Cage of Roses

"What are we going to do?" My mother asked as she closed the book.

"We have to find a way to remove it." My father concluded already reaching for the rose.

"NO!" My mother shouted throwing up a barrier around me pushing Jas away.

My father stepped back as my mother continued to hold up her barrier. From the way she had reacted I knew something was up. The only time she ever raised her voice was when my father had done something wrong or when he was about to. He stared at her for a few seconds then lower his hand and sat back down. Only when she was sure he wasn't going to try again did my mother lower the barrier around me.

"If you even tried to remove the roses they would kill her now." She said her voice grim.

"The what can we do?!" My father asked raising his voice which was usual for him.

"Do nothing. It doesn't matter to me." I was surprised when I heard my own voice.

They all turned to me astonished looks on their faces. But I just stood up and sighed. They didn't understand.

"I don't care if I die. It's just one more thing that will make you feel bad that you couldn't save me. I don't want you to feel that way. And besides today is the day I'm supposed to go out into the real world. What a better excuse then to get rid of me." It was cruel what I was saying and I wished I could stop but once I started all my feelings seemed to spill out.

"How the hell can you say that?! Juts because you're human doesn't make you any less part of this family!" My father shouted slamming his hand on the table.

"Yes it does. I can never truly belong in your world." I replied shaking my head.

"Well if the little squirt wants to die then let her. She's always been a pain in the neck anyway." Jas said her eyes narrowing at me.

"Jasmine how can you say that to your own sister?" My mother demanded to know before she started coughing.

"Dear that spell might have taken too much out of you. Go lay down." My father said gently steering her towards the door.

"Sounds like a good idea." Jas turned on her heels and walked to her room where she slammed and locked the door.

"Mal after I take your mother to bed I'll look for a way to break the spell. Maybe you should go somewhere until then alright?"

I nodded and headed back to my room where I changed. I could hear my mother coughing in her room and I felt bad. My father was already down in the basement and Jas wouldn't come out no matter how mush I knocked. There was only one place for me to go.

Running outside I didn't stop until I reached the tree house. Jas and I had made it together when we were smaller. I climbed all the way to the top of the ladder and pushed open the door. It was the same as we'd left it. There was nothing that had changed. I crawled over to one wall and sat down next to it.

For the rest for the day I stayed there. Even when I got hungry I didn't feel like eating. Instead I pulled an old sheet of tarp around my body and continued to stay there. The only question on my mind was:

"How long would it take for me to die?"