THE DENTIST and OTHER SHORT TERRIFYING TALES

The Bodyguard: Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Étienne

"TI! TI!" my sister shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Fear crept up my throat as I raced toward her little voice.

"TI! It pooped on me!" she screamed, holding out her arm and shaking it away from her body.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" I said frantically.

Freddy failed at trying to hide a smile behind his huge hands.

"A bird pooped on me!" she said waving her arm around.

Arching an eyebrow, I pressed my lips together and suppressed a smile.

"HELP, TI!"

"Come here," I said motioning to her. "Let's get it washed off in the creek."

***

The next day, we headed down to the creek again. When my little sister took her t-shirt off to hop in the water, Freddy let out a loud gasp.

"What happened to your shoulder?" he asked.

My jaw dropped. My sister had an angry red gash running down her shoulder.

"Bella," I said quietly, "what happened?"

Bella immediately pulled her t-shirt back on. "I had a scary dream. When I woke up, I was bleeding."

Freddy balled up his fists.

"But how did you cut your shoulder?" I asked, the concern in my voice growing with every word I uttered.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Bella, it's okay, you can tell me anything."

My little sister looked up at Freddy and then dropped her gaze.

"I don't know and I don't want to talk about it anymore," she said firmly.

"Bella, please-" but before I could say another word, Freddy cleared his throat.

"She said she doesn't want to talk about it anymore, Étienne. So, drop it!" The large man leaned his neck to the side until it popped.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled. What the hell? Why is he acting like that? She's my sister! I opened my mouth to say something, but then stopped. A sick feeling spread through my stomach. What if... I didn't finish the thought.

The rest of the day I didn't leave Bella's side for even a second. She refused to get in the water or take her t-shirt off again, but threw an even bigger fit when I told her I wanted to go home.

"I don't want to go back there! It isn't our home anyways," she shouted.

Freddy stood nearby with a scowl on his face.

Deciding not to make things worse, I clamped my mouth shut and helped my sister build a fort for the rest of the afternoon.

***

After dinner, I offered to help clear the table and load the dishwasher. I hated both tasks, but I wanted to talk to my mother alone, without Bella listening and the fastest way to do that, was to volunteer to do her chores.

"Listen, Mom," I said in a low voice. "Bella has a really bad cut on her shoulder. I'm really worried about her. Are you sure her night terrors and sleep walking are really what's going on?"

My mother set down the bowl in her hand. "What do you mean?"

"Well," I said, my cheeks burning, "do you think Freddy could have anything to do with it?"

"Freddy?" she asked with a look of disbelief on her face. "He's here to protect you two. Plus, you know that your sister has been having these issues ever since we moved here."

My stomach clenched. What are you doing? Are you trying to ruin some man's life just because he gave you a weird feeling today?

"Yeah, you're probably right," I said. "Forget I said anything."

After I had finished loading the dishwasher, I went into the family room to find my sister playing with a small army figure.

"What are you doing?" I asked her with an amused look on my face.

"Daddy used to be in the army. He's a hero," she said as she pretended the little toy was running across the table.

"You're right," I said. "He is a hero."

She wiggled her foot back and forth. "Why is he always gone then?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't he supposed to keep us safe?" she asked.

Surprised by her answer, I knelt down next to her and grabbed a Superman toy. "You know, Superman can keep you safe too."

She giggled.

"And I can keep you safe too, Bella. I promise. But in order to keep you safe, you need to be honest with me and tell me what's really going on."

Bella looked over her shoulder. "I can't tell," she whispered.

"Why not, Bell?"

"She'll get me," she said, her voice quavering in fear.

An icy feeling formed in my gut. "What do you mean? Who's she?"

"She'll be mad if I tell."

"Who, Mom?" I asked.

Bella clutched the army toy tightly in her hand. "I'll keep him with me tonight. He'll protect me."

"Bella, it's time for bed," my mother shouted from the other room.

My little sister's face turned white.

"Don't let her get me, Étienne," she pleaded.

*******

PHEW! That was a close one! My power went out and I didn't think I'd be able to post this chapter tonight! 0_0 Luckily, it just came back on!

I'm excited to hear what you think of chapter two of THE BODYGUARD!

What do you think is going to happen next?

Kelly Anne Blount xoxo