• The moon was high in the black sky. A soft wind barely rustled the trees in the neighbor hood. Footsteps softly echoed against the concrete. They moved further down the side walk then stopped at a blue house. The yard was full of colorful tulips; resting peaceful in the night; not a worry in the world.

    -.-.-.-.-.-.-
    “So then what happened, Mrs. Fryer?” A tall man with a police uniform scribbled her tale on a notepad.

    “Th-then I came ou-out here to water my-y tul-tulips, like I always do, and I saw this!” She cried pointing to her lawn. Tulip pieces littered the ground like confetti. Using her blue dress she wiped away the tears. Her small eyes were puffy and her white cheeks where blotchy red. “And I found this on my step Officer Blane” She held up a deep red rose.

    “It seems we have here anotha Silent Rose attack.” A young, tall man with scraggily jet-black hair approached the seen. He had a bit of a southern accent.

    “Silent Rose attack? What do you mean by that, Dominick?” Officer Blane asked the man in front of him with a curious look.

    “The one who’s a been massacrin’ them tulips. Each nigh they go around weed wakin’ ‘em. And when ‘em is done they leave a rose. They make no sound at al’; a silent kill. ”

    “And how; may I ask, do you know about this ‘Silent Rose’?” Officer Blane questioned with a blank stare. “Dominick?”

    “I swear, I ain’t done nothin’ to ‘em. That just seems to what makes any sense of this here chaos.” He came closer to Blane; whispering in his ear he said, “Ua better keep a close eye out for ‘em. Ua never know when or where them is a gonna strike next.”

    Officer Blane grabbed his leather collar “If I find out it’s you or if I catch you around my daughter, I’ll borrow that weed whacker and use it on you. You got that.”

    “Yes Sir, Officer Blane. But I can’t help if she’s a comin’ to me.”

    -.-.-.-.-.-.-
    Officer Blane slammed his car door shut. Walking up to his front door he stopped at the top step and scanned his tulip less yard. “Silent Rose.” He shook his head and when inside.

    “Did you have a long day at work Father?” Asked a short 18 year old girl; with straw-like, brown hair; as he came in the front door.

    “Shay, go finish setting the table; Dennis has had a lot of things on his mind, he doesn’t need you bombarding him with questions when he walks right in the door.” A tall woman ordered her daughter.

    “Okay Mother.” She huffed and headed towards the dinning room
    -.-.-.-.-.-.-
    Dinner started off with a small prayer of thanks then proceeded with the passing of the food to the left.

    A board, irritated expression sketched Shay’s face as her mother went on and on about the rumors that were going around town. Shay could no longer take the gossiping; as her mother always did, every single meal; and interrupted her rant. “So Father, how was work today? Did another house get shredded?”
    Dennis gave a long suffering sigh. “Unfortunately, yes. Marsha, Shay, have either of you heard about the ‘Silent Rose’?”

    “Ya, that’s the name everyone is talking about at school. Dominick told me-”

    “What have I told you about talking to him?” Dennis glared at her. “He is not the type of person I want any of use to hang around, especially you. Not at all, got it? He has a criminal record a mile long; he has vandalized people’s property; he is a menace to society and he is years older then you.”

    “Only by two whole years.” Shay rolled her eyes sarcastically.

    Marsha cut in on their conversation. “So who was it today Dennis?”

    Huffing, he answered her. “They got Mrs. Fryers house last night.”

    Marsha gasped, “Mrs. Fryer’s house! I can’t believe they would do that to Mrs. Fryer, she’s the mayor’s wife! During the Tulip Festival people admire her lawn with ‘aw’. People want her lawn. I can’t see how anyone could do such a retched thing!”

    Shay snickered then muttered, “I could. She’s a mean old whench that always shows off, all the time. I’m surprised she wasn’t one of the first to get hit up.”

    “Shaylynn Rose Blane!” Her mother shrieked “How could you say something like that. Mrs. Fryer is a great lady; you could learn a few lessons from watching her. Your Sister did, she learned a lot from her. Why couldn’t you be more like her?”

    Shay glared at her Mother. “And I bet you wished it was me instead of her.”
    Marsha huffed with anger, “She was the daughter everyone wanted. Everyone liked her and she liked everyone. She loved helping with the Tulip Festival. She was a proper and popular young lady. She’s everything you aren’t. Do you even have a single friend?”

    “Actually, I do.” With that she left the dinning room; she grabbed her coat and book-bag.

    “Were do you think you’re going?” A deep voice came from the hall.

    “Out!” She bitterly answered.

    “So help me if you go over to his house I’ll-”

    “I’d like to see you try and stop me.” With that she left the house making sure to slam the door behind her.

    Grumbling, he went back to the dinning room where his wife was still eating. “You know I bet he’s the one who is doing this; making her act this way.”

    “She’s always been like this. Even before he came into the picture.”
    Dennis grabbed his keys. “I’m going to the office to do a little investigation. I’m pretty sure he’s the culprit, and honey, please watch what you say to her. That was a little out of line.”

    “It’s the truth Dennis. And the truth isn’t always nice.” She said sharply, jabbing her fork at her peas. “Besides, she knows this is a touchy time of the year. And now someone is going around and making it worse.”

    “Don’t worry Hun; I think I know who it is.” Dennis left the house with a soft click of the door.

    Marsha whipped her eyes with the back of her hand. Her mind drifted back to that fateful day.

    Birds’ chirps filled the air on the wonderful Saturday afternoon. A fair skinned, blonde was packing tulips into their rightful place in the front lawn. Next to her was a woman with the same fair skin but with light, brown hair. On her other side was a girl three years younger. The young girl didn’t resemble either of the two. Her dark brown hair was matted down; sticking up in a few random places. Her skin was tan from the sun.

    A gust of wind pushed through the yard causing some tulip holder to fly into the street.

    “Shay,” their mother said, “go get the flower containers.”

    “I’m a bit busy right now.” Shay dropped the tulip into the small hole in the ground.

    “Don’t worry mom.” The blonde responded “I’ll get it for you.”

    “Thank you Darla, since your sister is incapable of doing it herself.”

    “You’re vary welcome Mother.”

    “You’re very welcome mother.” Shay mocked silently, ‘she’s such a goody-to-shoe’.

    Darla walked into the middle of the street, kneeling down she gently picked up the tulips.

    A sudden shriek filled the air, along with a thud, followed by a horrid cracking sound. Quickly turning from where they were, Martha screamed from where she stood, as Shay stood in shock at the seen in front of her.

    Darla rolled of the hood of a brown truck into a heap on the ground. The windshield was broken in several places. Parts of the glass were dripping with a dark red liquid, the same shade of red that now formed pools underneath Darla’s head.

    Martha snapped back to the reality of now form the tragic event. If Shay would have just done what she was told then Darla would still be here, she would be alive, instead of Shay. And Martha never let her forget it.

    -.-.-.-.-.-
    Half past midnight Dominick made his way to the pounding of his front door. Opening it he noticed two Police Officers.

    “Dominick Phillip,” Said a familiar officer, known as Officer Blane. “You are under arrest for the destruction and damage of seven citizens’ properties.”

    Shay heard her father from in the kitchen. Thinking to herself, why wasn’t he saying anything.

    “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used agencies you in the court of law."

    Shay listed to her Father recite the Miranda Law to Dominick. ‘Why isn’t he doing anything?’ She thought to herself. ‘Unless…’

    “You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have him present with you during questioning. If you ca-”

    “NO!” She screamed and ran over to him. Looking over to the shocked Officers, she said “You can’t arrest him. He hasn’t done anything.”

    “Shay,” Her father’s voice rose, “what are you doing here? I told you to stay away from him! We have finally caught the one who has been destroying the lawns. I’m not letting him off. I don’t care if you like him.”

    She looked up at Dominick. “Tell him the truth Dominick! Tell him it wasn’t you!”

    “Shay,” he looked down at her with caring eyes “it’dl be alright. I’ve a been a fined for worse case’s then this one here.”

    The second officer snorted. “I bet you have, but this time you’ll be locked away for good.” Grabbing his shoulder the officer pulled Dominick outside.

    “No. You can’t do this.”

    “But we can.” Said her father. “We have evidence and logical reason that he is the one behind this. And now I can finally get you away from a bad influence.”

    “You can’t arrest him because he didn’t do it!”

    “Shay,” Dominick frowned “don’t.” he walked forward to the car.

    “No! I won’t let you, I’m sorry for getting you involved with all this.”

    The two Cops looked from Shay to Dominick and back. Not knowing what their next move was to be. Or what Shay was talking about.

    “They woulda came after me anyways. It was just a matta a time before they did.” Dominick rested his head on top of hers. He rubbed her back gently.

    “Alright, that’s enough.” Officer Blane said firmly breaking their moment.

    “Father,” Shay said quietly, “you can’t take him because…” She looked up directly at him away from Dominick. “I was the one who did it.”

    The Officers’ eyes grew big. Shacking off the shock Officer Blane said “Don’t try to cover up for him. I know what you’re trying to do little lady.”

    Shay chuckled “Why don’t you ever believe me? You and Mother both never do.”

    “I know you didn’t do it.”

    “Ah, but I did. Why do you think our house was the first? If Dominick did it do you really think he would destroy ours? And if he wanted to get on your good side he wouldn’t do this either.”

    As the attention of the officers was on Shay, Dominick slowly headed toward his garage.

    “But, Shay.” Officer Blane’s voce dropped “Why? Why would you do such a thing?”

    Shay glared at him. “Why? Well let’s think about it for a while shall we? All you and Mother ever do is cry and whine about what happened to four years ago to Darla. It’s not my fault she died! I hate tulips I really do. The sight of them makes me sick. This whole festival is dumb; and quite frankly, it made me happy to see them go. They were her favorite not mine. All you two ever do is compare me to her. ‘Why can’t she be like Darla, why can’t she be normal?’ Do either of you know who I am?”

    Dennis stared at her from the sudden outrage. There was nothing he could really say to that, because he knew it was true.

    “That’s why I like Dominick so much. He may have a bad record but he sees me for me and no one else. He understands.”

    The second Officer intervened “Then that means we have to take you in kid. There is no way; I don’t care whose daughter you are, that we’ll let you go.” Slowly he pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

    Thinking quickly she snatched her Fathers key ring, that held the key to the car, and throw it as far as she could and ran down the block towards a black Ford.

    Climbing inside, the diver took off down the street.

    “Uar bags in tha back. Do you have everythin ua ganna need?”

    “Everything I want is in my bag.” She smiled at Dominick who returned the favor. “So where we heading?”

    “At tha moment, as fart from here as a possible.”

    The car headed out of town towards an unknown direction to a new life.