• Please! Understand that this story is incredibly graphic. If you have a weak heart you probably should not read this! It involves child abuse, sexual abuse, cutting<(Self harm), language, and anorexia. While some people may not have a problem with any of that, I feel I should warn those who are sensitive. Just in case. That being said, read on. I'm not sure if I've completely finished this story, I might add even more later on.

    Jessie clutched the sides of the toilet, shutting her eyes and pushing her long bony fingers down her throat. She kept pushing until that familiar bubble from her stomach came. She coughed, hacking out all of the food that she'd just consumed into the once clean waters. Jessie took a shaky breath, her whole body was trembling. She repeated the process, once, twice, three times more. Flushing constantly. Tears leaked down her cheeks and she curled up right there, on the school's bathroom floor's. To herself she kept whispering over and over three words. "I will be skinny. I will be skinny. I will be skinny."

    Jessie hugged herself as she sobbed and sobbed-the bell startled her...She struggled to get up, her legs wobbling under her, she grabbed her backpack, her purse, and went to class.

    When Jessie got home, she went right to the bathroom, grabbed a razor from her secret place behind the mirror, and started to cut herself. She let out a breathy sigh, biting the side of her lip. She dug the razors sharp blade in, deeper, deeper. Her heart pounded against her chest. She watched as the blood, her stress, and her worries all poured down into the sink. Once clean but now dirty baring her negative feelings. "I will feel no more pain. I will feel no more pain." She whispered. "I will get rid of them, I will..." She added some cuts to her other arm, a little more sloppy being it that she was naturally left handed instead of right. The lines made were zig-zagging slightly.

    It felt good though. It felt good for Jessie to feel this pain over the other pain. It felt nearly divine. Jessie was about to cut her skin, just a little more. When the front door opened and slammed shut. "s**t!" Jessie turned around, locking the door quickly-and pushing the handles on the sink, washing away the blood. She then bent down, reaching into the drawers below the sink, pulling out some bandaging.

    "Jessie? Jessie darling where are you-? We have-some guests." Jessie gritted her teeth. So that was why her mother was acting so nicely to her; she finished tightened the bandaging, looked over at the door for a moment, unlocked it, and walked out of the bathroom. Forcing a smile to come onto her face. Her mother grabbed onto her sleeve, pushing her in front of herself. "Jessie this is Tom, he's from child protection services..."

    Jessie gulped; made herself smile just a little brighter now. "Is he? There's no problems here you know! E-Everything is very good here. I'm-happy." Jessie couldn't help but to stutter, and fumble over the words, 'happy.' Because happy was an unfamiliar word. True happiness was a stranger to her. It was something she'd really never known.

    The man standing in front of Jessie was a very tall man. He practically towered over her and Jessie wasn't short. Dark features, skinny, and glasses. He cleared his throat, adjusting those glasses so that they wouldn't rest on the bridge of his nose. "Yes well-." He paused, looking up at Jessie's mother with narrowed eyes. "I'd like to speak to her alone, if I may." Jessie looked up at her mother's face, which was tightening; smile twitching, she squeezed Jessie's shoulders a little. Not hard enough to hurt her though. "I'm afraid that'd be out of question, Tom."

    Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Well miss Ann, I'd wish you'd reconsider. It's just a couple of questions." "No, I've already answered a few with you and you've seen that Jessie is fine. She said she was happy. That should be enough, shouldn't it? Now leave." Her voice was getting firmer, and Jessie could tell that-by her tone, she was trying her hardest not to start yelling at the guy.

    Tom cleared his throat once more, gave a little nod, then left, and like that-Jessie was alone with her mother. "You told someone. You told someone, didn't you?" Jessie backed up, shaking her head. "No! I-I swear! I didn't tell anyone anything!" "Shut-up! Stop lying damn it!" A slap echoed out through the whole house. Jessie turned her head, holding her stinging cheek in her hands. "Is this how you repay me? They could take you away! Send me to jail! Do you understand that? Do you even have a ******** clue?"

    Jessie looked down. She honestly didn't know why the man had come. She really hadn't said a word to anyone. "I feed you, I give you clothes, I make sure that you are clean!" Jessie winced, her mother came close to her, grabbing her by her shirt. "Maybe you need to be reminded."

    "Please no..."

    "No? Did you really just say no to me?" Jessie coughed, a blow delivered to her ribs easily knocked the wind out of her and sent her to the ground. Jessie whimpered, curling up in a small ball. "No, you aren't done!" Her mother grabbed her by her long hair, forcing her up. She held her there, by her hair while she gave her multiple blows to her legs, stomach and chest. She wouldn't stop, just as Jessie's tears wouldn't stop flooding down her hollow cheeks.

    When her father came home, that's when she stopped. dropping her daughter and letting her crumple into a heap there. She stomped away, into her room presumably. "Oh, Jessie..." Dropping his bags, her father rushed over to her. He gently, with as much care as possible, picked her up. Her legs dangled uselessly; her eyes close, head lolling from side to side as he walked with her. He only let her go to carefully set her on her bed. Stroking her hair with his large hands in a comforting sort of gesture.

    "Oh Jessie...I'm so sorry. But you know how your mother can get. How she can-." He trailed off. "Rest up baby doll."

    -

    "Brat! GET UP! You'll be late for school if you don't ******** hurry up!" Jessie opened her eyes half way-her body was still aching all over the place. She didn't know how much more she might be able to take before her body stopped working right. She limped her way over to her small closet, picking out her old brown dress. She put it on as quickly as she could, with her leg throbbing in pain-it was exceedingly hard.

    "If you are down her in five seconds-you are going to get another beating!" She hollered, venom laced in her tune. She knew she would to...Jessie ran with her limp, down the stairs. "Finally. Looks like I'm going to have to waste gas money on driving you to school." She hissed, shoving Jessie's backpack at her-she caught it, but stumbled back a little. "Come on!" Jessie followed after her mother, head down.

    Jessie limped her way into the car and her mother eyed her. "Stop that! Stop limping right now! You think what I gave you last night was bad? I could give you worse, much worse. Now get your a** in the ******** car." Jessie tried to walk normally-but it just brought so much pain. She whimpered a little, scooting into the back seat, farthest away from her mother. She could sit in the front, but wouldn't.

    School auditions were today, for the concert and Jesse wanted to preform, with a song. Even if she'd be late coming home, and even if her mother would beat her to death. She was going to sing from her soul, she was going to let people know. "They'll all hear my pain..." She whispered against the window. "And maybe things will finally change." She got out of the car as fast as she could-the very moment her mother stopped the car, running, even though it hurt, into the school...

    The kids, even though she was thin, incredibly thin, still called her Fat Jessie full of lard. Over and over and over again. But Jessie wasn't bothered by them. Not today.

    -

    "Jessie? I'm surprised to see you here-but welcome!" The teacher smiled warmly at Jessie, who managed to muster up a small smile. "What song will you be singing dear?" Jessie took a deep breath, in and out. "I'm going to be singing I'm destroying myself." The teachers eyebrows rose a little, but she played the beat. "Whenever you are ready then..."

    Jessie looked down, then up with a look of determination. "A side of me wants to be free, a side of me wants to stay a prisoner. A mental disease-is destroying myself." Jessie waited as the tune of the piano rolled on for a little bit. The whole crowd was silent now. "I wanna live long, wanna live free, wanna be healthy! But I'm spending my time-doing my best to destroy myself..." Tears came into Jessie's eyes as she continued on with the song. Her voice never changed though, it was neither high, neither low.

    "I know what I'm doing is wrong, but the disease is strong." She took a couple steps back. Her voice was pouring out all of her emotions the hurt clear in her crystal blue eyes. "Stronger than my will of going on! And I do my best-to destroy myself." Tears wouldn't stop, but she didn't wipe them away. "I'm destroying myself, but I do admit, I may need help! Can somebody get me out of this nightmare?" Her eyebrows knitted together, she closed her eyes-unable to look at all those faces, watching her...

    "I'm destroying myself-but I do admit, I may need help! Can somebody get me out of this nightmare?" Her eyes opened then, to reveal pleading eyes, filled with sorrow, she turned around. "I thought I had the control, I thought I could hold on. The reindeers of my life, but I failed, and I need some help to rebuild myself." She lowered her eyelids, near to closing them.

    "Ohhh I hate. This new side of me, that can never see-the abyss I am putting myself in, this new side of me that likes to destroy myself." Her hand went to place itself upon her heart. "I'm destroying myself, but I do admit-I may need help! Can somebody get me out of this nightmare? Get me out of this nightmare! I'm destroying myself, but I do admit, I may need help. Can somebody get me out of this nightmare?" She walked forward, to the edge of the stage. "A side of me wants to be free, a side of me wants to stay prisoner. A mental disease-is destroying myself."

    The red curtain fell and Jessie looked away, walked-having no regrets.

    Someone, with black hair stopped her from leaving. "Wait. Please. You sang with so much passion, like-." He looked over her with brown eyes. Jessie said nothing. "You were actually experiencing this pain. Are you okay?" Jessie glared at him. "I'm fine, it was just a song." She pushed past him, her bangs hiding her eyes and her tears flying in the air.

    But that boy, he wasn't so sure, he watched as Jessie left, concerned.

    -

    When Jessie got home, her parents didn't seem to be there. She gave a soft sigh of relief, a meow nearby the house startled her a great deal and she clutched her chest. She looked over at the strange cat. Fully grey, and half blind. It meowed again, louder this time, starring right at her. She starred back at it, wondering why of all places, and of all people-it ended up here.

    She bent down, smiling just a little as she pet it's head. "Well hello Mr. Kitty cat! What are you doing here? Where's your owner? Your collar?" She questioned him, though she really knew that the cat wouldn't be able to talk back to her. It blinked a few times, and started to walk away. "Oh! Mr. Cat! Wait!" She ran after the cat, following it into the forest that was nearby.

    She, in all honesty, didn't know why exactly she was even following this cat. She had to laugh at the fact that this was kind of like the story of Alice in Wonderland. So-did this mean that this cat was leading her to a different kind of wonderland? It was possible she supposed, but as well, it was also pretty ridiculous. She pushed some low hanging branches away from her, keeping her eyes on the strange looking cat.

    "Where are you going?" The cat would seem to look back every now and then, as if he was trying to see if Jessie was still following him. He'd appear to almost nod his head, then continue onward. Jessie eyebrows knitted in confusion. 'Where on earth could this cat be going?' She'd wonder to herself and, 'where is he leading me?'

    The cat stopped by a cave. Sitting down and turning to look over at her, meowing. "What is it Mr. Kitty cat?" His ear twitched and his tail pointed to the cave.

    "Oh I see what you are saying. You want me to go in there don't you?" The cat nodded and Jessie went forward. Inside- it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Crystal clear waters with undiscovered fish, diamond, and gold stick out from the cave. Large and small. Mostly big ones though, some were flat and others were jagged and pointy. "This is-this is wow...This is just so incredibly amazing!" The cat slowly walked in behind her. "Isn't it? I don't want you going back to those evil places..."

    Jessie gasped and looked back at the cat. "You can talk!" He nodded. "Yes I can. In fact, all animals you know can talk, we only select a few to talk to though. You are one of the few Jessie. I've seen what's happened to you by the other humans-and Jessie." He walked closer. "I know what you've been doing to yourself. My name is Boots and I'm your personal guardian. I die when you die." It was a lot to take in. "So- what will I do about food and stuff." Boots rubbed the back of his head. "I'll be providing you with everything that you need." Jessie gave a small smile. "Boots...Thank-you..."

    Boots would have been blushing if he could have. "Eh-no problem Jessie."

    So from then on, Jessie lived in a cave with her guardian, Boots at her side. Protecting her.
    -
    The next day was horrible, hail pounded down heavily on the cave. Jessie exited briefly, and was greeted with a hard slap of the hail. They felt like daggers with how hard they were coming down. The wind was strong enough to actually knock her off her feet. She fell back, trying to shield herself from the hail. She could hardly breathe, choking on the cold air. "Jessie! What are you doing!" Boots ran out of the cave, grabbing her by her sleeve, tugging her back inside the cave. Quickly he sealed the cave up with the large rock.

    "Are you crazy? You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Boots sighed, grabbing a blanket with his teeth and tossing it over her shivering form. "I'm-I'm sorry..." Boots scanned her for a moment, shook his head, then sighed again, softer this time. "I don't want you to get hurt, and that's some seriously bad hail out there. Jessie nodded her head slowly. "Yes, I know. But I-I just wanted to see..."

    Jessie, once she was warm again, got up, setting the blanket over Boots and kissing his head. She walked over to the water, stepping in slowly. The water only reached a little past her ankles. She lowered her eye lids traveling farther. She wanted to see what was on the other side of the cave. Even if it was dangerous-she had to know what was on the other side of the cave! A bright light led the way, she ran her hands along the cool cave walls.

    The fish, she noted had an odd behavior. They didn't swim away from her, instead the strange looking, colorful fish were following her! She blinked a couple times, looking them all over. She smiled, shrugging. They probably weren't scared because they didn't need to be. They probably had never seen a human before and were just curious! So, the fish joined her journey.

    When she did reach the other side of the cave, she was truly amazed at what she saw! It was like out of a fairy tail. Unicorns grazed on bright green grass and the trees were so tall and so green. So covered with leaves. There was also a beautiful rainbow that stretched across the vast blue sky, also filled with puffy white clouds. There was something rather puzzling to her though. Even though this place seemed to be bright, and full of light-it seemed to be missing one important thing.

    There was no sun.

    No sun at all! "How strange." She mussed, unintentionally out loud. "Where did it go? It has to be somewhere. I mean, isn't the sun suppose to be essential?" She looked around, more strange fairy tale creatures were coming into view-and she noted that they seem to be drawing pretty close to her. 'A-are they evil?' That thought alone caused her to start freaking out.

    "Be calm my child..." Spoke a small elf, he only reached to Jessie's hip bone, and he had a layer of wrinkles over his face. Hair long and a powdery white color, not a hair on his chin though. He was also carrying a long brown staff, it was so simple. Yet, Jessie couldn't be more interested in the object. "You've stumbled across are land, got here through the crystal cave have you?" Jessie manage a short nod.

    "I see, then you must know of Boots?" Jessie gave him another nod. The wrinkle near the elf lips turned up slowly into a soft, smile. His eyes, which seemed such an oddly dark brown, seemed to lower. Jessie didn't think of him as a threat. How could he be? He seemed so warm, and so friendly..."Then you must have quite the troubled past." Hesitating, Jessie took a step back. He rose up his left hand, the other being occupied with holding the long staff. "It's okay." He step forward and Jessie shook. "Boots is not the only one to protect you. You are safe my child! You need not ever be afraid again."

    Tears welled up in Jessie's eyes. "Thank-you..." He smiled a bit bigger. "Think nothing of it my child! Know that you are forever and eternally safe. You may stay here, in these lands for as long as you wish. The exit I'm sure you know is back through the cave."

    And Jessie had fun, she rode on cenataurs, played with the mucklings and the griffins showed her the amazing feeling of being up in the air and flying through the beautiful blue sky. The unicorns showed her a magic show made possible with the use of horns on top of their heads. She held intellectual conversations with the elf's. "Having fun?" Boot's voice startled her and she jumped, hand going to her chest.

    After she calmed down she turned to him, a smile on her face. "Oh yes tons!" Boots smiled. "I'm glad..."

    -
    Jessie ran her hands across her scars littering her arms, small ones, big one, ones that bulged out, and ones that were indented. "So, it's really over huh? No more pain?" She whispered to herself a sigh expelling itself from her mouth. "No more tears? No more pain?"

    Jessie could remember the very day that her mother had started to abuse her, and take her anger out on her. It led to a life that was a living breathing nightmare. Oh yes, she could remember it clearly, as if it had just happened yesterday...

    Jessie was putting away the dishes, she could remember holding a large plate when her mother had walked in...Drunk and in raged. Jessie accidentally dropped the plate, and her mothers eyes narrowed at her. "You-that was fine china!" She screamed, grabbing pieces of the plate, throwing them at her daughters back. Lucking the shards didn't stick in, but they hit her back, hard.

    Jessie cried out in pain falling to the floor. "You useless, pathetic piece of s**t! Get up, GET UP AND CLEAN THIS ALL UP!" Jessie trembled, getting up shakily before she was knocked back down by her mother. "What are you waiting for, huh? I said get UP." Jessie wiped away her tears with her sleeves, palms of her hand pressed against the floor as she tried to push herself up, while her mother's foot still remained on her back.

    "W-well if you would just-t-take your foot off my b-b-." Her mother rammed her foot out and Jessie cried out again. "Y-your hurting me Mommy!" Her mother stopped for a moment, her eyes wide. She dropped to her knees, pulling Jessie into her lap. "I'm-I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry!" Jessie and her mother both started crying, her mother rocking Jessie back and forth.

    At the time, her mother had broken down. But there was never a time again that Jessie had been held like that by her mother...

    The next day-her father asked her to come into his room..."F-father? You called for me?" Her father rose from his bed slowly, smiling at her. "Yes baby doll, I did. You are 13 now...And it's my duty to make sure that you become a woman as of right now." Jessie lost her innocence that day, from her own father...Something that she will never ever get back...

    -
    On the fourth day of Jessie's on going abuse, was the day that her will broke, and she started to cut herself, only leaving more wounds, separate from the ones that her mother and father had both given to her. But Jessie was facing another problem-it related to her weight. "I'm fat...Fat..." She whispered, looking at herself in the mirror, where there was folds of skin overlapping each other. Jessie clutched her fists at her side, starring with anger at the girl reflecting herself in the mirror.

    "Go away!" She shouted raising her fist and smashing it into the mirror. She fell to her knees, crying, crying and holding her bleeding hand. Glass stuck in it. She pulled them out, quickly tearing a part of her shirt of and tying it over the wound. "Oh god..." Jessie ran her good hand through her curly tresses. "What was that noise?" Jessie paled, quickly, she scurried over to her bed and crawled under it.

    Her chest rose and fell, she watched someone walk in. Her mother. Her shoes white. Jessie guessed she'd come back from her job at the hospital. She shut her eyes, listening to her mother as she discovered the shattered mirror, blood and glass around the floor. "..." It was just a gasp at first, her mother was so stunned at the sight of blood, and-the big crack in the mirror. It's missing pieces-"JESSIE!" She suddenly hollered, running out of her room. Jessie briskly crawled out when she was sure her mother was a good distance away from her.

    She grabbed her elbow with her good hand. Walking out of the room slowly, regretting every single step that she took. "JESSIE WHERE ARE YOU?! GET OVER HERE YOU LITTLE s**t!" Jessie winced, running into the bathroom, shutting the door, locking it swiftly behind her. She slid down the door. Her hair snaking it's way down. It waved like the stringy red hair was moving, slithering down the bathrooms wooden door.

    She hid her face in her knees, crying in them. A sudden pounding on the door startled her. She rose her head up, her eyes wide-the size of golf balls. "YOU LITTLE b***h! I'VE SEEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE! GET OUT OF THERE RIGHT NOW!" Jessie shook her head, even if her mother couldn't see it. She was far to scared to use any words...Fear vibrating through out her entire body. Her mother's voice lowered, became softer now. Still, it had that sinister tone to it. "You'll have to come out at some point Jessie darling." She hissed through the crack in the door. "And when you do, I'll be ready for you..."

    Jessie just shivered.

    Later, Jessie was on her knees, head bowed and her hands out in front of her. "I don't know if you are there, or if-if you can even hear me right now. God, but I need your help. Oh, and I've never really been one to ask so much of you. I know you probably don't want to waste your time, with a worthless little creature like me. I only want to ask you one thing though." Jessie clenched her teeth, grinding them against each other. "Why-why was I made to suffer in such ways? There's no love here anymore...Tell me. Why was I brought here if only to get a great deal of pain. Can you please just answer me that one question? Please..."

    Jessie woke up later, still there in the bathroom floor. She was laying on the pink fuzzy rug. Her eyebrows knitted together. She starred at the floor. Once, she could remember seeing a girl throwing up in the sink. When she had asked her way she was doing it, the girl had turned to her, looking her over for a moment, before she sneered at her. Jessie looked down. "Well," She started, voice annoyingly high. "If you MUST know fatty, I'm trying to get skinnier." Jessie blinking, slowly looking back up at the tall girl. "Skinnier? But why? I mean, you already look pretty skinny to me..."

    She laughed. "HA! Of course I'd look skinny to a fatty like you, but I'm just not skinny enough, you see?" Jessie bit her lip. "But-." "Look." She rudely cut in. "You can NEVER be to skinny."

    That's when Jessie started throwing up all of the food that she ate...And more and more troubles starting coming to her. In just a couple of weeks, the fold of fat she carried around with her were starting to disappear and she still thought she was fat though. The skinny girl was right, truly-one could never be skinny enough.

    "Jessie? Baby doll? What are you doing in there? Are you sick?" Her father's concerned voice rang through behind the wooden door. Jessie frowned, he didn't really care if she was sick or not! The only remote reason that he would be concerned about her health is so that when he was forcing her to do such strange and awful things, he wouldn't get sick in the process.

    Jessie did feel sick to her stomach though... She flushed the toilet, feeling the clean waters back with her vomit, flushing it two more times before she finally stepped out of the bathroom, her fiery red hair a complete mess. Sticking out on all ends. It looked just like a hurricane had hit it. Her eyes were blood shot and she was still clutching her sides.

    "Up to bed Jessie." He sighed. "You aren't going to school today..." "But I!" Jessie tried to protest. "No buts! Up to bed right now, you need plenty of rest! I'll bring you some OJ and toast with peanut butter and the crust cut off just like you like it!" Jessie forced a light smile to come to her face. "Thanks Dad..."

    Sometimes, Jessie forgot how evil her father could be when he did stuff like this. He could be nice but also very evil.
    -

    Jessie closed her eyes as her dad pulled the cover over her. Kissing her forehead before he walked out of the room.

    Jessie dreamed of a beautiful world. A world where she was skinny enough. A world with loving parents who didn't take there love to far, and a world where the kids at school were nice. Friends were plentiful. Most of all, Jessie dreamed of a world, of a place-that she could finally. Finally! Be happy.

    -

    "Jes-Jess." Jessie heard a faint, familiar voice. "Jessie! Wake up!" Her eyes shot open and her body jolted straight up. She was sweating, she noticed, and she also felt incredibly hot right now..."I think you were having a nightmare." She blinked, rubbing her eyes, vision a bit blurry. When her eyes adjusted, and focused she noticed that-the voice had been Boots and he was sitting on her lap, looking into her eyes genuinely concerned.

    "You were-screaming, and crying a whole lot." Jessie looked down, her eyes mere slits with a glint of blue. "Yes...I suppose, I was having a nightmare." Boots studied her eyes, squinting. "What was it about?" Jessie patted Boots head. "You know, I can't really remember right now." It was a lie of course, and it seemed Boots knew. But he didn't push on the subject, because it seemed painful for her.

    "I am happy now." She muttered, out loud softly. 'I have forgotten, but I wish to, I want to-And I'm going to. Those people are not part of my life anymore. They never will be, never again!'

    -

    "Boots?" He looked up, after giving his paw a couple of licks. "Yes?" Jessie spread her long stringy legs out in front of her. "Could you-I mean, do you know how to fish? Could you teach me if you do?" Boots scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well-Yes, I can fish, most cats can. But the thing is Jessie, that I don't use fishing poles like humans and elf's do. I use my claws to fish. I think that it would be in your best interest if you learned how to fish from one of the elf's on the other side of the cave. Besides, you can't fish for these fish. They just don't taste all that good! He laughed, rubbing the back of his head with his paw.

    "Can I go there right now?" Boots smiled. "Of course! You don't have to ask me!!" "Thanks Boots!" Jessie threw the blanket that was on her off. Skipping into the shallow waters. Just as she knew that they would, the strange fish sped around her, following her every step. Swimming as close as they could to her, while at the same time making sure that they weren't going to get crushed by her admittedly small feet.

    Jessie looked around, when she was back on land and her feet were touching the soft green grass under her she asked some of the unicorns passing by where the elf's might be. The unicorns pointed out the small huts, she thanked them and ran to one of the doors. But before she could even knock on the door, it opened, it was that same elf from before. The older one, and he was still carrying that strange, long wooden staff. It was clutched tightly in his right hand.

    "Oh Jessie, what can I do for you." Jessie rubbed the back of her head. "Uh well-can...Can you teach me how to fish?" He seemed a bit surprised, at first. Then he smiled, and nodded his head. "Fishing would be a fine skill for you to learn! I'll even give you your choice of what fishing pole you want!" He stepped aside to allow Jessie access inside his home. She thanked him from the bottom of her heart, a warm smile coming onto her face.

    "I think-I like this one." She ran her hands against the rod of thee only wooden fishing pole. Feeling all of the cracks that laid on it. He came up from behind her, still smiling. He set his staff against the wall. "Good choice!" He exclaimed, with a sense of excitement. "That was my brother's, before he died-he seemed to always be on the boat of his with a bucket of worms, and a cooler! It was empty in the beginning but it never stayed that way.

    "Oh, I'm sorry did he die?" Jessie hesitated, looking over the other poles. He laughed, "No child, he's just not able to fish anymore is all! His bones are far to brittle and shake way to much to continue on with fishing. Now, let's get you all set up Hmm? I'll come with you the first couple times you fish, but you do have to learn to fish alone." Jessie nodded. "Alright, sounds good."

    He walked her over to the lake, a few boats were there, small ones. Jessie carried her pole and the cooler, the elf-carried the bucket full of crawling worms. "Oh, I forgot to ask your name...I'm sorry!" Jessie suddenly blurted out as the elderly elf got into the boat with her after untying the boat from the slab of wood it'd been tied to. He blinked, looking up at her after setting the worms down. "Hmm? Oh don't worry about it child, it's quite alright, my name is John."

    Jessie gave him a little bow. "Then, thank you, John..."

    -

    "We got five fish!" Jessie proudly carried the cooler full of fish, a bright smile shined across her entire face. Making her hollow cheeks look a little fuller. "Yes, you are quite the natural young fisher girl, my child!" John chuckled lightly, happy to see Jessie open up so much.

    "And I'm glad to see that you are so happy." "Oh I am! I am!" She chirped, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I've-I've never felt happier!" She bent down, wrapping the elderly elf into a hug. John laughed, hugging her back quickly. "Oh ho ho, My!" "Can we go fishing again, soon? Please? Oh please can we?"

    "But of course child..."

    -

    "So is it good? I didn't under cook it, did I?" Boots licked his claws clean, shaking his head. "No, it's good! Real good! You really have a knack for cooking Jessie! As well as catching your food to! Good job!" Jessie smiled. "Heh, gee, thanks a bunch Boots! Although I didn't do much. I'm sure that I could have done a much better job with it had I had some spices to go along with it!"

    Boots blinked. "Ah, yes but then I wouldn't have been able to eat it!" Jessie stuck out her index finger and pointed it out at him. "That's true!" And for no reason at all, both of them started to burst out into laughter that echoed out through the whole entire cave...

    A year had passed by now, with Jessie living inside the cave with Boots. Now it t'was spring once again and Jessie could finally venture out of the cave and explore the forest some. Jessie was excited but Boots wasn't about to let her go alone out and the forest and get lost. So they'd go together. Susan fashioned her up some shorts for spring, and a colorful T-shirt with a sun printed in the middle. Jessie practically skipped out of the cave after having the rock removed.

    Her smile lit up her entire face. The sun wrapped around her-inviting like and old friend had come to visit. Encouraging her, welcoming her. "Remember-though, we must be careful Jessie," He tapped her ankle with the pad of his paw, "this still is the forest after all." Jessie laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh calm down, we're going to be just fine, and besides, what could possibly go wrong?"

    Boots shook his head and sighed. "You're not suppose to say things like that, bad things always happen when people say things like that, you know? Haven't you ever seen that in the Tv programs?" Jessie froze, shook her head slowly. "No...I was never aloud to watch any Tv...Mother said it would be a waste to spend money on something she didn't care about, and she wasn't talking about the Tv either..."

    Boots frowned. "Well, you are NOT a waste, let me make that absolutely clear. Forget her." Jessie shrugged then pointed to a tree with a smile on her face again, quickly pushing the memory of her mother out of her head. "Look! Look! This tree is just-perfect for climbing! Look at it!" Boots blinked, before he could say anything, Jessie was already climbing up the tree. "Careful!" Boots called from below when she was half way up the tree. "Yeah, yeah!"

    -

    "You are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say and will say will-" Listening to the police officer, Rose glared with eyes filled with anger. Loath directed at her husband. Who, just seemed confused as to what was happening right now. "This is probably all over you're doing!" She hissed at the man she supposedly loved, or had love at a point in time. "You probably squealed, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?" She started to scream at him, thrashing her body around, trying to get free off the cuffs, and the police women's grasp. "No I-I." He stuttered out, pushed behind her out they're front door and into the back of a police car.

    "What's going on anyways? Why are we being arrested?" The police man in the front scoffed, starting up the car. It roared to life and he started driving. The police women answered them, disgust written in her voice. "You two are under arrest for the physical and sexual abuse of a you're child." "What child?" Spat Rose. "I have no child, I have no clue as to what you are talking about!" The women shook her head. "You do, I don't know what you have done with her though."

    "She ran away a year ago!" Nathan blurted out.

    "I probably would too." She muttered, shaking her head again. "You have no abuse we even hurt her."

    "Oh yes we do, we have her journal right here. She's written down some pretty interesting things here to..."

    "That b***h is lying!" Rose hissed, causing the police women to raise a curious brow, and laugh bitterly. "Oh so now, she's a b***h? I thought you said you didn't have a daughter." Rose bit her tongue, shutting her trap and simply, she settled for just glaring at the back of the seat in front of her.

    At the station Nathan was refusing to talk, but Rose was talking, and talking quite a lot at that, too. She spoke with a venom in her tone. So enraged and nearly violent and after 30 minutes she started to break out into insane fits of laughter. "You don't understand, you don't understand it. " She kept saying to them, laughing, laughing. "You don't understand anything at all! I feel sorry for you, that-you'll just never be able to understand anything!"

    They realized-that she was completely, and utterly mad.

    It was decided that, in a court, Nathan was ruled guilty and sentenced to life in jail, with no possible chance of getting out. Rose, plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

    -

    A loud wailing broke through the forest, scaring away some birds from branches. They screeched with annoyance, flying away from the loud sound. Jessie looked up at them questioningly. "What was that sound?" The forest rattled again as the sharp crying was heard again, only this time it seemed even closer than it had been. When Jessie looked down, at Boots, she was surprised to see his fur was up, and he seemed overly tense. "Boots?" He looked up at her, even from her distance up in the tree, Jessie could tell that something wasn't right, that something-was very wrong. "Jessie! Get down from that tree!" He hissed, startling the poor Irish lass even more. "What? What's going on Boots?" She didn't understand, he didn't usually act like this!

    "Just get down Jessie! Now! Hurry, hurry!" Jessie trembled a bit, but cautiously started to climb down the tree, and Boots without another word being said to her, trotted off towards the cave, and Jessie had no choice but to run in order to keep up with his fast pace. "Boots what's going on?" She said after they were safely tucked away in the cave, the large rock covering the opening. Boot sat down, sort of leaning against the wall, eyes closed. "What you heard- it was the cry of a banshee..." Jessie's eyebrows rose. "A-a banshee? What's a banshee?" Boots lowered his head. "Way back-in the 1800's and even farther back is the tale of the banshee who live in the forests..."

    He took a deep breath. "They are often foul looking creatures and once-if you do see one that is, it's over for you. Banshee's are a warning of upcoming death. Because these creatures are burdened with being a bad sign of upcoming death, they wail. They see the person, and how they are to die. The sorrow that fills them is let out through the constant wail, cries." Jessie brought a hand to her mouth. "Oh how awful that would be!" Boots glared, not at Jessie, he just glared. "Do not feel bad for them, Jessie. They do-attack sometimes. It's happened only a couple when people have tried talking with the creature, instead of running away. They only feel sorrow, but it turns to a boiling rage when they hear someone speak and plead for mercy, no death to come upon them. Banshee's are evil."

    The two both froze, winced as the sound of another helpless cry sounded, it was getting closer..."We'll stay here until no more cries are heard!"

    That night, the Banshee visited Jessie in her dreams.

    Jessie did not run from the Banshee, she did not talk to it. She simply sat there-on a oddly shaped rock and looked upon her with curious eyes and a heart full of compassion for the so called-wicked creature. She listened to it's loud cries, even though it hurt her ears and her head throbbed, and she looked over it's appearance, and it was pretty.

    Short choppy black hair, ghostly pale skin, and a long dress that pooled around the strange creatures legs-successfully hiding them. Her arms were bent so that her large hands could cover her face and she was there-sitting on the ground on her knees. She was shaking her head around, sending her short uneven locks of hair around the place. Her arms-they were bleeding. Three long slashes into her skin, Jessie now notice them. Her heart pumped and stilled for a couple of seconds at the sight of it. Slowly, very slowly, Jessie turned, picking up some long leaves, tearing them from the ground.

    The sound didn't even seem to startle the banshee though, in fact, Jessie would bet she hadn't heard or seen her. Jessie ran her hands across one leaf, it's texture was soft, and she nodded to herself with a small pleased smile. She walked over to the Banshee-treading behind her so as to be unseen. She silently reached out, wrapping the leaf's around the sad creatures wrists gently, but she tied it tight. The banshee stopped wailing, froze, sat there, not moving a muscle. Her arms dropped, her hands fell from her face and into her lap.

    The banshee turned, just her head, to look at Jessie. Jessie though, was still working on the creatures arm. Carefully, when she was done, she looked up to meet eyes red and puffy, a face still crying, though more silent. Tears rolling down hollow cheeks. Jessie thought back to herself-she looked like that before. Jessie ran a hand across her cheek, the creature drew back, striking her with long nails. Jessie felt the blood go down her cheek, a familiar feeling really. Jessie drew closer, planted her lips on the banshee's forehead softly.

    The banshee trembled as Jessie pulled away from it, got up. "You should be more careful." Jessie finally said, after the longest time. "It wouldn't be good if you bled to death, now would it?" Offering up a smile and a hand, Jessie pulled the creature close. "It's okay." She whispered as the banshee shook. "It's okay. If you really are the sign of death a warning to me, I'm fine with it. It's okay if I die."

    The Banshee clutched onto her tightly. Nails digging into her back slightly, though it was not enough to draw any blood from Jessie this time, she didn't think that this creature really wanted to hurt anyone. Death was scary, to everyone, even if that someone wasn't a human, creatures unlike humans felt feeling to. It showed in the Banshee, she got sad, and she got mad. Most of all though, this banshee here, just seemed to be confused. Mislead, and not really sure what to do when approached, never the less to someone who was begging her for something.

    "It's okay." Jessie whispered once more, before she woke up, breath fast and with her eyes wide open. She rose a hand to her cheek, shocked to find that there was blood there...She looked over at Boots, who was still sleeping soundly not to far from her. Jessie rose, she knew-knew exactly what she had to do know. The dream- it had been real, if not how else could one explain the scratches that were on her cheek? Or the blood that came steadily pouring out from it?