Losing it All {Poppy Greenslade Oneshot/Flashback}
Oct 3, 2016 9:13:38 GMT -5
Post by kap on Oct 3, 2016 9:13:38 GMT -5
I remember that day all too clearly
1023 words
Poppy Greenslade
The knock on my door that night is all too prominent in my mind, even to this day. I remember being awoken by a fist making contact with the front door of my home. Immediately when I heard it, I shot up in my bed. The grogginess of sleep was still present, but I tried to ignore it as my eyes fell on my clock, reading the time that the hands displayed for me. It was two o'clock in the morning. At that point, I couldn't imagine what would be so important that someone would be knocking my on my door that early. Then, I turned next to me to wake up my husband Harrison. He wasn't there, however, and I couldn't imagine where he was. Perhaps he had gone for a late night walk and locked himself out of the house. Maybe that was who was at the door.
Regardless, I rose from my bed, and headed to the front door. Luckily I had decided to wear a nightgown to bed that night, rather than just my undergarments, as the person at the door was a Peacekeeper. The man in white uniform spoke to me when I opened the door. His voice was its usual sternness that all Peacekeepers seemed to have. He did, however, seem to have the slightest tinge of concern in his voice. Something had to be seriously wrong if a Peacekeeper was showing up at my home, especially so early in the morning.
"Ma'am, would you happen to be Poppy Greenslade?" came the voice from the man in white. I nodded.
"Yes, that would be me." I replied. Any tiredness that had present before had diminished at this point, nowhere to be found. Panic had made its way into my mind instead. I had no idea what was going on. The thing that worried me most in that moment was that something had happened to Harrison or one of the kids.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Greenslade, but I have some bad news for you. It's about your husband." the Peacekeeper began. That was when I began to get even more nervous. Was he okay? Had he been hurt somehow? I was about to speak up and ask what had happened when the Peacekeeper continued.
"Your husband- he's been caught in the act of murder. He-" as soon as this was said, I interrupted the Peacekeeper, which is something I never normally would have done.
"What? That can't be possible! He'd never do that!" I roared. Surely it would wake up the kids, but I didn't care at that particular time. They had to have the wrong man! Harrison would never kill someone. He'd never hurt a soul. I knew that in my heart.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we have a witness, and plenty of evidence. Furthermore, your husband has confessed. He will be taken into the custody of the Capitol and will become an Avox. I'm sorry." the apology from the Peacekeeper almost seemed genuine. Almost. No apology from a Peacekeeper could ever be completely genuine, in my opinion. They worked for the Capitol, and as far as I knew, this man could be the very one to cut out my husband's tongue and ship him off to the Capitol as a slave.
"I have to see him. Bring me to him." I demanded. The Peacekeeper seemed to think for a moment before nodding. I knew I'd be leaving the kids at the house, but I needed to see Harrison.
"Can someone stay here? My children... they're still asleep." I explained, asking for help. I was then told that someone would remain there with the children while I was taken to see my husband.
I was escorted by Peacekeepers to where Harrison was being kept. When I saw him, it really hit me. He had really done it. There was still blood on his clothes and hands, and he had a wild look in his eyes. I'd never seen him that way before in my entire time knowing him. He had always been a sweet, innocent man, but he was different that night. It was the last time I spoke to him, and my voice shook the whole time. He told me why he killed and who he killed, but I still couldn't register it all in my head. It didn't seem right. I knew I'd never forget what happened that night, but I also knew that I'd have to try.
Harrison was no longer the man I once knew. He was no longer the man I once loved. He was a killer, and he'd be punished for it. I continue to wish to this day that all of that had never happened. It changed my life so quickly, and certainly not for the better. Things were quickly spiraling to Hell, and there was nothing I could do to change it. He had ruined his own life, and mine.
The hardest part of the Hell that Harrison had brought me to was explaining it to the children. They were young, but they weren't too young to understand what had happened. It was a terrible thing for me to have to wake them up and tell them, and it seemed that after that, the family was starting to fall apart. Terra had a hard time trusting anyone, and she only wanted to talk to Colton and I. Colton was in tears every night for weeks after the terrible happenings.
If there were one thing I could change about the situation, aside from Harrison killing a man, it would be that it wouldn't effect my children as much as it had. Unfortunately, that wasn't something that I could ever change. Their father- my husband- had killed a man. He claimed it was to protect me. He claimed that the man he killed- our neighbor- was out to get me. Harrison said he was doing it to protect me, but I don't think I can ever believe him after seeing him with that wild look in his eyes. He wanted that kill. He enjoyed it, and his wild eyes and the blood on his hands that he didn't bother to clean up told me that.
Regardless, I rose from my bed, and headed to the front door. Luckily I had decided to wear a nightgown to bed that night, rather than just my undergarments, as the person at the door was a Peacekeeper. The man in white uniform spoke to me when I opened the door. His voice was its usual sternness that all Peacekeepers seemed to have. He did, however, seem to have the slightest tinge of concern in his voice. Something had to be seriously wrong if a Peacekeeper was showing up at my home, especially so early in the morning.
"Ma'am, would you happen to be Poppy Greenslade?" came the voice from the man in white. I nodded.
"Yes, that would be me." I replied. Any tiredness that had present before had diminished at this point, nowhere to be found. Panic had made its way into my mind instead. I had no idea what was going on. The thing that worried me most in that moment was that something had happened to Harrison or one of the kids.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Greenslade, but I have some bad news for you. It's about your husband." the Peacekeeper began. That was when I began to get even more nervous. Was he okay? Had he been hurt somehow? I was about to speak up and ask what had happened when the Peacekeeper continued.
"Your husband- he's been caught in the act of murder. He-" as soon as this was said, I interrupted the Peacekeeper, which is something I never normally would have done.
"What? That can't be possible! He'd never do that!" I roared. Surely it would wake up the kids, but I didn't care at that particular time. They had to have the wrong man! Harrison would never kill someone. He'd never hurt a soul. I knew that in my heart.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we have a witness, and plenty of evidence. Furthermore, your husband has confessed. He will be taken into the custody of the Capitol and will become an Avox. I'm sorry." the apology from the Peacekeeper almost seemed genuine. Almost. No apology from a Peacekeeper could ever be completely genuine, in my opinion. They worked for the Capitol, and as far as I knew, this man could be the very one to cut out my husband's tongue and ship him off to the Capitol as a slave.
"I have to see him. Bring me to him." I demanded. The Peacekeeper seemed to think for a moment before nodding. I knew I'd be leaving the kids at the house, but I needed to see Harrison.
"Can someone stay here? My children... they're still asleep." I explained, asking for help. I was then told that someone would remain there with the children while I was taken to see my husband.
I was escorted by Peacekeepers to where Harrison was being kept. When I saw him, it really hit me. He had really done it. There was still blood on his clothes and hands, and he had a wild look in his eyes. I'd never seen him that way before in my entire time knowing him. He had always been a sweet, innocent man, but he was different that night. It was the last time I spoke to him, and my voice shook the whole time. He told me why he killed and who he killed, but I still couldn't register it all in my head. It didn't seem right. I knew I'd never forget what happened that night, but I also knew that I'd have to try.
Harrison was no longer the man I once knew. He was no longer the man I once loved. He was a killer, and he'd be punished for it. I continue to wish to this day that all of that had never happened. It changed my life so quickly, and certainly not for the better. Things were quickly spiraling to Hell, and there was nothing I could do to change it. He had ruined his own life, and mine.
The hardest part of the Hell that Harrison had brought me to was explaining it to the children. They were young, but they weren't too young to understand what had happened. It was a terrible thing for me to have to wake them up and tell them, and it seemed that after that, the family was starting to fall apart. Terra had a hard time trusting anyone, and she only wanted to talk to Colton and I. Colton was in tears every night for weeks after the terrible happenings.
If there were one thing I could change about the situation, aside from Harrison killing a man, it would be that it wouldn't effect my children as much as it had. Unfortunately, that wasn't something that I could ever change. Their father- my husband- had killed a man. He claimed it was to protect me. He claimed that the man he killed- our neighbor- was out to get me. Harrison said he was doing it to protect me, but I don't think I can ever believe him after seeing him with that wild look in his eyes. He wanted that kill. He enjoyed it, and his wild eyes and the blood on his hands that he didn't bother to clean up told me that.
I wish it would just fade away
