Under the Zodiac Sky

I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me down the hallway and into my mother's bedroom. I could hear the sounds of fighting outside and the panic-filled screams of my mother. She was calling for me, but I was too scared to answer her. I didn't understand what was happening. I crawled under the bed and tried to calm the frantic beating of my heart as I clutched the stuffed llama to my chest. Today was supposed to be a good day. She said I was turning the big 5. I was supposed to be having a birthday party but as I listened to the balloons popping and the screaming of the other children inside the pack house, I cried silent tears.

"Adelynne?! Baby, where are you?" My mother loudly whispered as she entered the bedroom.

I let out a small whimper to let her know I was there. I reached a small hand out to her as I stared into her beautiful blue eyes that looked back at me from where she crouched next to the bed.

"It's okay sweet girl. You just stay here. Everything will be okay. Just stay hidd-" she looked abruptly to the hallway before dropping the blanket and standing up, moving over to stand behind the bedroom door.

I heard the heavy footsteps of someone coming. It sounded like heavy boots stomping across the oak wood floors. I clamped a hand around my mouth to keep from making any noise as I saw what appeared to be a man walking into the room. He wore dark cargo pants with black combat boots. It looked like there was a knife tucked into the left boot, causing part of the bottom of his pants to be pushed. I listened and watched as my mother crept out from behind the door only to stop.

"You? But why?" She gasped. I could hear the disbelief in her voice. She must know this person. There was no answer given only a loud slap and I saw her fall to the floor.

"We will find her Magnolia! If you know what's good for you, you'll tell me where she is!" The man yelled out.

My mother never cowered away from him. Instead, I watched her stare him straight in the face and let the defiance on her face show. "I will never tell you where she is! You will never get your hands on her! Do you hear me? Never!" She screamed back.

She glanced at me briefly, letting me know to stay hidden. I tried to call out to her as the man grabbed a fist full of her hair and started to drag her out of the room. I locked eyes with her and saw the fear in them as she whispered softly,

"You'll be ok my sweet. I love you." Before she disappeared around the corner.

I tried to cover my ears as the sounds of clothes tearing and bones breaking before a loud growl of a wolf echoed throughout the room. I prayed silently that this would all end as I listened to the screams of my mother as she was torn to shreds. Still refusing to tell them where I was hiding under the bed. The only thing to comfort me was the cream-colored llama that she had bought days earlier.

As the early morning rays from the rising sun shone through the tattered curtains of my room, or what you could call a room, it was just a small corner in the farthest part of the attic where I had an old rickety metal bed with a poorly filled mattress and an old sherpa blanket to keep me warm, I stirred awake and stared at the ceiling above me. I could see glimpses of twilight through the cracks in the wood above my head. Rubbing the images of last night's nightmare from my eyes. I have been having the same nightmare every night for the last few months now.

"At least it didn't rain last night," I said looking over at Maggie the llama, who lay under the covers with me.

She was a little tattered and some of her coloring had faded away. I groaned as I got of bed to get the day started. My morning routine was pretty simple since I didn't have a whole lot to work with. The clothes that were provided for me are old and stained. There is no mir