The Urban Princesses: Snow White

Chapter 15

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Your stepmother is dead." George said sadly.

"But she was just here?" I asked.

"They found a man stabbing her to death in your driveway." Peter added.

It was so graphic, and brutal. Who would do that? Obviously someone who knew how horrible she was.

I didn't know whether to be happy or sad. It was a little bit of both I guess. I would be free of the threat of death at fifteen. But, she was also the only one who had first hand experience with my father, the memories I have of him were very vague.

I gulped, "Oh my."

"Did they catch the man?" I asked.

"Yeah. Some guy named James Hunter." George answered.

I froze. James was my stepmom's boyfriend. Why would he kill her? Then a thought hit me, I recognized his voice. He was the robber that let me go! It all made sense now! My stepmother hired him to kill me! The thought was chilling.

"Snow, are you ok?" Peter asked.

I nodded.

The rest of the day was dull. Eat, sleep, exercise.

The next day was the one that took me by surprise.

I was watching tv when a woman in a suit came into my room.

She had long brown hair that was straight on her back and tanned skin. Her face was emotionless.

I turned the tv off.

"Hi, I'm Sondra Wilson, from Child Protective Services. I take it you are Crystal Marie White?" She said.

"Y-yes." I stuttered.

"I'm am very sorry for your loss." She looked down at her feet. "May I sit?" She asked.

I nodded and she sat in the chair next to my bed where Peter slept. He had to go back to school.

"Since you have no living relatives left-" She started.

"What about cousins? Uncles? Aunts?"

"Your mother was an only child and your father's brother never had children and died a few months ago. We have contacted your distant relatives but unfortunately, they are unfit for children. And most of them live out of state."

My eyes were welling up with tears. I didn't like where this was going.

"Because of this, it is custom to put you into foster care-"

"No. Please-"

"I have no choice. I'm sorry."

I started crying. My life is just going downhill. It will never be the same. I am going to be one of those depressed foster children who never find a home. I couldn't think about it.

"Isn't there anyway not to go to foster care?" I asked.

She sighed, "If you can find someone willing to adopt you in seven days, you can avoid foster care. But, they also will be inspected to see if they are suitable for the position of your legal guardian."

I didn't think that would be too hard. George would adopt me in a minute's notice. But then again, he would be inspected. I don't think they would let me live with a college fraternity.

She shook my hand and walked out.

My cheeks were damp with tears. I laid back down and slept.

***

"You're all set. Go get changed, sweetie." A nurse with a clipboard said.

There was another nurse removing all of my needles and tubes.

When they were done, I went in the bathroom and changed into my clothes. It felt good to know that no one would see your back end when you walked around. I put my hair into a knot at the top of my head and walked back into my room. I was handed some paperwork, my purse, and a sticker that said "Healthy and Happy are wonderful things." Healthy was true but happy, I don't think so.

I walked out and dropped the paperwork off at the front desk. I skipped out the door and took my first breath of fresh air in a week.

I saw Peter standing by his car with a sign that said "Snow".

I smiled at him and ran over. We hugged and he kissed me on the cheek a few times. He smelled like cologne.

Bri stepped out of the car and gave me a hug too. I hugged her back. I appreciated that she cared.

I got in the backseat and Bri started the car. Were they bringing me home? It was a crime scene investigation right now.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"We were told to bring you to foster care." Peter gulped.

I sighed and looked out the window. The trees and buildings flashed before me in a blur. It was like my life. Fast. Too fast.

We approached my neighborhood and slowed at a stop sign. My house was on a corner so I could see the police cars and ambulances parked out front.

In the driveway next to my stepmom's bright red Aston Martin, was a bloody body, their limbs askew. Their face had a slash mark in their cheek and forehead. There were bloody stab wounds all over their chest.

I gulped and tried not to throw up.

"Bri, you don't have to stop keep going." Peter said, seeing the body too.

She sped up and we went to the foster home.

Peter walked me in until he was stopped by one of the caretakers and told to leave. I hugged him one last time before dropping my things in a bedroom with a few other beds in it. It smelled like air freshener.

I walked back downstairs and found a spot on a couch.

Girls bombarded me with questions. They saw me in the news apparently. Eventually, I went upstairs and slept for the night, even though it was seven o'clock. It was decided that I go to school the next day.

***

"Hi, Peter." I said.

He turned around and a frown creeped across his face.

"What?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes, "I told you. I am done with you."

My smile disappeared. "Why?" I asked.

"You are too.... babyish."

I was baffled. "What do you mean?"

"Crying over almost being killed. You aren't dead. You're so full of yourself!" He yelled.

I was so angry. How could he act like that?!

I was surrounded by killers and they have rubbed off on me. They showed me how to deal with rage and jealously.

I couldn't help it. I clutched the knife in my hand and drove it into his heart.

He looked down at his chest and the blood pouring out of his wound. Blood spilled out of his mouth.

"I.....loved......you......" He coughed.

Peter fell to the floor, surrounded by his own burgundy blood.

I didn't feel remorse. Not one bit.

I dropped the knife and walked away.

Then, I woke up to the sound of my alarm beeping.