The pitch blackness caused her to stumble and slam her shin into the low coffee table. A flashlight flipped on.
"Where the hell have you been, Bailey?"
"Mom, it's only 9:30 p.m. I had to study for my language arts test tomorrow. I was at the library. I told you that this morning."
"What's that?"
"Mathew bought this for me for passing the math test. Isn't it beautiful." I twirled the flower in my fingers and smelled it. I couldn't hold back my ear to ear grin.
"Let me see it."
I didn't want to. I put it behind my back. Her long claw like arm snaked around me and snatched it away. Her razor sharp nails sliced it into tiny pieces.
"Mom. What are you doing?" I clapped my hand over my mouth, as she tossed the stem at me.
"That young boy wants something from you. And let me tell you now young lady, he won't get it. He's not going to be sniffing around you."
"He's my friend. That's all. He got this for me because I passed the math test and I wasn't sure I would. He's nice. He doesn't want anything from me. What the hell's wrong with you?"
Her hand connected with my face, her nails scraping over my skin. A tiny drop of blood, like that of a tear, slowly trickled down my cheek and dripped off my jaw.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that again. That's what that young man has done to you." She stood, her dark robe billowing around her as she raised her arms. The light silhouetted the white, death like color of her skin and the black orbs for eyes.
Then the image changed. I was being pulled backwards by the seat of my pants, down a long dusty road. I reached for the white light flickering in the distance. As it died away, the picture changed. Miss Piggy was sitting high up on my dresser, laughing down at me with maniacal laughter.
"I've got your secrets, Bailey. Oops Cassidy. Ooops nobody. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha."