When you were little, you thought your parents could protect you from anything, I know I did. It was only two years ago when reality woke me up and slapped me in the face. On my thirteenth birthday, I learned my parents couldn't protect me from everything.

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" I don't want chocolate cake, I wanted vanilla cake!" I howled at the top of my lungs. I watched as Mom bit her lip while glancing around at the restaurant, giving apologetic looks.

"Sweetheart, I thought you said you loved chocolate cake," she said while giving me a pleading look to calm down. That only made me even more frustrated.

"I said I hate chocolate! I hate, hate, hate it!" I raised my voice. "Just because Frate is you favorite restaurant doesn't mean you can give me anything chocolate! This is MY birthday not yours! And-" Dad cut me off.

"Now you listen hear young lady, just because your mother accidentally made a little mistake about which cake you like, does NOT mean you can mouth off to her like that." He glared at me, jaw clenched. "Understood?"

"But-" With one glance at his face I decided to drop it. "Understood," I grumbled, crossing my arms, pouting.

"Good now let's get out of here before the storm hits."

The ride home was really uncomfortable. No one spoke, that was until we pulled into the drive. Mom opened up the car door and said to me "When we get into the house, get your pajamas on and go too bed. I don't even want to hear one peep from your room at all tonight.."

I muttered under my breath and made my way to my bedroom. I flopped on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I never had a decent birthday I thought gloomily to myself. When it always seems like everything is going fine, they always ruin it. Always! It wasn't long until I realized how tired I was and only then did I slip my Vans off, rolled over and escaped into the dreaming world. I never thought that it would be my last peaceful sleep that I would have for a while.

Slowly I started to make out the sounds of whispering voices. "Mom, Dad? Get out of my room," I mumbled sleepily.

"I hate to break this to you darling, but we killed your parents not too long ago," a deep voice growled. My eyes shot opened, and I sat straight up.
Three men were gathered around my bed the man wearing the black ski mask was was holding a knife while the other two held a baseball bat. Before I could scream, the one holding the knife suddenly lunged at me, pinning me to my bed. I struggled trying to break free but he was to strong. He raised the knife over his head, the blade glinted in the moonlight streaming through the window before he brought it down into my chest.

Pain exploded through my entire upper body, so bad that I couldn't even see anymore, then I heard a terrible, gut-wrenching scream and realized I was the one who was screaming. Footsteps pounded down the hall. I heard the man swear under his breath as he ran towards the window. I faintly heard the sound of my door opening and the scream my mother let loose before I succumbed to Death's awaiting arms.