Trembling Power: Chapter Two

Lalia sat there looking down at the lifeless body of her brother. What had she just done? It all happened so fast and Lilia couldn't breathe. She stood up and stared at him, imagining him sleeping. There was no guilt prickling her heart, and Lilia didn't understand why. She slowly made her way to the trash can in the kitchen, remembering the cracker box. Opening the lid, she found it was there, ready and accessible. Taking it out, she turned back to Mace.

Lalia stooped down low, and turned his head over. She could see his emtpy blue eyes staring back at her. She shivered. Using her free hand to open his mouth,she quickly stuffed some crackers down his slimy throat. Then, she took his floppy arm and made the hand grasp around his neck, like he was choking.

Rising to her feet, she placed her still shaking hands on her hips and view the work that had been done. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Lalia decided to go outside, so that when her parents came home from their errands and such, she would look absolutely innocent. But something felt edgy about this, and she feared that they would catch her soon enough. Still, she went to the sliding glass door and placed a hand on the handle. Staring at her own nervous expression in the glass, she turned it.

The breeze from the outdoors hit her instantly, the smell of blossoms filled the air. Her father had planted a blossom when he first moved into the house. That was over twenty years ago.

There was a swingset down in the corner of the yard, one her mother built when Lalia was two. Her legs shaking, she walked over to the yellow set.

It moved slightly in the wind, as if a ghost child were happily swinging. Lalia sat down in it, her feet now touching the green grass that lie underneath the swing. She rocked gently back in forth, gripping the metal chains. They were cold and sent a shock through her fingers. The house was looking at her, probably accusingly. She couldn't look at it much longer, it was haunting her now.

She felt hot tears fall down her face, onto her lap. "I just got rid of him, that's all. I didn't do anything bad..." Trying to convince herself wasn't working. She started to go higher on the swings, so her body straightened out to face a blinding sky.

The wind was roaring in her ear as she pushed harder and harder, trying to forget everything that had just happening. Now she was denying it even more. "This isn't real," she thought, coming back down again. Her feet pushed off the ground as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I didn't do it; this is only a dream. It's all just some crazy dream. I probably fell asleep thinking of how much I hate Mace. I would never kill him, I wouldn't!" Lalia didn't know what she was doing as she thought this, but when she stopped talking she found herself off the swing set. The front door slammed shut inside the house, and she could hear footsteps.

It sounded like her mother's black high heels were clicking against the floor. Lalia closed her eyes and tried to imagine her mother walking into the house.

The forty-five year old would be wearing a blue dress, her black hair would be up in a bun. A sleek black purse would be dangling from her arms. The makeup on Allisia Bandie's face would be nothing but perfect, the eyeliner would not be smudged.

Then, there was a scream.

This is what sent chills marching up and down young Lalia's spine. The scream repeated itself twice, and she heard something fall to the floor. Probably that sleek black purse of hers. Lilia calmed her shaking hands and put on her acting face. It was time to be her mommy's baby; an innocent creature with no intentions to harm anyone. Lilia stopped for a second. Did Lilia really intend to wipe Mace off of the earth? Or was it all a mistake? She had no idea and chose not to think about it. Rushing to the screen door, she yet again placed a hand on the brass handle.

Lalia ran inside, scurrying to the kitchen. Her mother was there, clutching Mace's hand.

"My baby, my precious baby. Wake up for Mommy, please?" Lalia couldn't see her mom's face, but her mother's mascara was probably running down her blushed cheeks.

"Mommy?" Lalia asked, mustering up some fake tears. "What's going on...?" Then she let out a fake gasp of surprise.

Lalia hadn't really taken a chance to analyze Mace's face after she had ran outside. It was strictly white, the color of a cloud. Though his face appeared soft, she could see he had been caught in mid cough. Lalia noted the lump in his throat from where she had stuffed those crackers. Lalia then looked at her mother's quivering figure and could bear no more. It was then that she heard the pounding of her father walking into the foyer.

"Honey, honey, come in the kitchen quick!" her mother screamed.

Feet pounded against the floor, her father running to the kitchen. His facial expression read worried and alarm. Mr. Bandie began to rest a hand on Lilia's shoulder, but she drew away.

"What, happened?" He peered around the ten year old girl, then he too gasped. "No!"

Lalia wasn't sure what really happened after that...