A Collection Of Shorts by ArtL Nightshade (you can read anyone .TXT) 📖

is it you ask for?" He asked. The therapist took a deep breathe and placed a hand on his heart and looked down at it. He felt the vibration of his hearting heart through his hand and the sound. It sounded like a steady drum.

 

"I want you to give my heart to Darren."

 

***

 

*One Month Later...*

 

Darren woke up from his long coma after the surgery. He groaned in aching pain as he lifted his gown down to notice a long scar across his chest where his heart was. What has happened? Shouldn't he be long dead? Question reign through his mind as he got off from his bed and walked outside.

 

"Oh my darling!" His mother was the first to shot up from her seat and run up to kiss her son on both cheeks and the forehead. "My darling boy, how are you?"

 

Darren looked to see his cousin Cody, his aunt and uncle, his parents, and Dr. Trevor Moore all gather around him. Confusion crept up in his mind.

 

"What's going on?" He asked.

 

Again, silence filled the room, no one wanted to talk about what had happened a month ago, they were afriad of what his reaction would be if they told him. Dr. Moore was the first and only person in the circle, to break the long silence.

 

"You better sit down for this," Dr. Moore gestured to a seat behind Darren, everyone sat down while Dr. Moore was still standing up. "Here."

 

Taking a folded piece of paper from the doctor's hand, Darren unfolded it and read it. Word by word.

 

***

Dear Darren,

 

By this time, I will be long gone. I have given my heart to you so you can live a long lasting life. Be happy, be with your family and in the future, provide a new family. 

 

My time has come to an end, I am "old" as you would see it though I doubt being 36 is middle age. Hahaha

Anyways, I have given you a new therapist, he was my best-friend and roommate when we both went to collage to study psychology. He is as good as me.

 

Darren, do not shed any tears for me, I am not worth it as I am not worth living on if you died.

I loved you as a son and I will always be watching over you always.

Good-bye, my son.

 

You're friend, second father, and therapist,

 

Ian F. James 

 

P.S.

 

I spoke to the principal about your condition and the bullying, you got a week suspension but it will not go on your record due to your pass heart condition. Have fun on your week vaction hahaha.

Sylvia Likens

PLOT

With sisters Sylvia Likens and Jenny Likens under the care of Gertrude Baniszewski while they're parents worked on getting the carnival prepared, the sisters' lives are about to turn upside down and only one is going to make it out the door alive.  A/N: Based on the true story of murder, lust for blood, and torture in Indianapolis during the 1960's 

 

STORY

 

"Do we really have to dad? Why can't we go with you? We would help, we're big girls now. We don't need a babysitter." Sylvia protested, trying to get her dad, Lester Likens, to agree with her. Her father only chuckle and messed her hair witha bright smile before kneeling down on one knee to level himself to her eyes.

 

"Now now Sylvia, you know why. Yes, you two are big girls but I'm afriad this type of work is for the grown-ups only. Don't worry, Gertrude has a daughter and a son for you two can play with and you can invite your friends and neighbors as well, I'm sure she won't mind. Plus, we can't turn her down, we promised her 20 dollars for every day she babysits you both, we wouldn't want to break her heart would we?" Her father questioned.

 

Sylvia shook her head vigoriously with a grin on her face as her mother, Elizabeth Likens and her sister, Jenny Likens came in to join. Sylvia's life, in her eyes, was perfect. She had a loving family, great home, and the carousel to ride on when the carnival opens.

 

If there was anything she looked foward to at the carnival, it's not the games or the food or even the entertainment but the carousel. Riding on one of the horses, going round and round, up and down, it made her giggle and laugh with glee. There, she left wild and more free. But when Sylvia didn't know was that her world and her sister's were gonna turn upside down.

 

***

 

Tying her shoe-laces, Sylvia got up from the edge of her bed and checked herself in the mirror. She wanted to look her best when she and her sister arrive at the Baniszewski's home. Smiling at the curles of her hair, she knocked on her sister's door multiple times.

 

"Jenny? Are you ready?" She asked, waiting patiently for a reply.

 

"Yes sis, I'm ready." Jenny called back, opening the door. Jenny was younger but slightly taller, she had long blond hair and brown eyes while Sylvia had short brown curly hair and near hazel eyes. Penny was wearing a white t-shirt and over-all shorts. Sylvia was wearing shorts that were rolled up one time, a light green shirt with puff sleeves.

 

The two, hand in hand, walked downstairs together to meet their parents. Their mother was helping their father with his bow tie then turning around, he, in return, helped his wife with her pear necklace. After they were done, they faced their daughters with proud smiles.

 

"Well aren't you both just gorgeous," Their mother praised hugging them both, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. Their father nodded in approval before hugging them. "Well, I guess we are ready then. Ready to go dearies?"

 

The sisters nodded vigrously, excited/anxious to meet the Baniszewski's. They could only imagine how wonderful their baby-sitter might be and her children. All the games they can play, the snacks, the friends they can invite, all that.

 

***

 

Driving down the rode, Sylvia looked out of her window to watch the scenery go by her. Jenny was playing with her doll, pretending to be a hair-stylist as their parents talked about the carnival, what might needed to be done, and what they could add or take away.

 

Sylvia felt the car jerk to a stop causing her to look up and away from her window noticing a two-story white and dark green house, taking her seat-belt off and opening her door, Sylvia followed her family up the porch.

 

Lester rang the door-bell and Gertrude, the girls' baby-siiter answered. She had brownish-blond hair, piercing but kind eyes, she was slim with just a bit of chubbiness due to her giving birth to her children. She was wearing a flower printed dress and an apron, she must have been in the kitchen cooking for cleaning the house.

 

"Are you Ms Gertrude?" Lester asked waiting for a reply.

 

"Yes, I am Gertrude. Are you the Likens family?" She asked, glancing at Sylvia and Jenny like a mother hawk watching her younglings.

 

"Yes, I am Lester Likens and this is my wife Elizabeth and our wonder daughters, Sylvia and Jenny." He introduced his family, gesturing to each other them. Gertrude nodded with a smile and stepped to the side so they can enter. As Sylvia walked in, she admired the wonderful things that she had in her home what she didn't know was the slight darkness that Gertrude had in her eyes.

 

***

 

The parents hugged their daughters good-bye and paid Gertrude the first twenty-dollar for her baby-sitting before they left the house and into their car. Sylvia and her sister Jenny waved at their parents as they drove off to work.

 

"Children, come down, I want you all to meet two children that will be staying with us for a couple of weeks," Gertrude called out and no sooner than later, seven children came down. Two were Syliva's age, three were Jenny's age, one was younger, but the youngest was just a babe, being carried by the oldest boy. "Children, this is Sylvia and Jenny. The two Likens sisters I was telling you about.

 

No one spoke a word. Silence overcame everybody and only the sound of the tickling wall clock hung up in the kitchen was heard. Sending down an awkward silence, the children averted their eyes everywhere as not to make it even more awkward, it was only when the youngest Baniszewski child came up.

 

"Hi, I'm Dennis." Dennis stuck his hand out for a shake and smiled at the two sisters. No sooner than later did the rest of Gertrude's children introduced themselves. Putting on a smile, Gertrude clapped her hands together and went into the kitchen to make some snacks and bring out some apple-juice for the kids.

 

***

 

The first few days with the Baniszewski children were just a blast but Sylvia could not help but get a funny feeling about Gertrude. The woman kept eyeing her as if she were a prey, as if she had done something wrong and Gertrude's stare would make her confess to whatever sin she had committed.

Sylvia was a good girl, always had been, always will. What was the matter with Gertrude? She seemed so nice and with them all now she is distant, quiet, secretive...

 

"Well, I bet we'll have loads of fun, we got TV to watch, toys to play, we can have friends over, we have a fort, and all sorts of things," The eldest daughter of Gertrude said, getting up from her chair to put her paper plate and empty apple juice box in the trash. She turned her attention back to Syliva and Jenny with a smile. "Once you're done, let's go outside and play on the swings and slide yeah?"

 

As Syliva watched her leave out side with two of her siblings, Jenny nibbled on a cracker set on her plate and eyed the near youngest boy who was drinking his apple juice. When the door closed and the three siblings were out of sight, Sylvia could hear shouts of excitment and games of pretend, a smile formed on her face but one cold look from Gertrude got Sylvia's smile to turn.

 

***

 

For the past few days, all were fun and games but Syliva still had a funny awkward creepy feeling about Gertrude and did her best to avoid her and not give her any contact. Let's see how far she can go.

 

While all were seated at the dinner table, Sylvia was next to her sister who was talking to one of Gertrude's girls around her age while eating and drinking her meal. Sylvia felt the cold hard eyes of her babysitter cast down on her as if she was trying to set her on fire. This nerved Sylvia and suddenly, she was no longer hungry.

 

"Why aren't you eating Sylvia?" Gertrude asked in her sweet mother voice which Sylvia no longer trust. Not looking at her, she shrugged, this made Gertrude mad. She slammed her hands ont he table to stompped over to Sylvia and lifted her chin up so she was facing her. Gertrude gave her a hard look before slapping her across the face. "You will eat now or else no food for a week! Understand?!"

 

Sylvia