Happy Birthday!

Shelves lined the walls of the room filled with figures of ballerinas and fairies. The lower shelves covered with children books as well as the thicker books labeled 'Etiquete of Young Ladies' and the such. One wall, the shelves held delicately painted dolls that stared about the room with dead eyes. In one corner was a standing bureau that held a multide of dresses meant for young girls yet each of them tailored towards an older generation. The bottom of the cabinet containing the high laced boots of that 'proper' ladies adorned.

Sitting within the middle was a four poster bed. The wooden beams reaching to the ceiling with only the simplest designs. The size of the bed nearly too much for this room. The blankets heavy and dull in color as it was deep maroon. The shade off setting the brightness of the delicate statutes about the shelves.

Within the center of the bed was a lump hidden amongst the bedding. Slowly as if grasping the notion that the windows within the far wall were straining to allow light within from among the decorations, the lump began to move. A low moan escaping though the sound was barely audible from the thick covers. Eventually tiny fingers snaked out, before pulling down the blankets to reveal the disheveled sleepy eyes of the young girl.

Lily sleepy stared up at the ceiling as she tried to pull her mind from the fog. Not quiet managing to grasp what was going on yet. Still a sparkle above her face caught her attention. Squinting slightly to better see what was sparkling above her bed. Suddenly her face lit up with excitement as she figured out what was the source of the twinkling light.

Hanging above her bed, like a gift from the heavens was the necklace she had seen at the shop yesterday. A simple thread attached to the ceiling was the only thing keeping it up. Lily couldn't believe her eyes, yet she quickly pulled herself from her cocoon to stand upon her bed and pull down the gift.

It was truly a surprise as she was certain her mother wasn't going to give it to her. Yet here it was, within her tiny hands. The stone cold to the touch. Her heart overflowed with joy as she thought of how well her mother had set up this moment for her. Yes her mother had managed to talk her into choosing a doll yesterday from one of the stores. The doll now set upon the window sill staring at her with blank eyes. Giggling with delight, she jumped from the bed to get ready for the day. As she had to surely express her thanks to her mother for the necklace.

It didn't take long for her to change into the dress that had been laid out for the day, as it was a simple blue dress that only had to be pulled over her head. The complicated dress remained in her closet as she would need her mother's help to put that one on, but it wouldn't be till more towards the evening when the party would take place.

Her mother was a social woman and enjoyed throwing parties. Actually that was where most of her mother's attention went most of the time as each party had to be unique and never considered basic. The attention she did give her daughter was to mainly ensure she knew how to properly conduct herself during such events till bedtime where Lily would retire early and allow the adults to have more mature conversations. Lily's birthday party would surely turn into such an event.

Lily didn't mind though as she loved her mother dearly and found the moments where her mother looked at her with disappointment to be the times she regretted the most. Lily's father was most always at work and wouldn't make it back home till well after the times she was asleep. Because of this, Lily was never hungry, nor were they ever short on money. They didn't live extravgent lives or in luxury, but they never without. Actually because of her father's time spent working, her mother was able to ensure a tutor came to the home to teach Lily instead of her having to go a public school, where her mother told her often that uncivilized children went.

As never knowing the life of having others her age around, Lily would only rarely find herself wishing for a playmate. Now she was turning 10 though. Just before the stroke of midnight was when she would be transitioning to the official age of a young lady.

Brushing out her hair before tying it back, Lily glanced in the mirror to admire the necklace hanging from her slender neck. The chain was long enough that it hung down to her stomach but she didn't mind. To her it was perfect. So perfect, she felt it was made just for her.

Leaving her room, she called out into the home for her mother. Only empty silence came back though. Wrinkling her nose in confusion, Lily moved further out of her room and down the hall. Once inside the dining room, she looked around before glancing at the grandfather clock that set in the corner. The time was just after eleven. Confused as to why there was no signs of her mother, she looked around once more.

A small paper finally caught her attention as it lay on the table. Picking it up, she read its contents before smiling. Another change that was coming about since she was growing up. Her mother was trusting her to stay home alone instead of sending her next door to spend time with the smelly old woman that was intended to be her babysitter. Not that she had problems with Mrs. Wilson herself, it was the smell of the apartment and the multitude of animals that the old lady had that bothered Lily. Mrs. Wilson's old smell was not pleasant to the nose either.

Since Lily's mother had gone out to do some last minute shopping, Lily was alone. The note had also mentioned that there was some food left in the oven to stay warm for her. After eating the slices of ham and warm bread, Lily was left to ponder what she would do to stay busy during her time alone.

Some consideration later, she had finally come up with an idea. With some careful effort, Lily moved one of the dining room chairs over to the glass cabinet so she could easily reach the fine dinnerware stacked nicely. They were the special dishes that her mother only used during the more refined parties. Each one was colored a deep blue with gold inlaid patterns along the edges. Taking extra care, she moved one of each of the plates and bowls down to the table. She had also been careful at fetching one of wine glasses that matched the dinnerware. The clear crystal was decorated with gold patterns similar to those on the plates.

Carefully arranging the dishes on the table, Lily sat in the chair, reciting to herself the name of each one as well as their purpose. Delight sparkled in her eyes as she pretended to have fine foods on each and a delicious glass of wine to accompany it just as her mother did. Just as her hands reached across the space to set the bowl back in place, the grandfather clock tolled. The sudden noise startling the young girl. Jerking her hand back, Lily watched in horror as her arm bumped the wine glass. The wine glass trembled on its base before tilting to the side, falling towards the hard wooden floor.

Lily could only cry out as she dove from the table in attempts to catch the crystalware. Her fingers barely missing the fine stem right before it crashed to the ground shattering into pieces. Panic spread through her mind as she pictured her mother's anger at one of her expensive and fine glasses broken. It didn't register in her mind that her body was quickly following the same route to land upon the broken shards.

Pain arched through her body as each piece dug and cut into her tender flesh. In a state of panic, Lily tried to move off the glass, her feet trying to gain footing to stand up. After finding a moment of safe footing, she tried to stand up. Yet as if fate was laughing at her, the hem of her dress had been caught under her foot once more throwing her back to the ground. Her hands not moving fast enough to catch herself, Lily could only scream as she watched the shards of glass moving towards her face.

At that moment her mind in a state of shock blacked out. She wasn't aware of the pressure that pulsed through the room as if the air had its own heartbeat. She didn't even have enough to awareness to tell that the grandfather clock had only just tolled its second chime towards noon. Yet now, there was only stillness as the clock continued to toll.