The Will

Trigger warning: domestic abuse

"If you are reading this then I am no longer apart of the waking world. Though news of my 

passing might not come as a surprise, and more so conjure up thoughts of a farewell party...I 

humbly regret to inform you that that will be short lived. Whilst my brother has made many 

fortunes by means of embezzlement, I , on the contrary have not. With that being said, I have 

entrusted what little I did possess to my niece. Or should I say my daughter. This may come as 

a bit of a shock, and despite protest of absurdity, I assure you it is true. A finally screw you to 

the arrogant brother whom has taken everything from me. I send my finally regards to my

dearest daughter. It was her mothers wishes, in which I respected greatly, that she need not 

be informed of this unfortunate circumstance. However, in my heart I regret doing so, and 

feel the need to inform her as a final effort of forgiveness. Though, regrettably, it won't be 

enough. I hope it does at least give her some closure. I will always treasure her as my 

daughter for she is my pearl. 

Sincerely, Thomas P. Ernstraud." 

Silence fell over the crowded room as the lawyer brought the letter to a close. The brother had become overwhelmed with angst. "How dare he spew such preposterous nonsense!," the brother spewed angrily. His wife desperately trying to maintain her composure as she glanced at her daughter who had the most bewildered look upon her face. It hadn't been long before the man redirected his anger towards his wife. " Merriam Elisabeth Ernstraud! Have you the audacity?! After all that I have given you!," the man sputtered furiously in the poor woman's face. Tears began to pour down her face and her bottom lip began to quiver. Her husband, still furious, then turns to his wife and extends his right arm. He then open-handedly slapped his wife so hard that she was jolted out of her chair. Appalled, the lawyer gasped and began fumbling for the his intercom franticly. "I need assistance, please. Now!," He bolted to his secretary. A large man in uniform proceeded to enter the room and remove the hostile man. Leaving his injured wife, and daughter in the room full of peering eyes. The wife's sister ushered everyone out of the room. She kneeled down to assess her sister's injuries. There was a small cut on lip that was slightly bleeding, and a bruise that was settling in across her right eye. The sister licked the end of her blouse to wipe away the red smear that was running down her chin. Then turned her attention to the mascara that was running down her cheek. "Uhmm!," the lawyer muttered as though he was trying to clear his throat. An open stack of documentation was sprawled out before him and in his small chubby hand was a quill pen. He motioned for the young girl to take the pen and sign her signature. The aunt turned her focused to the small girl who sat quietly in the corner. After slight hesitation she uncrossed her legs and began to stand up. Making her way to the desk she brushed past her mother and her aunt without making a sound. Grasping the quill pen her hand quivered a bit but she managed to maintain her composure long enough to sign her first and last name. "Thank you, Margot," the lawyer quipped as he retrieved his pen. The sister then hastily escorted her sister and her young niece out of the office. They continued down the winding corridor out towards the front entrance. Upon exiting the building the young girl happened to spot her father out of the corner of her eye. Fearfully she bolted back inside and fled to a nearby restroom. There she balled up and cowered in the far left corner. Meanwhile, outside a heated conversation raged on between the two jilted lovers. Each time the sister would try to intervene the man would lividly strike her. The last blow knocked her out of her two inch pumps and down a heap of stairs. She lay on the concrete bellow bleeding and dazed. The man continued his tirade as he snatched his wife up by her neck. The courthouse faculty watched on in disbelief. Only one timid lady bothered to reach for the telephone. Her dainty fingers desperately fumbling the holes of the phone dial. Then without warning there was a loud crack that echoed through the halls. Almost as if lightening had struck something. Panic stricken people flocked to the entrance. Shoving each other vigorously trying to get a gander at the situation that had been unfolding. There was blood splatter emitted across the top of the steps and extended across the large glass doors of the front entrance. A heap of a body lay crumpled against the step rail. His suited soaked in blood. The sister's hair was matted with blood as she lay lifeless facedown at the bottom of the stairs. The newly widowed woman appeared to be dazed as she managed to pull herself off the ground and onto her feet. She brushed a quaff of hair to the side of her face gently tucking it behind her ear. In the background you could faintly see the blue lights emitting from a semi parked cop car. The officer holsters his gun and turns to grab for his car's gear shift. After safely securing his vehicle the man began to conduct his investigation. The woman suddenly became frantic as she yelled for her missing daughter. It wasn't long before she was shoving through the empty stalls in the women's restroom. There she found her daughter curled up in a corner sobbing. "Margot! I'm so glad you are okay," the concerned mother said in a loud whisper. Breathing a sign of relief the mother gently kissed the top of her daughter's head. Together they walked out towards the entrance. The mother removed her jacket and used it to conceal the child from the ghastly scene. She opened the car door and began to usher the child in. After slamming the door shut the woman began to search for the keys. There on the ground were the blood soaked keys. She reached and snatched up the keys. Jangling them vigorously to dislodge what blood that she could while wiping the remainder on her already tattered dress. As the two drove off the mother adjusted the mirror. When looking into the mirror she couldn't help but notice the expression upon her daughter's face. "Darling, what is the matter?," she questioned nervously. "Mummy, did you know auntie and daddy were having an affair? I think they got what they deserved, don't you mummy?," the young girl asked curiously. The woman's face turned pale and her eyes began to tear up. She turned towards her daughter trying to think of what to say. "Mummy! Watch out!," the daughter exclaimed. The mother grasped the steering wheel as the car careened out of control desperately trying to gain control. After a futile effort of wrestling with the steering wheel the vehicle began to flip. The mothers face slammed against the glass window before hitting the steering wheel while the young girl rolled around listlessly in the backseat. After rolling several times the vehicle came to rest on it's side. With a small flicker of her eyelids the young girl squinted through the intense bright light. Raising her arm up over her face to shield her eyes slightly so that she could better see. The girl smiled and whispered, "Oh, hi, daddy."