Read Online When Smiles Fade by Paige Dearth - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Paige Dearth
Ads: Link
sofa and placed a bag of frozen peas over her swollen eyes.
“Stay here,” Emma told the battered child. “Don’t move. I’ll take care of everything. I won’t leave you again.”
The kitchen was a wreck. All the work she had just finished had been undone in ten minutes of unchecked rage. From habit, Emma proceeded to do her normal clean-up. When she was through, she sat at the kitchen table and reaffirmed her deep hatred for her father. Noticing the rat poison on the kitchen counter, she got up and took it out of the bag. If she didn’t use it, Pepper would subject either Gracie or her to another beating for not doing what he had ordered. As she removed the container from the bag, she noticed the skull and crossbones that accompanied the warning on the label. Underneath the image was the word, “TOXIC.”
For the first time in her life, Emma felt a surge of pure power sweep over her. She read through all of the warnings on the label and grew more delighted by the minute. She knew then that God was finally answering her prayers. The information on the container warned that if ingested by humans, the poison could be fatal. Emma did a happy dance in her head for her newfound secret. She knew she had to be careful and not get ahead of herself; if she got caught by Pepper he would surely kill her. It was difficult for her to contain her excitement and even more difficult not to tell Gracie or Brianna.
Hours later, Pepper came home, drunk and smelling of cheap whiskey. He demanded to know when dinner would be ready. In less than fifteen minutes, Emma told him. He grabbed her by the hair at the base of her neck, pulling her face close to his. “Did you take care of the rat poison like I told you to?” he growled.
Afraid that he would go after Gracie again, she answered, “Yes, Daddy. I placed the poison on both sides of the door so the rat doesn’t come back.”
He looked down to check and was satisfied at the sight of the thin line of white powder on the floor. Still grasping her hair in his hand, he snarled into her face, “If I see that thing in here again, you’re going to be really sorry. Do you understand me?”
Emma nodded.
Just then Valerie walked in and slithered up to the beast. “Dinner is almost ready, Pepper,” she crooned. “Let’s get you washed up.”
He turned and staggered out of the kitchen with Valerie following him. Emma took out four bowls. She filled three with the stew she had cooked and placed them on the table where she, Valerie, and Gracie sat. Then she filled her father’s bowl. Emma set the bowl down on the counter, picked up the rat poison, and stirred in a heaping tablespoon of the lethal ingredients.
As she watched him eat his stew laced with the tasteless, odorless poison, Emma rejoiced in what was to come. She had never felt so good in her life. Adrenaline raced through her veins. She almost felt high. She was euphoric. Paybacks are a bitch, she thought to herself.
Chapter Twelve
Over the next week, Emma fed her father large doses of rat poison every day. Slowly, he started showing signs that the poison was taking an effect on his body. It began with uncontrollable nosebleeds. Halfway into the second week, and to add to his horror, his gums began to bleed. By the end of the second week, Valerie mentioned her concern over his condition to Emma. Her mother had seen blood in his stool and was worried he might be really sick. When Valerie mumbled something about taking him to the doctor, Emma assured her that it was probably nothing more than a bad bug he had caught from somewhere. Valerie, always content to put herself first, relented. She didn’t want to lose a day of pay to take him to the doctor, and Emma gave her the perfect reason to put up with her husband’s “temporary” health condition.
During the first two weeks of Pepper’s “illness,” he rarely raised a hand to her; a few lame slaps was about all he could muster. He was lethargic and weak from bouts
“Stay here,” Emma told the battered child. “Don’t move. I’ll take care of everything. I won’t leave you again.”
The kitchen was a wreck. All the work she had just finished had been undone in ten minutes of unchecked rage. From habit, Emma proceeded to do her normal clean-up. When she was through, she sat at the kitchen table and reaffirmed her deep hatred for her father. Noticing the rat poison on the kitchen counter, she got up and took it out of the bag. If she didn’t use it, Pepper would subject either Gracie or her to another beating for not doing what he had ordered. As she removed the container from the bag, she noticed the skull and crossbones that accompanied the warning on the label. Underneath the image was the word, “TOXIC.”
For the first time in her life, Emma felt a surge of pure power sweep over her. She read through all of the warnings on the label and grew more delighted by the minute. She knew then that God was finally answering her prayers. The information on the container warned that if ingested by humans, the poison could be fatal. Emma did a happy dance in her head for her newfound secret. She knew she had to be careful and not get ahead of herself; if she got caught by Pepper he would surely kill her. It was difficult for her to contain her excitement and even more difficult not to tell Gracie or Brianna.
Hours later, Pepper came home, drunk and smelling of cheap whiskey. He demanded to know when dinner would be ready. In less than fifteen minutes, Emma told him. He grabbed her by the hair at the base of her neck, pulling her face close to his. “Did you take care of the rat poison like I told you to?” he growled.
Afraid that he would go after Gracie again, she answered, “Yes, Daddy. I placed the poison on both sides of the door so the rat doesn’t come back.”
He looked down to check and was satisfied at the sight of the thin line of white powder on the floor. Still grasping her hair in his hand, he snarled into her face, “If I see that thing in here again, you’re going to be really sorry. Do you understand me?”
Emma nodded.
Just then Valerie walked in and slithered up to the beast. “Dinner is almost ready, Pepper,” she crooned. “Let’s get you washed up.”
He turned and staggered out of the kitchen with Valerie following him. Emma took out four bowls. She filled three with the stew she had cooked and placed them on the table where she, Valerie, and Gracie sat. Then she filled her father’s bowl. Emma set the bowl down on the counter, picked up the rat poison, and stirred in a heaping tablespoon of the lethal ingredients.
As she watched him eat his stew laced with the tasteless, odorless poison, Emma rejoiced in what was to come. She had never felt so good in her life. Adrenaline raced through her veins. She almost felt high. She was euphoric. Paybacks are a bitch, she thought to herself.
Chapter Twelve
Over the next week, Emma fed her father large doses of rat poison every day. Slowly, he started showing signs that the poison was taking an effect on his body. It began with uncontrollable nosebleeds. Halfway into the second week, and to add to his horror, his gums began to bleed. By the end of the second week, Valerie mentioned her concern over his condition to Emma. Her mother had seen blood in his stool and was worried he might be really sick. When Valerie mumbled something about taking him to the doctor, Emma assured her that it was probably nothing more than a bad bug he had caught from somewhere. Valerie, always content to put herself first, relented. She didn’t want to lose a day of pay to take him to the doctor, and Emma gave her the perfect reason to put up with her husband’s “temporary” health condition.
During the first two weeks of Pepper’s “illness,” he rarely raised a hand to her; a few lame slaps was about all he could muster. He was lethargic and weak from bouts
Similar Books
