MicroHorror

“This happens to all girls,” Mom said, but I think she’s just trying to make me feel better. You wouldn’t know it by looking at the red stains that covered my hands and flower dress, but I looked pretty before I came outside. I looked pretty before the bloody mess. I can see my reflection in the window, and I miss the way I looked before this happened.

Mom draped her arm around my shoulders and kissed me on the top of my head. Her lavender perfume smells like something I might like to wear someday. I never used to pay much attention to it; it was just Mom’s smell. But at this moment, in this situation, the strong lavender smell is invited.

“We’re going to have to scrub the stains off the driveway before Dad gets home. We don’t want to make him wonder, now, do we?” Mom smiled at me. Her teeth were so white, so straight, and so pretty. I hope mine look like that someday. She has a curvy body, too. Her dress is like mine, but she looks so much better in it.

“Here, baby. Clean your hands and legs off. It looks like you got a little on your face, too.” She handed me the towel that usually hangs near the stove. It has kittens and puppies on it. I would have preferred the tan one with the sunflowers, though. Oh, well. She walked behind the house and when she came back, she handed me the shovel. I’ve never touched it, but I’ve seen her use it before, when Daddy wasn’t home.

“Does this ever happen to you, Mommy?”

“Of course, doll. It usually happens towards the end of the month. But there’s no reason we can’t share it together. How does tonight sound?” Mom asked. She looked proud of me. And as I stood here, barefoot and bloody, I was proud of myself, too.

“Now, go out back and bury Scruffy and Cottontail. You’ve graduated to hookers and transients.”