Flowers For McGee

9 - Bad People

Rose rarely cried over things that were important. She didn't shed a tear at her own father's funeral and she felt as if she were a monster for it. She cried over little things, like paper cuts, TV shows, and minor anger outbursts. But serious things stunted Rose in a way she couldn't explain. Even now Rose feels like tears could pour for hours but her eyes are dry.

"I hate this." She mutters as she looks down at her dirty shoes and then around her. The trees were thick and dark and she feels like she is being watched. Rose looks up at the sky and sighs. It's going to rain and she will be victim to the wrath of bad weather.

Rose pulls the diary of Gwen out of her bag and reads small pieces as she walks, a little something to keep her mind busy and to pass the time. She reads of typical little girl things. Passages of shoes and dolls. Others about McGee and her other family members, although it was clear Gwen adored McGee the most.

Rose flips through the book and some pages are blank and some are torn and scribbled out, but she comes across a page in the very back of the book. The handwriting is the same, but it appears to belong to someone a little older. On this page, the pencil was pushed hard into the paper, little tears protrude from the backside of the page.

Off in the distaance, rustling catches her attention and Rose looks up and can see her house not too far away.

Dear Diary,

It's been years now and I still secretly visit the house. They scratched out our name from the front. They took away almost everything from inside. Brother is still here, I saw him. I think they have him trapped, I'm sneaking in today to see. Pray for me if I don't make it out, they may keep me, too.

Rose shuts the book. It was obviously Gwen, but Rose was confused. How could Gwen have written this? McGee said she was dead, but this was years after the incident.

"Rose?" She stops on the road and looks straight ahead, thinking she hears her mother but seeing no one ahead. "Hello? Rose?" She hears the unfamiliar and all her hairs stand on edge. She keeps her eyes straight ahead on the empty road as her stomach flips.

"No," Rose says outloud and starts walking faster. "I do not think so." She says more forcefully.

"Rose." The voice was more demanding and warped and Rose looks over at the trees and sees a figure walking in the shadows, mimicking her every move. The hunched image of a woman becomes clear to Rose. The shadowy fugure abruptly stops and turns toward her and begins wailing and Rose presses her hands firmly to her ears as the screams ring painfully through her head.

"Leave me alone." Rose says back. Her hands tremble and it makes it hard to hold onto the book in her hand. Rose takes a step back and her breath comes out uneven.

Rose was alone, no one would be able to hear her if she needed help.

The shadow twitches and then moves quickly toward her. Rose takes off in a sprint and the screaming behind her gets louder and closer.

Rose reaches the driveway and she seems to be dragged down with each step. She felt hands holding her back and she struggles to free herself. The invisible hands made Rose panic as she begins to slow. She lands on her knees and an intense pain fills her chest and she can't breathe. Rose forces herself to her feet once again and she forces her way to the courtyard. Her vision darkens and the screaming stops.

On the porch, the doors were wide open and McGee stands there. He has his hands held out beside him and a menacing look is rooted on his face.

Rose blinks her eyes rapidly to clear her vision and takes a deep breath. She turns to look behind her. Dark clouds cover the sky fully and the shadows that tried to take her were retreating. Rain starts pouring and she turns around to look at McGee. He nods for her to come to him and she wastes no time as she sprints up the steps.

Her mother walks to the door as Rose is out of the rain. Rose places a dirty hand on the doorframe and looks at Maggie, who stares back horrified at her soaked, dirty, and bloody daughter.

"Oh, my God, Rose, you are bleeding, are you okay?" Maggie asks with worry and reaches for her daughters hand and stops after she sees the mud.

"I, uh, fell and hit my head on a rock. Messed up my knees a little bit." Rose whispers and she looks over at McGee, who walks into the house and up the stairs, beckoning her to follow. Rose pushes past her mother and slowly walks up the stairs.

-

Rose sat in the tub of her bathroom with her arms wrapped around her knees. She had her cold cheek pressed to her arm and her eyes were closed. She had a terrible headache and she was upset. Her entire body was aching and the silence of the the room made her paranoid.

"Rose?" She hears McGee say from behind the shower curtain and she doesn't utter a sound or move. "Are you okay?"

Rose opens her eyes and doesn't see anything through the foggy shower curtain. She keeps her eyes trained on the pink and yellow flowers on the white background.

"I'm fine," Rose says in a muffled voice. "They waste no time, do they?" She asks with a slightly humorous tone.

"You are a liar," McGee says and snorts. "I know it was scary, but please don't give up on me." Rose can hear the desperate tone he has and she sighs.

Rose had already considered the thought. She wanted nothing more than to go home. She had a friend she could live with in Broken Arrow, she didn't have to be here, but she knew that if she left, they might move on to Johnny and she didn't want that. "I won't go anywhere." She says in a quiet voice.

"I felt your fear, it can be felt it in every corner of the house, but outside it was overpowering. I was afraid, too. She has never been that strong." McGee says and Rose sighs.

"I said I'm fine. I got a little freaked out when it tried to brain suck me, so what? I'm sure it happens all the time," She says. "Thank you for helping me."

"You're no use to me dead. I felt like it was my duty to keep you safe." McGee says and Rose can't help but laugh at the placid yet bitter remark.

She reaches through the curtain and moves her hand around for the towel as she stands. When she finds it, she quickly pulls the soft fabric to her and dries her face. "Did you move my clothes the first night? And my towel?" She asks him.

"Yes, I was trying to get your attention." He says simply.

"Does that mean... Can you see me right now?" She asks nervously and covers her body with the towel.

"I can only see what you see when looking at the curtain right now. I have no desire to see a naked woman anymore." He says and she softly sighs.

"Your brother is angry at you," McGee says suddenly. "He is waiting for you to get out."

She steps through the curtain and McGee has his forehead pressed against the wall. "It's okay McGee, they are always mad at me. I can't do anything right when it comes to them." Rose says with a twinge of sadness in her voice. She stopped trying toakr them happy a while ago.

"Mother felt that way... " He says softly and then he is gone as soon as the last syllable left his lips. Rose sighs and quickly dresses. She dries her hair and brushes her teeth and opens the door to reveal Johnny standing there with his arms crossed as McGee said.

"Who were you talking to?" He asks and his eyes are dark and the corner of his lips are drawn down. "Can't you be a civilized and normal person?"

"I guess not," She says calmly and walks passed him. "Mom home?" She asks.

"No, she said she had to go meet the gardener or something. I want to talk to you." Johnny says and she shrugs.

"Cool, talk to me tomorrow." Rose says and she hears him growl and then a hand on her shoulder forces her to turn.

"Don't brush me off, Rose." He says and glares at her.

"Don't tell me what to do." Rose challenges him and shoves his hand off her shoulder. "Don't try to change me because it's not happening. You don't like the way I am? Well, you can shove off."

"Oh yes, you never do anything wrong. Perfect angel." Johnny says with a sarcastic voice.

"Apparently that's you, right?" Rose says. "I didn't do anything, so don't be mad at me."

"He is mad about your father." McGee says but he isn't in the room. Rose stares at her brother with her arms crossed.

"Be mad at her, Johnny, she brought dad up," Rose says and hurt fills her brother's eyes. "You can't blame me."

"T-this isn't about dad, and I can blame you," Johnny says. "It's always your fault. All you do is hang around bad people and cause problems. Mom is unhappy because of it."

"No, I don't, Johnathan. Shut up or you will regret it." Rose says and her temper begins to rise.

"Really, all you are is trouble." He says and the lights in the hall flicker, but Johnny and Rose do not notice.

"Oh yeah? Maybe I am, but what are you going to do about it, huh Johnny?" Rose asks harshly and takes a step forward. "There is no one left to send me away to. You are stuck with me."

"Even if there was someone, they'd just send you back because no one can stand you." Johnny says and Rose shoves her brother away from her as he continues to insist she is a liability.

"He is considering striking you, I do not like that." Rose hears McGee say from behind her.

"You make everyone miserable." Johnny says harshly and shoves her back and Rose grabs at the wall to keep from falling.

"No I don't!" Rose yells and at the same time the lights completely shut off and she can see McGee walk up beside her as she reaches up to shove Johnny away again. McGee reaches out and pushes Johnny and he flies to the ground. Rose's hands don't even come in contact with Johnny.

The lights stay off and Rose feels a burning rage inside of her and she knows it's not her own. Johnny just stares up at her with wide eyes. "Rose... I-I don't- I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Johnny begins but shuts his mouth as lifts himself to his feet and runs down the stairs.

Rose feels a hand on her shoulder and all her rage is replaced with an empty feeling. She turns to see McGee walk into the third room, but the pressure on her shoulder is still there.

-

Rose holds the flashlight between her teeth as she flips the switch on the breaker and she can feel the hum of electricity come from the old house and the basement light flickers on. Rose shuts the rusted door to the metal breaker box and shuts off the flashlight. She turns around and examines all the plastic covered furniture in the basement.

McGee sits in a chair halfway turned away from her and his arms rest carefully on the arms. "This was in the office," He says calmly. "I remember we weren't allowed in the office, mother forbid it." He says and that triggers Rose and she gasps as she remembers.

"In your journal you said you had a chest hidden here somewhere." Rose says and walks over to where he sits, hoping he remembers something about that. McGee only stares at the wall with a confused look.

"Can you read it to me, my journal?" He asks Rose and she nods. He stands swiftly and walks through the wall across from him and Rose sighs, having to use the stairs.

"Damn ghost, never takes in consideration that I can't walk through walls." She mutters as she walks up the stairs.

"Rose, get out." Rose looks up to see him at the top of the stairs. She frowns and stops on the step she is on.

"What?" She asks and she hears a girly hum behind her. her eyes widen and McGee reaches for her and drags her up the steps.

"Leave her alone " McGee says in a dark tone. "Leave her alone or she can't help us." He quickly shuts off the light and slams the door and takes hold of Rose's hand.

"I thought you said you were the only one in the house?" Rose asks and only focuses on the back of his head. "I thought they could only hurt me outside?"

"No, they are everywhere." He says.

On the second floor, McGee shuts the door to Rose's room and he keeps his eyes trained on the little girl in the doorway of the room across the hall, Rose doesn't notice her.