ASHLEY DOCKERY - ROSES CAN'T ALWAYS BE RED

Ashley Dockery is a creative writing student at Full Sail University, who is currently working on publishing her first book. She is expected to graduate in June of 2022. She is also currently having several works being considered for publication. She is proficient in Microsoft suite and Final draft.

​Roses can’t always be red

​The faint crunching of old chips didn’t even bother him. The foul odor of rotten and moldy food hadn’t even fazed him like the first time. The screaming from the top floor brought him out of his unfazed state along with the sudden crying.
            “Excuse me, Ms. Trey! Are you up there?!” he asked as he headed towards the stairs.
            “Who's there?!” Ms.Trey demanded as she raced to the top of the stairway. When she locked eyes with him, they turned from furious to terrified. “Oh,” she said as she began to shake.
            “Ms.Trey,” Drew stated as he  walked up the stairs. “Where is she?” he asked once he made it to the top step. Doing a double take at the top, he quickly located the sound and made his way towards a faded blue door. He narrowed his eyes at the doorknob. The cries were just on the other side of the door.
            “She just got in trouble! She fucking made me look like-”
            “Finish that sentence, Lily. I dare you. Since I’m pretty sure like everything in this house, it's nothing but trash and lies,” Drew said abruptly as he struggled to open the door. He didn’t wait for her to reply once another loud scream cut her off. He slammed into the door repeatedly as he  banged the door. “Rose! Rose can you hear me?!” he called out as he tried to break down the door.
            “Help!” Rose bawled on the other side.
            Before Drew could reply, something crashed right next to him. When he turned around he glared at the vile woman, noticing that she wasn’t anywhere close to being scared anymore.
            “Leave her alone, she’s mine!” she screamed as she threw another lamp post. “She’s mine!”
            Drew dodged the lamp post before racing back towards her, grabbing her wrists as she leaned down to snatch something else in the massive mess at her feet. “Stop treating her like a damn doll!” he shouted as she  struggled to get away from her. He felt her sharp jagged nails dig into his skin, but the anger that fueled him overrode the pain. He slammed her into the room behind her and rushed back to the door, slamming into it with all his might until it broke off its hinges.
            “Drew!” Rose cried as she ran towards him, clinging to his leg as tight as her small hands could.
            Drew lifted the girl into his arms and ran downstairs. Rose’s cries and Lily’s crazed screams compelled him to get out of the house. He opened his car door and ushered Rose inside.
“Rose, lock the door. I promise you will be safe,” he said as he raced back into the house. The moment he set foot back inside, Lily lunged at him once again. With a knife in her hand, she desperately tried to stab him. He grabbed her hand to stop her. He struggled to get her off of him as she tried to overpower him. He focused on the weapon in front of him, ignoring Lily’s screams that Rose was hers and hers alone.
“She’s my daughter too!” he said as a sudden thud stopped her attack and caused her to fall over. Looking up, he met familiar blue eyes.
            “I fucking told you that this was going to be dangerous,” Amber said as she looked towards the car.
            “Did you already call the cops?” he asked.
            “After the horror stories you told me of the woman? What do you think?” Amber asked as she helped him gain his balance with a gentle smile before pecking his cheek.“They should be here in a few minutes. How’s Rose doing?” she asked.
            “I haven’t fully checked her yet. You know getting attacked and all,” he said as he glared down at Lily. “I’m taking my daughter back and there’s nothing that’s going to stop me,” he said as the sirens lit up the street, watching the blood from his scratched wrists run down his hand and land near her pale white skin. A million thoughts ran through his mind as he looked back towards the car. Rose had unlocked the door and clung to his lover. He could see all of the marks that littered her small arms. He turned his gaze back down to Lily and groaned. “All roses are delicate and beautiful, but anytime our Rose comes near you she nearly breaks,” he said as the cops quickly arrived onto the scene.