Status: This is a one-shot. Warning: there is child death implied.

My Sleeping Sister

My Sleeping Sister

My name is Isabella Thomas, and I am eight years old. I have one big braid of hair that goes down my back. My older brother, Justin, is fourteen, but his hair stays close to his head. I giggle when I think of him cutting his hair. My mommy is... well I don't know Mommy's first name. Her hair is longer than mine, and it's brown like the trees outside. Daddy is the tallest in our family, but he has the shortest hair. His skin is darker than mine, and when I ask about it he says, "Your mother's half makes you a brighter child," with his big smile.
Right now, I'm about to do something that Mommy told me not to. I could get in big trouble, but I have to see. A few weeks ago, Mommy said, "Don't go into your little sister's room. Don't do it!" She had such a scary face when she told me this, but I heard something from inside the room last night. Since someone else broke the rule, I would too.
My little sister. I haven't even seen her yet. A few days ago, Daddy was jumping around saying, "Your little sister will be home tonight!" Now, no one wants to talk about her at all. I asked Mommy where she was first, but she told me to go give Justin a big hug. When I asked Justin, he brought me outside to play soccer. I wanted to ask Daddy, but he works later since my little sister came home.
It's about 11 o'clock right now and everyone should be asleep, but I'm going to see my little sister tonight. I push open the pink door and quickly become confused. 'There aren't any toys in here,' I thought. It was true. The floor was cleared of allt he dolls Daddy and I brought in. The dressers full of small clothing and the tables of baby food and stuff were gone. Her crib was the only piece of furniture waiting in the middle of the room. I walked quietly over to it and become surprised again. She wasn't in there. And there weren't any wrinkles in the covers to show that she had been. "Where is my little sister?" I stamped my foot angrily.
"Isabella," I heard a familiar voice call out to me. My father opened his eyes and stirred. He had been sitting on the opposite side of the crib while blending in with the darkness of the room. He came around the crib to kneel before me. "Why are you in your sister's room? And so far past your bedtime?" Daddy's eyes scared me now more than ever. It was too dark to see if he was joking or if I was in big trouble.
"I just wanted to see her." My voice was shaking. No, my entire body was shaking. "I just wanted to see my little sister." I felt like crying. Daddy wasn't gonna let me see her now that I broke the rules.
"You want to see Madison while she....... sleeps?" His face wrinkled up like a paper ball.
I looked around for a sleeping little girl. "She's asleep? Where?" I turned back to Daddy. He had smoothed out his face.
"Your sister, Madison, is sleeping at the house of an old friend. She won't be coming here, but one day when you're older than me, you can go see her."
Daddy laughs at my curious face, "Do I know this friend?"
"You should." He grins at me. "I take you to see him every Sunday."
"Will I get to see Madison on Sunday?" Daddy pulled me to lay my head in his lap. He unfastened my braid and began to run his fingers through my hair. I began to feel sleepier than ever.
"No. Not on Sunday." I tried to raise myself up, but Daddy kept me close. "She will still be asleep on Sunday. When you're older than me, you can go see Madison." He said with closed eyes. Daddy picked me up and began walking toward my room. "Come now Isabella." He whispered at me. Cradled in Daddy's arms didn't help my exhaustion. I curled against his warmth. "It's far past your bedtime." He placed me under the cover and kneeled near my face. "Can you say the Lord's Prayer for Madison since she cant speak?"
"Sure Daddy." I smiled tiredly while he gave me his huge hands. We closed our eyes. "Now lay me down, I go to sleep. I pray to the Lord my soul to keep. And if we find I should not wake, I pray to the Lord my soul to take. Goodnight Madison. Mommy, Justin, Daddy, and I love you." I opened my eyes and kissed Daddy's nose. He laughs at me again. Daddy pinches my cheek and kisses my forhead.
"Dream of your sister." Daddy said on his way out the door. "If you're lucky, she'll visit you in her dreams about you as well."
♠ ♠ ♠
I wrote this about how I pictured losing my daughter Madison would be like. Technically she would be the oldest, but for drama's sake I made her a newborn with older siblings. Focusing the story around Isabella is actually a twist, because I had wanted this to be a hospital scene with an epiloge maybe. I loved the way it turned out, and I hope the readers can enjoy it. Remember this is a one-shot. Don't expect anymore chapters.