A journey to freedom

"Selene, it's time for bed," Caroline called from the kitchen as she cleaned. "Turn off the TV and go upstairs. I'll be with you in a minute." The background music of the cartoon Selene was watching kept playing and Caroline smiled. The girl was stubborn, much like her father. "Selene," she sang. "Time for bed, baby." The doorbell rung just as Caroline entered the sitting room. Selene's eyes were glued to the television as she inattentively took handfuls of popcorn into her mouth. Caroline walked to the door, a small smile playing on her lips. However, the smile died as she opened the door. Caroline rolled her eyes and sighed as she opened the door wider for the visitor to come in. "Whatever you have to say, make it quick, then leave. It's my daughter's bedtime and I have to read her a story," Caroline said, her voice hard. The visitor was wearing a large hoodie that hung off a slight frame. He wore a baseball cap that kept his face hidden from view. Caroline motioned to the person's dress. "Really? What's this? You're so dramatic." The visitor still didn't speak. "Really?" Caroline asked, flabbergasted. "You're going to come in here, late at night, to see me, and you're not going to speak? f**k that." They raised their hand, it was clad in dark leather gloves and it held a gun. Caroline's eyes went wide as she swallowed hard. She spared a short glance backwards and saw that Selene was still engrossed in her cartoon. "Selene?" she called, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Mama?" Selene replied. "Turn off the TV and go upstairs, baby," Caroline said, her voice belying a calm she did not feel. Selene grumbled. "But, Mama . . " "Turn that TV off this instant!" Caroline yelled. Selene gasped and quickly turned off the TV. She turned and ran up the stairs, taking it two steps at a time. "What do you want?" Caroline said to the intruder, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this?" The intruder said nothing. Selene walked quietly from her room, back down the stairs, and peeped out through the banisters. The kitchen was poorly lit, and she didn't understand what she was seeing. But there was her mother facing another person, and she seemed to be having an intense conversation with them. "What the f**k do you want from me? Have I not given enough?" Caroline cried. "No, you haven't," the intruder spoke for the first time. "I want it all." A loud bang broke the silence and Selene screamed as she watched her mother's body jerk and go down. The intruder looked up sharply and Selene hid back into the darkness, her heart beating a wild rhythm in her chest. They scanned the house, overturned the lamps and scattered the kitchen and sitting room before quickly leaving the house. Selene watched the intruder from her hiding place on the stairs. She waited a while to make sure the intruder had left before running into the kitchen. Red pooled around her mother's midsection and spilled out of her mouth. "Mama?" Selene called. "Mama?" Caroline's eyes focused, and she looked at her daughter as tears rolled down the corners of her eyes. "Selene," she started to speak and raised her hand to touch her daughter's hair. "Selene," she whispered again, and her eyes lost their focus. Selene didn't know how long she sat there for, her mother's blood seeping into her clothes. The blood stained her hands as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't know why her mom wasn't getting up. She didn't know why the dark red liquid kept leaking from the wound in her stomach. She didn't know anything. At once, the door flew open and her father was there. "Papa," Selene called and burst into fresh tears. "Mama won't get up." James paused to take in the horrific scene before him and ran to his daughter. He wrapped Selene up in his arms. "I'm here now," he cried into her hair. "I'm here now. It's going to be okay." "What about Mama?" Selene whispered. "Mama's going to be fine," James answered. "Everything is going to be fine." The events of the day were too complex for Selene's young mind to grasp, but even she knew that things weren't going to be fine. The days that followed were a blur. Police officers came to ask questions that Selene had no answers and finally, they left. Well-meaning neighbors and family members came to offer their condolences to a confused Selene and a grieving James. Devastated by the untimely loss of his wife, James withdrew, leaving his secretary, Helen, to take over caring for Selene and the household. James delegated a lot during this period and so, Helen efficiently handled most of his work. She seemed to know the right things to say and do to get James to smile and to soothe the sharp edges of his grief. Soon, they were married and Helen moved in. Selene was always wary of the beautiful woman whose smile never seemed to reach her eyes. A part of her knew that this woman was only playing a part. However, she did not expect things to change much. But things did change when Helen had a daughter, Seraphina. Suddenly, Seraphina was the prized daughter, and Selene was left in the background. Years passed and a house that Selene once considered home became anything but. It served as a reminder of all that she had lost-her mother, and her sanctuary. Helen was now established as the matriarch of the Aldridge household and, under her care, Seraphina thrived. But Selene was forgotten, relegated to the background, a wallflower desperate for connection and warmth.