Blood Stained Rose

Putting the pices together

Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together

​I push my food around my plate feeling too upset to eat. I was hungry but food just doesn't sound very good right now. I try to engage in the conversation but I can't focus and I have a feeling I'm about to have another vision. Not wanting to make a scene at this nice restaurant I excuse myself and escape to the ladies restroom. I open the door to the biggest stall and lock the door behind me. I sit in the back corner and pull my knees up to my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut and the vision starts.
​
My mother paces the floor of the warehouse. She looks completely normal I can even see her ocean blue eyes. Strange, I think. I take a couple of steps closer and hear her muttering to herself. Her voice shakes and she's almost weeping. I want more than anything to comfort her but my body won't move like I want it to. Instead I take a few slow steps towards her and when she looks up at me she looks afraid. Why is she afraid of me? She cowers in the corner, weeping and begging me for mercy. An evil laugh comes from deep inside me and I want to make it stop but I just can't.

​The vision ends and I wipe away the tears from my face. My mother is being tormented by someone or something. It explains everything! Why she kidnapped Braydon and turned him against me. I begin to get up when memories of my childhood hit me. I fall back to the floor and remember the time when my mother strangled me. This also explains why she was so violent with me. She must've been possessed! Whatever it is that is tormenting her now must be what's possessed her. My stomach tightens and I feel yet another vision.
​
​Braydon stands in front of me and I wish I could run into his arms but I know that's not physically possible. I have no control over the movement of my body, or more like whoever's body I'm in at the moment. Braydon's eyes are dark and I know instantly he's possessed. Could the same demon possess more than one person? I look Braydon up and down and notice a hand gun on his waist band. About fifteen other young men stand in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder, with Braydon. I pace up and down the line and bark orders. I listen closely to what I'm saying. I don't sound like me, in fact I don't even sound human. I'm guessing the body I'm in is possessed which leads me to think I'm my mother.
​"Tonight, we take the most popular place in town, the racetrack. Take what you need and you may go. Gather your strength, we leave at dusk."

​The vision fades. So they're going to the racetrack? Why there? What is it they 'need'? There is only one way to find out. I get up and leave the restroom. I sit back down at the table and continue to eat. They don't question me so I don't bring it up. We finish eating and leave. Shaun asks me what I want to do now.
​"I want to go to the park. Let's meet up with the rest of the guys." I say. Shaun nods and starts making calls. Dad ends up being called into the station. I finally push him out the door when he apologizes for ruining my birthday with work for twenty minutes. Shaun, Aiden and I cram into my bug and head to the park. Daniel, Josh, and Brian already wait there sitting by the tree. We all take a seat and I take a deep breath.
​"Okay, I've had more visions and I need your help."
​"What were the visions about?" Aiden ask, curious.
​"There are too many to count. Here's what I know: there is a killer who makes their mark with a blood-stained rose. That killer is my mother," I pause to let the guys soak that in.
​"Not my mother alone. She's been possessed by a blood-thirsty demon ever since I was little. She disappeared one day when I was five. Now she's on a killing rampage, here. She took Braydon the night Shaun and him got in a fight. She used his anger to manipulate him and now he's possessed. They have at least thirty heavily armed men and they're attacking the racetrack, tonight. It's dangerous and stupid, I know, but I need your help."
​"Are you insane? We can't just waltz in there with thirty guys with guns! We'll die," Brian says.
​"I know every angle of their attack. For some reason I can tap into everything they're doing. I just have to focus hard enough; sometimes I even do it subconsciously. Nobody will get hurt, I promise." I say with full confidence.
​"I'm in." Shaun says. All the other guys eventually join in.
​"We need a plan," Daniel says. We all look at him.
​"He's right."
​"Well, Alice. Our dad's both have guns to spare. Think we can sneak them out for the occasion?" I nod.
​"Okay, so we have enough weapons for all of us. How are we going to get into the racetrack at night?"
​"I'll figure it out. We don't have much time." I say my voice shaky. I focus really hard on my mother's plan for tonight. It's blurry and is difficult to keep my focus on. "She's just going to burst through the doors and kill anyone who get's in her way. The other men are there for the money but I don't know what she's there for. Blood, I guess?"
​"You did say she's a blood-thirsty demon so that sounds about right."
​"Okay, so when do we start?" Josh asks, rubbing his hands together. I give him a weak smile.
​"Daniel, you can get those guns?" I ask and he nods.
​"Okay, here's the plan. It gets dark around eight so we meet up at my house at six to prepare. Until then we need to divide up and get things we need. There are six of us. Daniel, Shaun, and Brian are on one team and Josh and Aiden you two are with me. Daniel, get anything you can get your hands on and wear dark clothing. We're going to go do the same. Does that sound like a plan?" All the guys nod and we head in different directions.
​"Alice, are you okay?" Aiden asks his hand on the small of my back. I swallow and nod.
​"I'm fine. We're going to get Braydon back tonight. That much I'm sure of."
​"Are you afraid?"
​"No." I lie. This could be any one of our last day. Any or all of us could die tonight.
​Aiden, Josh and I sit in the living room. Aiden turns the gun over and over in his hand. This isn't the first time any of us have ever shot a gun but knowing that we are going to actually use it is a scary thought.
​"Alice, if Braydon really is possessed how are you going to get his attention?" Aiden asks still staring at his gun.
​"I haven't really thought about it, I guess. I really don't know."
​"He's a guy. Wear a short dress that shows a lot of cleavage. That should get his attention." Josh smirks and adds sarcastically.
​"That's actually not a bad idea," I say. "That's how my mom got him to join her. So why won't it work with me?" Josh and Aiden shrug. I head upstairs and change into a short red dress that hugs my figure. It doesn't show cleavage but it is short because I normally wear tights under it. I walk down stairs and Josh's eyes just about pop out of his head.
​"Well, that's one way to do it," Aiden says. I hear a knock at the door and I climb down the rest of the stairs to open it. Daniel, Shaun, and Brian stand there.
​"Wow, going to put some clothes on," Brian says. Shaun elbows him and he grunts.
​"I'm purposely doing this so I can get Braydon's attention."
​"That will sure get his attention all right," Shaun mutters. I roll my eyes and ignore him. We all sit in the living room preparing mentally and physically. The guys have their guns tucked away in their waistbands where no one can see them. I have mine strapped to my right leg underneath my dress. I check my phone for the time.
​"Okay guys. Let's head out. Remember we're going through the casino entrance. Be careful for the guards, I'll give you the okay when I realize they've taken out all the security cameras and guards." We all head out to the cars. Daniel borrowed his dad's black hummer for the night. I sit shot gun in my bug while Aiden drives and Josh sits in the back. The ride is quiet and a vision hits me.
​My mother is in a black hooded cape. Behind her are fifteen men in a triangle-like formation with her at the very tip in front. I watch as they march right into the casino entrance. The men take out the three guards sitting at the entrance.
​"They went in through the casino, too. No change in plans this just makes it easier. Now we don't have to worry about security." We park in the abandoned parking lot and head inside. We make our own triangle formation except the guys are formed so they can't see me at first. We all walk through the doors and take out are guns. I look to my right and all three guards are on the floor in a pool of their own blood and sure enough there is a blood stained rose in each of their hands. I send a quick prayer for them, feeling horribly sorry for the innocent men. We keep moving forward, out of the casino and into the lobby. They just stand there before us, unmoving. They don't have their weapons drawn or look intimidating at all. Nevertheless, we don't drop our own weapons. No way are we letting our guards down in the face of these cold-hearted killers.
​"We've come for Braydon," I say as confidently as I can.
​"Oh, have you?" My mother raises her head and her eyes are the first thing I notice. They are black as usual and her voice is inhuman.
​"Yes, where is he?" I ask stepping forward. Aiden hesitates but let's me pass. I stand face to face with my mother.
​"As you can see he's not here." My mother says.
​"Stop that! Where is he?" I ask. She smiles at me and an image of Braydon tied up and tape on his mouth. She starts to laugh. "You're giving me these visions?"
​"Of course I am. I wanted you to come here in the first place. When you try to 'tap' into me it's blurry but when I give you the vision it's normal."
​"But why can't I hear sometimes?" I ask confused.
​"Because I only show you what I want you to see."
​"Tell me where Braydon is!" I scream. She nods her head at the guys behind me.
​"Tell them to drop their weapons and I'll show you," She says. I turn and nod at the guys.
​"Are you freaking crazy? She's going to kill us!" Josh says.
​"My men don't have their weapons drawn. Put them down!" She orders. Her men pull out huge guns and set them on the floor slowly. I turn and nod and they slowly do the same. I turn back to my mom and before I can even blink the men have disappeared. Everything happens so fast I can hardly keep up. Each of her men has one of the guys. I turn to look at my mother. I open my mouth to yell at her but I feel a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. I involuntarily place both my hands where the pain is worse and I look down to see a pool of red in the palm of my hand. I turn around to see Braydon holding a bloody knife. I don't give them the satisfaction of a scream. I fall to the floor clutching my abdomen. My vision blurs and I let myself fall into the abyss.