A Present for Darla

Her hands, in her hoodie pocket, cold and numb, as she walks towards her moms house. The condensation escapes Darlas breath as she shivers her way to the front door. Once she reaches the doorstep, she lifts her fist to start to knock, but her mom opens the door holding a half-empty roll of wrapping paper. Darla jumps. “Oh, Darla!” she said, dropping the wrapping paper, “You startled me!” Darla looks at her mom, “Well, hi mom.” Darla announced. She smiles and walks around her, stepping over the wrapping paper on the ground.

The living room presents a stunning appearance. The green Christmas tree, decorated with fake snow and colorful lights, really adds to the vibe. Additionally, the ornaments contribute to a warm and inviting atmosphere. At the tree, a golden star gleams brightly, reminiscent of a star in a clear blue night sky. "It looks wonderful, wouldn't you agree?" her mother inquires, placing her hand gently on Darla's back as they both gaze at the tree in awe. "Indeed, it is beautiful," Darla responded.

A knock echoed on the door, making Darla jump. “Oh, that’s probably your little sister, Anna,” the mom said, a mix of surprise and happiness in her voice. When the door swung open, Anna greeted, “Hi, mom!” as she hurried over to her. “How are you?” The mom beamed, “I’m doing well, and wow, you’ve grown so much!” Anna turned red and suggested, “Let’s start opening gifts now that everyone’s here.” “That sounds great,” Darla replied.

Beneath the tree, there were a ton of bags and gifts, mostly meant for Anna. Anna is her mom's little girl, even at 17. “Why don’t you go ahead first, Anna, since you’re mom’s favorite,” Darla whispers to her. Anna gives her a look and rolls her eyes before picking up a gift from under the tree. It was wrapped in red and white stripes, just like a candy cane. When she tore it open, her face lit up. “A new phone? Thank you so much!” she shouted with joy.

It was Darla’s turn, and she knew it. “Alright, Darla, your turn.” Anna says. Anna looks for a present with her name written on it. There was a present in the back corner behind the tree. It has Darla's name on it in a red ink pen. The wrapping appeared different from the rest. It was poorly wrapped. The dark green and blue colors had a weird feeling to it, yet she doesn’t know why. There was one thing that stood out the most, there was a big picture in the middle of Darla’s face on it. Not just an ordinary picture, a picture of her sleeping. To top it off, it was wrapped in a red ribbon. “Here you go, Darla.” Darla sighs, scared. She just shrugs it off thinking it’s a prank and starts ripping the wrapping paper. There was a box. When she lifts the lid, she drops it. Darla was in total disbelief, her eyes wide as she gazed inside with a vacant look, feeling both shocked and frightened. A chill ran down her spine as a cold breeze brushed against the back of her neck. She tilts her head up. “Merry Christmas, BITCH.”