No one is without fears, demons, and flaws.
~Me

"Come on just one," Matt pleaded. I giggled and said, "No they're all mine."

We sat on the old red couch in Matt's living room watching my favorite TV show The Mentalist. I decided to go over to his house because I didn't
I want to face my father.

"I just want skittles," Matthew grumbled. He's been trying to get my skittles for hours. I ignored his comment and stared at the tv screen.

I watched as Patrick the protagonist of the show annoyed Theresa his friend and co-worker. Matthew begins to poke the side of my head. He does this while saying, 'I want skittles' I let out a frustrated sigh and throw a pack of skittles at his face.

"I knew you'd give in," he said with a goofy smile on his face. I roll my eyes. We hear the door open and in walks Matthew's dad. His suit was a mess; he looked like he'd been beaten up pretty bad.

The smile on Matthew's face disappears once he sees his dad.

"Abigail," he slurs pointing at me.

"Your father has been looking for you," on cue my dad walks in.

His eyes are bloodshot red, my heart tightens. He is drunk; he always gets like this when he's around Matt's dad. "Stella! Stella!" Matthew's dad yells.

Stella King, Matt's mom, runs down to the living room. Matt's mom is extremely beautiful, she has a wonderful personality, and she's just full of so much love or at least she was.

After years of living in abuse her smile began to fade, Matt's dad treats her like crap. He insults her, brings his many lovers home and sometimes he hit her.

Stella smiled in front of the townspeople, she put on a show and made it seem as though nothing is wrong, but if you looked closer beyond her facade you could see the pain.

She is dealing with the worst kind of pain. Silent pain when you want to break free from the hell you've been imprisoned in, but your fears keep holding you captive. So you have to bear the pain in silence.

"What is it, Benjamin?" Stella asked, her voice shaking a bit. She looked scared. It made me wonder how someone could be afraid of the person they decided to spend the rest of their life with.

"Get Alexander and me a drink," he ordered.

"I think I've had enough Ben, besides I got to go. Busy day tomorrow," my dad said with a smile.

I stand from the couch, Matthew hugs me tightly. "Stay safe," he whispered. I nod and walk towards my father. He smiles at Matt's dad saying his goodbyes.

For a moment my heart clenched in my chest because I missed when he used to smile at me like that when I used to be his little princess.

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Abigail," Matt's dad said to me. "I wish I could say the same," I replied and walked out of the house. As I approach the car I hear my father's footsteps behind me, I entered the car slamming the door shut.

His car smelt of cigarettes. My father glared at me as he got into the car, "That was a very rude-."

"You've been smoking," I interrupt. The glare on my father's face disappears, he knew he wasn't supposed to be smoking because of his heart condition.

My father lowered his head probably in shame "I don't want to argue," he said. I turned away from him and faced the window. He didn't understand how much this hurt, I didn't want to lose him too.

It's sad to say but no matter how bad he treats me, no matter how much his words hurt me I didn't want to lose him. He is the only 'family' I have left. Sure I had my other family members, but I hardly know them.

I didn't want to have a grieve again or cry for weeks again. I didn't want to feel that pain again. The drive from Matthew's house to mine isn't long; Matt lives a couple of blocks away from us. So we got home in no time.

As soon as my dad pulls into the driveway I hopped out of the car, went straight to my room and jumped onto my bed I stare up at the ceiling again looking at the stars, and I remember a time when everything was perfect when everyone was happy.

After my mom's disappearance, everyone in my family except my grandmother pushed me away, like I was the cause of the demise.

I got up from my bed and walked to my mirror. I wondered is wrong with me, wasn't I good enough for my father . I wanted to know why he pushed me away.

I looked at my pale skin, my soulless jade eyes, cracked lips. I looked like I was apart of the undead army. I didn't have plump pink lips like the other girls in the town I have thin lips. I always had bags under my eyes, I hardly ever wore anything nice or decent. I don't know how to put on makeup so I can't hide my face behind.

I couldn't act like a normal obedient small town girl like the others did because that isn't what I want to be. I want to be so much more and see so much more and for that reason I'm rejected in Bellsville for wanting to something other than normal.

People in this town are constantly judging me. I couldn't take it anymore.

Why aren't you good enough?

Why can't you be normal?

Why are you considered worthless to the people that should care about you the most?

Tears streamed down my face, maybe I was overreacting, but I wanted answers.

Then I recall what my father said that me in the hospital 'I should have shipped you off the first chance I got.' I let out a frustrated scream and punched my mirror, I watched as the pieces of glasses fell to the ground. I stared at the blood that oozed out my knuckles, tears falling from my face and onto my hands.

I'm falling apart.

*************

"What's wrong Abby, you haven't said a word," Matt asked. I couldn't sleep so at five in the morning, I walked to Matt's house and entered through this kitchen window. His parents had already left for work, so it was easy to break in. I walked into his room and found him on his bed reading Sherlock Holmes.

"What the hell! Abigail? How did you get it in?" Matt had asked.

"Through the window," I said nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you just take the front door?"

I shrugged, "I thought taking the window would be more fun."

Anyway, we are currently seated on the floor staring at the TV Matt has in his room. We aren't watching it we just staring at a black screen. Why you ask, Matthew put it off because I wouldn't talk to him, I couldn't bring myself to speak.

"Come on Abby please tell me what's wrong," Matt pleaded.

I looked at him with sad eyes, "I punched my mirror cause I'm crazy and everyone hates me," I mumbled.

He frowns then chuckles, "First off you sound like a kindergartener. Second I don't hate you and third wow you punched your mirror you must feel like a badass." My lips form into an unwanted smile.

"Abby anyone who doesn't like you is stupid because you're amazing. You seem have forgotten, craziness is the key to all wonders in the world, being normal is boring," he said with a huge smile. I tried to believe Matt's words but I couldn't, as much as I wanted to the wounds from everything that happened ran too deep.

My phone starts buzzing, I pull it out from my pocket and see a text from my dad.

Dad: Where are you?

Me: At Matthew's

Dad: Okay

He didn't even care. I wanted him to care so bad, "You got anything to eat?" I asked Matthew.

He shook his head, "Nope, my dad won't give my mom money to go grocery shopping, and my mom is too sad to cook anything edible. So I'll just take you out," he said this with no emotion but he isn't fooling me I know he's hurting.

He stood up from the ground and passed me his red hoodie that laid on his messy bed, "I remember you like to wear this hoodie when you are sad or angry," he said. I took the hoodie and smiled; I can't believe he remembered such a little detail.

"Thanks, Matt, you're a great friend," I said. He smiles at me then helps me off the ground. We exit his house.

Matt drives to a dinner down the street. It looked like your classic dinner. It has daisies around the walls close to the door they look beautiful, "You know that Old man Jim that got kidnapped by The Magician owns this dinner," Matt said. My heart drops at the mention of Jim. I can only imagine the terrible things that he's going through right now.

What makes me even sadder is I knew the mayor wasn't going to do anything about it. Our mayor Bates Starr is a selfish old crook in his late forties. When The Magician first struck Mr. Starr had sent half the police force after him, but over time he stopped sending police officers. He stopped acknowledging the people who were murdered. He stopped talking about The Magician in a whole, now he just acted like that serial killer didn't exist.

The police officers still do their investigations and search for The Magician but Mr. Starr doesn't fund anymore he says he needs the money to help Bellsville grow which is quite stupid cause it can't grow if there's a crazy serial killer on the loose.

The townspeople fund the police officers, but not everyone does most people who support them are considered the lacking class which is just a fancy way of saying poor. The rich folks are more bothered about losing money they could use to buy fancy clothes and cars to donate money, not all of them but most of them.

Matt and I step into the dinner, the little bell above the door rings once we open it. There are not a lot of people in the diner just a little girl sitting in the middle of the restaurant. The little girl has blonde hair that stopped at her shoulder; she has beautiful blue eyes. She looked about five years old, her whole appearance projected innocence.

We take a seat a few tables behind the girl. The waitress comes over to take our order, "Welcome to Daisy's Diner, can I take our order?" She said in a sweet tone.

"Yeah, I'll have a cheeseburger and a coke. She'll have the same thing," Matt said.

"Okay, I'll have that right out." she flashes us a sweet smile and leaves.

"You always do that," I said to Matthew. He looks at me with a confused expression, "Do what?" he asked.

"You always order for me."

He smirks, "Because you always have the same thing, I almost always know what you're going to order cause I'm such an amazing friend and I've known you forever."

"You think you're so smart and amazing," I replied sarcastically.

He leans closer to the table, "Abigail I don't think I'm smart I know I'm smart." I laugh at his response.

I feel a light pat on my shoulder and jump a little in fear. I turn around to find the little girl staring at me, "Excuse could you please give me money for my daddy. The police need it to catch that evil man that took my daddy," she says in an incredibly cute tone.

"Of course, who's your father?" I asked.

She hands me a picture of her father. My heart breaks in two, her father is Jim, "Will you please donate some money. I just want to see my daddy again, and my birthday is in two days I don't want him to miss it. My brother is going to miss it cause he's in heaven," she said.

I feel tears burn in my eyes. This poor girl lost her father and brother. I stuck my hand in my pocket hoping I'd have some money in it. I pulled out fifty dollars and had it to her. She smiles widely.

I turned to Matthew, his eyes held sadness, he was sad because like me he knew what it is like to have an absent parent and his case was worse because his parents were alive they just chose to ignore him. "Do you have any money? I didn't bring my wallet with me," I asked. Matt takes out a hundred dollars from his pocket and gives it to the little girl.

She pulls me into a hug, "Thank you, Miss and Mister! Thank you so much!" she exclaims.

She turns to leave, but I stop her, "What's your name?" I asked.

"Daisy," she replies and hops over to her seat with a massive smile on her face.

The waitress comes over with our food, "If it's not too much trouble could you please make is to go," Matt said. The waitress nods and walks away.

"I thought you might want to leave," he said to me. He's right I did want to leave. I can't imagine the pain that little girl must be in; I just hope she has a better family than I do.

The waitress hands us our food, and we leave. Matt drives me to my house. I looked at the window the whole car ride. I was thinking of the little girl, of all the pain she'd have to endure cause of the magician.

I want it to stop, all the death and tears it needed to stop. I wondered if I'm the only one that thinks that, only a few people in this town saw the pain people are going through. The police weren't even close to catching that devil. He's killed twenty people in eleven years.

That little girl isn't ever going to see her father again I know that for a fact. All I want is to find The Magician and put an end to this endless suffering.

"You want me to stay with you?" Matt asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yes please," I replied. As we enter the house, I can tell something is off. I had a feeling something was wrong, that made me scared cause whenever I had that feeling I'm almost always right.

Matt and I walk up the stairs and enter my room. Pieces of glass are scattered around the room; my clothes are everywhere. "Wow Violet I love what you've done with the place," Matt teased.

I shove him playfully and head over to my bed carefully avoiding the pieces of glass on the floor. Matthew sits on the bed with me, we sat in silence till I spoke, "Matthew I have a crazy proposition."

"No, we cannot go searching for that crazy serial killer," Matt said curtly.

I frowned, "How did you know that is what I was going to suggest."

Matthew sighed and scooted closer to me, "Because I know you, I know you feel that no one should go through what you and that little girl from the diner are going through and I get your point, but you could die searching for him."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," I replied quietly. Matt is about to respond when the lights go out. I grab the torch on my bedside table. "We probably blew a fuse," I said switching the flashlight on.

My room looked beautiful with the lights of, the dim moonlight shone through the curtains and illuminated the room. I got off my bed and walked to my window.

I stare at the moon admiring its beauty. Matthew joins me, "Abigail I don't think it's a good idea," he said.

I turn toward him, "You should know by now I'm incredibly stubborn," I said. Turning back to the moon, I look down at the house in front of ours; I notice someone standing in front of it.

That's unusual cause no one lives in that house. The figure is in black; I nudged Matthew. "Who is that?" I asked my voice shaking a little.

"I don't know, but it's coming closer," he stated with wide eyes. Turning away from Matt, I looked that the mysterious figure an notice it was coming closer.

The figure stops a few centimeters away from my house. It reaches into what I assume is a pocket and takes something out, but I can't make out what it is.

My eyes widen as I realize what the person is going to do. "Matthew duck!" I yelled. Matt and I flew to the ground.

Something crashes through my window and lands on the floor. I stay down for a few minutes and slowly come up. The mysterious person is still there, whoever it is comes closer to my house, smirks at me and then vanishes into the night.

I looked down to see what hit my window, shining the flashlight on the object. I gulped when I look at a knife with the word magic written on it.

We're so screwed.

Author's Note

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