The Usual Writing...

                Silently I came up behind her, my hand on the hilt of my gun. She barely came up to my knee caps as she sat there, her legs crossed. Her soft brown hair blew lightly in a non-existent wind, the little red bow moving with it.

                The basement was silent. A single hanging bulb flickered above the young girl’s head. As I slowly circled her, I could see her childish features. Her cheeks were full and blushed, while her nose and mouth were small and gently rounded.  Her big eyes stayed closed though, hiding the emerald green irises I was used to.

                “Carolyn?” I asked tentatively and quiet. I resisted the urge to hug her, to just hold her tight and tell her everything was going to be okay.

                I inched closer, reaching out my hand to her face.

                “Please, Carolyn, tell me you’re okay.” Then room went cold in only a second. Goosebumps went up my arm and chills crawled down my spine. Her eyes flickered open, revealing pure black orbs inside. Her mouth was now a cruel smile, the teeth had transformed into rows of white incisors.

                “I’m fine, daddy, I promise,” she said sweetly, her voice threaded with innocence. I choked down a sob as I brushed a stray hair off her face.

                “I’m so sorry, Carolyn,” I said, my voice cracking and soft, “I know you’re in there somewhere, Carolyn, but this isn’t you.” I could see her weight slowly shifting forward, towards me.

                “What do you mean, daddy? Of course it’s me, I’m Carolyn,” the thing said.

                “No, you’re not my little girl, you’re a monster, a demon,” I asserted, starting to feel hot tears down my cheeks, “and you took my little girl from me.” Without warning, she leapt onto me, digging her long nails into each shoulder with her feet on my chest. A dark, horse cackle erupted from her, echoing throughout the small basement and up the stairs. I had to remember; this was not my Carolyn. I pulled my handgun from its holster. This was not my Carolyn. I flipped off the safety. Not my Carolyn. I pointed it at her chest. Carolyn. I pulled the trigger.

                The blast left my ears ringing as the two of us went opposite directions. I stumbled backwards, running into the brick wall behind me. Carolyn went flying backwards, landing square on her back with a bullet hole straight through her heart.

                I let myself slide down to the dusty ground as I listened to her last waking moments, her breathing was labored and sounded as if she was gurgling water. I let myself cry as she took in her last wisp of air, then went still.               

                With the last amount of will power I had, I went over and picked up her lifeless body from the puddle of scarlet. Her eyes were wide open, but they were now a dull green without any vibrancy or emotion. I was glad, strangely, for at least I knew that in the end my Carolyn had been set free.