.When her 'parents' seemed distracted
by something near the door,she quietly climbed down the tree and ran.

Malia ran into the forest and she didn't look back then she suddenly stopped and caught
a scent.It smelled like a burning house a distance behind her so compelled by the scent, she turned and started walking. Her
bare feet snapped twigs and she was probably injured but she didn't care.Her whole body felt numb.

A crowd gathered outside the burning house .There was heavy smoke everywhere.People were trying to put out the fire but it was too much.Malia stood at the back of the crowd and watched what was once her home burn down to nothing but burnt wood and ashes.Some of the crowd saw her and began to whisper words of sympathy to themselves.

"..the poor girl" "...what's going to happen to her now?" "she'll most likely end up in a place like the brothel or the liquor house."
Barely hearing what they were saying she turned around and walked away.