Crocodile Tears

When I was little, whenever I got into an argument, I couldn't make myself cry. So I would pretend to cry instead, or place a few drops of water on my eyes to make everyone believe I was crying.

Crocodile tears.

Mark... my sworn childhood enemy.

We were ten years old, and I hated him because he would pull my braid as hard as he could whenever we played with the other children in the village.

He was arrogant, annoying, and skinny... and I didn't like him. I certainly didn't think he was handsome, either.

The years passed, and the children of the village all went their separate ways, each chasing their own future.

Everyone except me.

I stayed behind with my grandmother and grandfather.

The responsibility I felt toward them was like a fish bone lodged in my throat—I could neither swallow it nor spit it out. I simply couldn't leave them, no matter how much I wanted to.

So I remained in the village, living the quiet, simple life of an ordinary country girl.

My grandparents used to call me "Cherry Tree," because every spring I would spend the entire day among the cherry trees, wandering from one tree to another as though I belonged there more than anywhere else.

S..🥀

Sarah ✏️

Come to find out, she was a snake in the grass the entire time. Her dry skin covered in scales. Her laugh was that of a sharp hiss. If you get too close she will surely bite.

​

Welp, here I am again on a Saturday morning, looking outside my bedroom window, wishing I could go outside.

Oh look, there's the neighbor mowing his lawn at eight o'clock right on the dot. And here come the other neighborhood kids riding their bikes, probably going to play at the park.

It's been so long since I've seen the park I barely remember it.

My mom doesn't let me go outside. I don't know why, but she would kill me if I snuck out. So I spend most of my time looking out my window.

Oh look, there's the neighborhood cat. Normally I'd be sad that he doesn't have a home, but I'm jealous. He's always outside.

I once got him to come inside, and that was a great day... until my mom found out and threw him back outside.

That wasn't fun.

Every time I do something my mom doesn't like, she makes me go to bed early.

My life sucks.

Looks like someone's having lunch early.

Yes, I'm peeking through the neighbor's window. It's my only source of entertainment. Normally I don't get hungry, but I wouldn't mind a snack. Let's see if I can get one without Mom noticing.

I sneak into the kitchen.

Oh good, Mom's in her room. She's always in her room. I wonder what she does in there. I've tried looking before, but it's always locked.

Oh well.

There's the cookie jar.

I just have to be super quiet.

As I lift the lid...

Clink.

The lid taps against the jar.

I freeze.

Then I hear my mom yell, "Do you want to go to bed?"

My heart starts racing.

I quickly put the lid back without taking a cookie and run to my room.

I don't want to go to bed. It's too early.

I don't know how Mom always knows what I'm doing, but she's been doing it for so long that I stopped wondering.

Normally I'd draw trees, the park... anything that's outside.

But today I just want to look out my window some more.

Then I see a dog.

He sees me too.

He's so excited that he runs right over to my window.

I'm so excited I throw the window open.

He wants me to pet him.

I lean out as far as I can.

I can reach him.

I'm petting the dog.

He's so soft.

I get so excited that I don't realize I'm slipping...

Until I fall out the window.

The dog barks and runs away.

I lie there for a moment.

I can feel the grass underneath me.

To my horror...

I'm outside.

"I'M OUTSIDE!" I scream.

"NO! NO! NO!"

I scramble to my feet and try to climb back through the window, but it's too high.

Then I hear my mom scream.

"WHY ARE YOU OUTSIDE?!"

A cloud of black smoke pours out of my bedroom window.

"I'm sorry, Mom!" I cry.

"I'm sorry!"

The smoke reaches me.

It grabs me.

Then it slams me into the ground.

Again.

And again.

And again.

I feel my bones breaking.

I feel my blood soaking through my clothes and into the grass.

Everything starts to fade.

Everything goes black.

...

I wake up in my bed.

I stare out my bedroom window.

In a quiet, disappointed voice, I whisper,

"Mom put me to bed again."