A/N: SO SO SO SORRY it took me so long to update. I've been so busy that I've barely had time to face time my girlfriend, let alone go on wattpad. Thanks for being patient loves:)

It came at me fast, flying through the air. The sticky, red substance hit my face and I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut. I was surprised to find that it was still warm, and I could feel it on every pore that it touched.

I was frozen for what felt like hours, contemplating what to do next. I was still in Mrs Adana's front yard, only now I was suddenly covered in blood. I decided to get the meat pies from her later in the day, perhaps when my mother was in a better mood.

I reached up at my face to wipe the sickly clots from my eyes. I threw my hands down in disgust and opened my eyes slowly. I gasped and tears appeared in my eyes as I was exposed to the cause of the gooey splatter.

On the dusty ground, with a knife lodged in her rib cage, lay Mrs Adana. Her empty eyes were stuck open, and her hands were coated in scratches. Her sleeves were torn all over, and I could see that she had put up a fight. But who was she fighting with?

I looked down at my own hands to realize that I was covered in the blood of my neighbor. I immediately burst into a sprint, leaving Mrs Adana behind for the sheriff to encounter.

As I ran, tears fell out of their cage, for I could not contain them any longer. There was no sound except for my now-ruined shoes pounding the dirt. I tried to resist the urge to lift up my skirt, as I knew I would get blood all over it. Instead, I hung the straps of my shoes around my wrists and ran.

I ran at the risk of being accused for Mrs Adana's murder. I ran to get back to my mother. I ran out of fear of the murderer. I ran out of fear of the bloody rose at my door. I ran out of love for my brother and father. I ran for my life. And I didn't stop until my bare feet slammed onto the wooden boards in front of the door to my house.

Evelyn, what have you been roped into?

☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎◎☁︎

My mother has always had a characteristic of only caring about what will happen to her. When she saw the blood that covered me, she merely snapped; "don't track that all over my floor!"

Still feeling shaken, I slowly took off my dress and hoop skirt, leaving me standing at the doorway in only my corset and pantaloons. I shuffled into the kitchen, grabbing the first towel I could find. I threw it over my shoulder and poured hot water into a basin. I grabbed my washboard and soap and walked into the land behind our house, careful to not be seen by anyone.

As soon as I reached a closed-off area near the servant's quarters, I shoved my hands into the basin, submerging them completely. I took the towel and soap and scrubbed to the bone, wanting to get every drop of blood and pain and fear off my body. Once my hands were clean, I used the towel to wash my face. It was so purifying to feel the soap against my skin, wiping off all the sweat and tears that appeared under the hot afternoon sun.

I laid there with my eyes closed, noticing the grass beneath my shoulder blades. Despite the trauma of Mrs Adana's death, for the first time since Evian left for the war, I was finally at peace.