Birthday Wish

It was supposed to be a family get together, a celebration for one of their own. For the Collins family it became something they'd never thought possible or even imagine in their lifetime. One minute they were having a party and the next everything just went black. Mr. and Mrs. Collins, along with their only son, had finally woken from their long naps. Why they were asleep to begin with was the real question that needed answered.

"What, what happened?" Said Mr. Collins, shaking off the cobwebs. "What's going on?"

"Honey," said Mrs. Collins, "are you all right? Where are we?"

"I'm all right. I believe we're still at home. Son, are you all right?"

"Yeah," said the son, "I'm good. Did we just fall asleep? What's going on? Why can't I move?"

Tied to their chairs in duct tape was the reason why neither couldn't move. Their hands and ankles were bound tight, making escape impossible. Mr. Collins tried struggling but he knew he wasn't going anywhere, at least not without his family. Everyone was in the same situation as he was, but he noticed someone was missing from the group.

"Where's Lisa?" He asked. "Where's Lisa? Lisa!"

"Lisa," said Mrs. Collins. "Lisa, are you here? Please answer me."

"Lisa! Where is she?"

"Did something happen to her while we were asleep? Are we being robbed?"

"I don't know. The last thing I remember was Lisa's birthday, and feeling light headed."

"Yes, I remember now, but what happened? Why are we tied up? Lisa! Lisa, honey where are you?"

The thought of not knowing the whereabouts of their own daughter deeply disturbed them. Were they visited by robbers or did something much worse plagued their home? Where was Lisa, and why wasn't she tied up like the rest of them?

"We need to get to a phone," said Mr. Collins.

"How?" Mrs. Collins asked. "We can't even free ourselves let alone reach out for a phone if we wanted to."

"Dad," said Eric, "there's someone in the kitchen."

The noise of drawers slamming shut caught the young man's attention. He couldn't make out who it was inside. All he managed to spot was a single shadow moving about.

"Who is it?" Mr. Collins asked. "Who's in there?"

"I don't know," said Eric. "I can't tell."

"Who's there? What do you want? Where's my daughter?"

"Please don't hurt our little girl," said Mrs. Collins, ready to shed some tears. "Just take whatever you want and go."

"Where the hell is she? I want to know now. Where's my daughter?"

Their questions would soon be answered when Lisa walked out of the kitchen, carrying a long, sharp butcher knife. Everyone was relieved to see her alive and well.

"Lisa," said her father, "thank God. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, daddy," she said. "Nothing for you to worry about."

"Sweetie," said her mom, "what happened? Have we been robbed? We need to call the police."

"Quick, untie us," said her dad.

"Yeah," said Eric, "what are you waiting for?"

Lisa circled around the table where her birthday cake laid with its candles still burning. She looked at her family with a smirk and no intention of doing what her father told her to do. Everybody sat confused over her actions. The birthday girl had things in mind that didn't involve setting her family loose.

"Lisa?" Mr. Collins asked. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

"Lisa," said Mrs. Collins, "talk to us. Did they touch you? Please, answer me."

"Oh, shut up," said Lisa, shocking everyone with her response, especially, dear old mom.

"What? What did you say?"

"You heard me, you old bitch. I'm in charge here and you'll do what I tell you."

"Lisa," said her dad, "I don't know what's going on, but you owe your mother an apology. What's wrong with you?"

The young lady approached her mother, plunging the knife into her thigh. Blood spilled onto the carpeted floor, filling the house with painful screams from her mother's mouth.

"I'm sorry, mommy," said Lisa. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Are you crazy?" Eric asked. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Calm yourself, little brother. Your time will come."

Mrs. Collins wanted to say something, but pain and confusion stood in her way of attempting to communicate with her daughter, possibly knowing what her real agenda was.

"Lisa," she said, with tears in her eyes. "Lisa, why? Why are you doing this?"

"Why?" She answered. "Why? Why don't we start with daddy? Let's find out what dear old dad has to say. Let's just see If he could repent for his sins."

"What are you talking about? You untie us this instant."

"You want to tell her, dad? Huh? Maybe she loved to hear it from me instead."

"Lisa, please, you need help. We'll get you a good shrink and you'll be all right. I promise you."

"Help?" Said Lisa, approaching her dad. "This is therapy, and we're discussing my problem. It all starts with you, daddy."

"I don't know what you mean. Stop this nonsense right now."

"Really? You want to play dumb after all we've been through?"

Lisa stood very close to her father, with the knife glinting against his eye. He thought she was ready to gouge his eye out, make him suffer slowly for whatever wrong doing he may have done.

"Please," said Lisa, "allow me to jog your memory. How about the time you came to my room, night after night while mom was sound asleep? First you had to drug her so she wouldn't hear you grunting while you were fucking me on my own bed."

"That's insane," said her father. "I would never do that."

"Lisa," said her mother, "not this again. We told you it was all in your head. It was a bad dream, that's all."

"Were you there, mom? Did you actually see what really happened all those years ago? All you did was tell me I was crazy and I needed help. Not this time. This time you're going to hear exactly what he has to say. So, daddy what do you have to tell us all?"

"Lisa," said her father, feeling nervous and in fear of his life. "Lisa, don't do this. We can help you. We will do-."

Mr. Collins was cut off once Lisa plunged the knife into his leg. She twisted and turned the weapon before finally removing it from his flesh, creating more bloody stains on the carpeted floor.

"Tell them," said Lisa.

"I don't know what you're-."

Again the knife plunged into his leg.

"Tell them," Lisa said again. "Tell them!"

"Please, don't," said Mr. Collins.

"Tell them! Tell them! Tell them!"

Again and again the knife struck his leg; one deep cut after another. Blood splattered Lisa's face and the dress she picked for this special occasion. She would do it all night unless he spilled his guts to his family and Lisa had plenty of time to spare.

"Stop it!" Mrs. Collins screamed. "You're hurting him!"

"Help!" Eric yelled, hoping someone would hear his cries. "Somebody help us!"

The blood poured out from every wound inflicted, creating a crimson puddle on the carpet. Finally her father gave in to his suffering and told everyone what they needed to know.

"Stop," he begged, "please stop. No more. Please, no more. I'll talk."

"We're all ears," said Lisa, "and don't leave anything out."

"I did it. Honey, I drugged you. I drugged you, and molested our daughter."

"What?" Said Mrs. Collins, too shocked to accept the facts.

"I did it. I was stupid. I am so sorry."

"No. No, that can't be. It's a lie. It's all a lie."

"Afraid not, mother dear," said Lisa, wiping some of the blood off her hand. "Daddy here wasn't getting enough in the bedroom, so I became the next best thing. He figured why spend money on hookers when he can take me for free. That's right, mom the love of your life cheated on you with your own daughter. Your own flesh and blood."

"No," said Mrs. Collins, taking in the harsh reality before her. "Why? How could you do this to me? To our own child?"

"I'm sorry," said Mr. Collins. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Please, forgive me. Please."

Mrs. Collins refused to look at him, let alone listen to what he had to say. She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about all that time behind her back. All those times not believing her own daughter had come back to haunt her.

"Don't worry, daddy," said Lisa, kissing his head. "All is forgiven."

Lisa grabbed his hair and slit his throat wide open. Eric and his mother screamed, fearing for their own safety, looking at the possibility of suffering the same way. Mr. Collins twitched and choked, coughing up blood by the ounces until finally the heart stopped beating and his head bowed down to his chest.

"Oh, my God," said Eric. "You killed him. You killed dad. You fucking killed dad!"

"Weren't you paying attention?" Lisa asked. "That's always your problem, little brother. You never listen to me or felt sorry for me. All you did was betray me."

"You're going to kill me next?"

"No, why would I kill you? Siblings stick together, right? Yeah, you and I are real close, so close you posted my sick story on your web page. You didn't think I read it, did you? You thought you could keep that a secret from me?"

"What is she saying?" Mrs. Collins asked. "Eric, what have you done?"

"It's very simple," Lisa continued, "your little boy told everyone I was nuts. That I made the whole story up about daddy. The E-mails I received everyday were very hateful. They called me a whore, a slut, a fucking cunt. Instead of sticking up for me, you treated me like an outcast. Like a complete stranger. I always had your back, but you didn't have mine and that was painful."

Eric just sat there bursting into tears, expecting any kind of forgiveness for what he'd done.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry, mom. I didn't want to believe her. I loved dad so much I thought she was tearing the family apart. I thought she was a trouble maker, doing drugs and all that. Then when she said those things about dad I wanted to get even. So I told everyone she lied about the whole thing. That she was jealous of me and wanted attention all for herself."

"Eric," said Mrs. Collins. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put you in this mess. Oh, God what have I done?"

"I'm sorry, mom. Lisa, I fucked up. Please, find it in your heart to forgive me. I should have listened to you, and you're right, I should have had your back. I love you, Lisa."

"Thank you, little brother," said Lisa. "Thank you for those heartfelt words. I want you to know...that I forgive you."

"Lisa," said Mrs. Collins, begging her to spare his life. "Don't do this. Not my boy. Please, not my little boy."

As before, Lisa grabbed Eric's hair and slit opened his throat. Once again Mrs. Collins watched another loved one die before her, spilling blood through his throat and bowing his head down to his chest. Mrs. Collins cried like never before. She couldn't believe what was happening all around her. It had to be a dream. It simply had to.

"No!" She cried out. "No! No! No!"

"It's ironic," said Lisa, "the same drug dad used on you is the same one I used tonight. I thought of killing you all in your sleep, but where's the fun in that?"

"Lisa," said Mrs. Collins. "Please, just listen to me. I'm sorry I didn't believe you and I'm sorry for sending you away. I'm your mother and I should have done something."

"You did something, all right. A round trip to the loony bin."

Lisa was committed to Pike's Memorial Asylum. When no one believed her story she thought about suicide. She had ideas about hanging herself on the tree where she used to play on a swing when she was a little girl. Another was slashing her wrists with a razor blade. One day she confronted Eric over the E-mails she received and came close to poke him full of holes with a screwdriver. It was the last straw and Lisa was on the way towards her new home.

Lisa went through hell in her new surroundings; medicine she was forced to swallow, the inmates, and shock treatments. All that time being in straitjackets and rubber rooms, all she could think about was her family treating her like a criminal and having her locked up like an animal. The day she was released, the time came to pay them all back. To finally meet the monster they created.

"That place was wonderful," said Lisa. "Nice food. Nice people. It was so much better than home. At least they listen to what I have to say. Did you know I made a friend in that place? His name is Larry, weird man on the crazy side. One day he told me a little story about the voice of his dead father telling him to kill his own family. He tied them up with rope and slit all their throats during dinner. You could say I learned a lot from him. There wasn't any rope available so I used duct tape instead."

"Lisa," said Mrs. Collins, "I was stupid for not believing you. From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry."

"Don't you ever get tired of repeating yourself? You think sorry is going to fix anything? You think sorry is going to change my life back the way it was? I thought you and I were close. You bought me my first doll. My first bra. First makeup set. First trip to the stylist. We were a team. You always looked out for me until you broke my heart that day. You wanted to disown me after what I told you. I wanted your support and you refused to give it to me. I was alone and scared. I was helpless."

"You think killing us will end the pain we caused? You're only making it worse. Stop this now. Please."

"My pain? The pain left me months ago. I don't feel anything. I don't feel love anymore. All I feel...is emptiness. My whole life is empty. One big empty space."

"I love you, Lisa. I love you with all my heart. I regret what I did to you and I'll regret it 'till the day I die."

"Well, you certainly will."

Mrs. Collins simply gave up. The damage had been done and Lisa would never be her old self again. The last thing she did was close her eyes once Lisa came up behind her, grabbed a handful of hair before gently slitting her throat open.

"You're forgiven," said Lisa, crying while her mother spout blood like a fountain.

Her head went down and all was quiet as before. Lisa was all alone with nothing to do but go through with her next plan of the evening. By now the neighbors have heard the screams but she called nine one one herself.

"Nine one one," said the operator, "what is your emergency?"

"There's been a murder," said Lisa.

"Who's been murdered?"

"My family. The Collins family."

"What happened to them?"

"They were killed by me."

"Did you say you killed them?"

"Yes, I have. I killed them. I killed them all with a big knife. My father, mother, and brother."

Lisa gave the operator her name and address without hesitation. She had no plans in ever running away. Her best bet was to be taken back to the asylum and reunite with her family of inmates, especially, the homicidal ones. Despite the bloody mess on her hands and dress she sat on the couch, waiting patiently for the authorities to arrive. All she did was sit there singing happy birthday to herself.