It was hot in the factory were my papa worked. There he was going, with his partner to his station when he heard a scream. His partner, William looked at the way the scream was.

"Probably a child." He said. "Let us go see if we can help."

Papa was worried about being late but went with Will anyways.

It was a child. Crying his eyes out in pain because his arm was stuck in the machine, he was all bloody. It was horrifying. There was so much ugly blood on the boy. There was too much blood. There was no way to save him. And he was about my age, five years old.

I woke up crying, and crying. My stomach hurt and there was a really nasty burn in my throat and I could feel the nasty stuff go up my neck and out my mouth. Mama and papa came in and mama put me on my tummy. Daddy left the room. Mama patted my back keeping my head up as the nasty stuff got out and papa came back with a wet towel, he put it on my head; through out it all they were sweetly whispering I would be okay. When I was done mama rocked me back and forth.

"Shhh, Mary it'll be alright I promise. It'd all be alright." She lulled. "Better better, Mary. Don't worry you'll get better."

"Mama, I had a bad dream."

"What was it, honey cake?" papa asked.

"The boy in papa's job had a lot of lot a blood. And it was ugly very very ugly. And it was so very nasty. And it made my tummy hurt and the nasty stuff come out." I said.

"It'll be okay. It's just a dream and dreams don't happen okay, Mary." said mama.

"Okay."

"Now close your eyes and go to sleep, sweet pea." said papa.

And slowly I went to sleep with mama and papa always at my side.

"Goodnight, honey pie." whispered papa.

~xXx~

Papa didn't look at me when he came home. He looked, hopeless.

"Good evening, honey." said mama, when he came in.

"We need to talk Rose." He said grabbing her by the arm and taking her out of the room.

I didn't think about it; I just sat there and played with my rag doll. It was my only toy I had. And I loved her. Her name's Susie. Her cloth hair was dark red, almost black, and her eyes were green, like mine.

I sighed, a bit board. I wish I had another doll. It could be Susie's best friend. I was thinking. Oh, well. She's my best friend. And I hugged her.

Mama and papa came in they were both frowning now. "What wrong?" I asked not really looking at them.

"Mary, do you remember your bad dream last night?" asked papa in a very hard voice.

I looked up at him. "Yeeeahhh." I said not knowing what was going on.

"You remember you said a boy had a lot of blood?" asked mama.

"Mm-hmm." I said nodding.

"What happened to the boy?" asked papa.

"He-he got dead." I whispered.

"What happen?"

I pointed to my wrist. "This got hurt on the machine, and it got a lot a lot of blood."

"What did the boy look like?" asked mama.

"Uh, he had black hair, and um, blue eyes. He was white."

Why are they asking me soooo many questions. I was thinking getting a little annoyed, really not wanting to talk about that dream.

"Okay." Said mama.

They went back into the hall and talked. This time I listened in.

"We can't lock her up. Number one she is just a child. And two that was probably just by coincidence."

"Okay, Rose but if it happens again… I'm sorry, but she'll have to go."

"Robert, she's my baby."

"Don't you think it hurts me too? It's my family's cures she got. She got it from me. It's my fault."

I didn't understand what they were saying. Just that whatever they were talking about was bad.

Then I heard mama start crying.

"Mama?" I asked getting out of my chair and going into hall. "Mama? Why you crying?"

"Mama just feels bad, Mary. Go play with Susie, sweet cake."

"Okay." I said. I hugged mama first before I went back to Susie. "Better better, mama. Don't worry you'll get better."

"Thank you, Mary."

"I love you, mama."

"I love you, too."

I kissed her cheek and went back to play with Susie.

~xXx~

Her eyes were green, like mine. And her hair was dark brown, like mine. But they were small little curls on the top of her head. There was no way to doubt that she was my little sister, her name was Cynthia. I saw her in a baby pink dress.

That morning, when I got up, after I saw her I told my mama at breakfast.

"Mama, I'm gonna have a little sister! Her names Cynthia and she look just like me."

She looked at me with a blank expression. Then she spoke. "How do you know?"

"I dreamed it."

"Oh, okay. Don't tell papa, okay?"

"Why?"

"'Cause I want it to be a surprise, okay?" she smiled. "When ever you have one of your dreams never tell your papa, okay?"

I smiled. "Okay, mama! I'm gonna be a big sister! Can I hold her?"

"Who?" mama asked.

I sighed. "Cynthia, mama!"

"Oh, well. Yes, Mary. You can carry her."

"Mama?" I asked.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I don't like my name. Cynthia got a pretty name; my name ugly."

"What do you want your name to be?"

"Alice!"

"But that's already your name." she said, picking me up.

"Well, I don't want the 'Mary' part anymore."

"Okay, so just Alice?"

"Yep, just Alice."