Chapter 7: Red as Scarlet

Adeline was sleeping in the living room on the couch. Her parents did not want to wake her. Dad took the neighbor's place and went after the tree under the roots. The dog had snuck into the yard by now and had begun to dig under the tree as well. This went on for about 15 minutes, dog and man, when the dog began to tug at a dingy piece of cloth that had wrapped around his front tooth.

As the cloth unfurled from the dirt, it seemed to spill out like a gushing wound. It showed a slight amount of red color to it and appeared to be a long fabric of some kind, like a thick ribbon or a sash. Dad pulled at it, thinking the rest of it would come out, but it stopped short. The other end was still stuck under the tree.

He got down on his knees, threw his shovel down, and reached into the dirt with his caked, cracking fingers and pulled away the rubble. There was something attached to the end of the sash. A bundle of some kind made out of the same material. It might have been bright red at some point. He reached in deeper and could feel a cluster of small hard things inside the cloth, like rocks and sticks. He pulled at the bundle and couldn’t get it to come out, it was so intertwined with baby roots and globs of dirt. He wondered if perhaps they had found gold coins or priceless family relics.

He tugged some more at the cloth, which tore fairly easily at this point and began to come apart, snagging on nearby roots and twigs that jutted out of the ground.

“Wait! Don’t pull so hard. Here. Let me try,” said mother. She dove in with delicate precision and worked her bony fingers through the roots and snarls of the tree. Her right arm was up underneath the tree, covered in roots and dirt, all the way up to her shoulder, when she suddenly gasped and worked her arm out. She studied the faces of her guests, said nothing, then plunged her arm back into the tree roots. She made a grimace, dropped her head down to her chest, and sighed. She pulled her arm back out again and said,

“We’re going to need some different tools. We’ve got to get these roots out of the way. I don’t want to harm what’s inside.”

Within 30 minutes, police were at the door. It was growing dark outside, so the lights from their vehicles lit up the street in all directions. Adeline was asleep still. They had transferred her to her bedroom, hoping she would not arouse, and yet hoping she might at the same time.

By now, Adeline’s parents were standing on the sidelines with blankets wrapped around them and coffee mugs in hand. Lights had been set up and aimed directly on the tree. A homicide detective, an archealogist from the neighboring city, and a forensic pathologist were on the job now.

The Channel 4 News had gotten wind of the story and had set up camp in the neighbor’s yard, peering over the fence, and issuing reports of a homicide investigation.

....regarding Scarlett Bradley, a 5-year-old little girl who went missing 13 years ago and was never found. Her mother was hospitalized due to the trauma of her disappearance, and has never recovered. She currently resides at Lakeside Memorial in the long term care facility for delusions of being swallowed by the floor. The description, location, and estimated age of the remains are similar to those of once-missing, Scarlett Bradley. Police have confirmed this is where the Bradley's lived 13 years ago.

...sources say this child's remains have finally been found, and the mother may be reunited with her at last. However, it is uncertain as to whether the information will be immediately disclosed to the mother, as her fragile mental state was brought on by the trauma of this loss.

Mr. Bradley is being contacted as we speak, and we will have updates on that development as soon as they come available.

"If it is indeed their daughter, as we suspect," stated a doctor on site, "Hearing the news of her burial will most certainly cause Mrs. Bradley to relive some of the trauma that caused her to descend to her current state. Worst case scenario, she will retreat even further, beyond repair. Best case scenario, it could help her get in touch with herself again, but it is unclear whether this will be an appropriate route to take."

The news went on for weeks. Rumors about Scarlet Bradley went viral. "Little Red" became known as the little girl who was buried in her own back yard. Mr. Bradley made it clear on several prime time talk shows that he was not the murderer. He showed sincere grief at her passing, and joy for her discovery, as he attempted to deflect any suspicion about him as a child killer. The world was divided on the issue. Some said he was too sweet to be a psychopath. Others said, "Those are the only kind. They hide in plain sight!" His life became a circus performance, when it had previously been quiet and unassuming.

Authorities grew frustrated because the media was tainting any hopes of having a fair trial, if it came to that.

Strangers would stop by the former Bradley house just to take photos of the tree, or invite themselves in for a tour of the yard. The current owners of the house had to set up a new security system and a fence to keep out the impostors. They had to pick Adeline up from school directly or she ran the risk of being followed and harassed on the way to the bus. If anyone was clever enough to see Adeline, they would take pictures of her and obsess about her resemblance to the deceased girl -- even though they looked nothing alike.

Adeline had long since returned to her normal self. She insisted on visiting with the hospitalized mother, “I need to help my friend Sarah get out of the floor,” she would say.

Mrs. Bradley had one very over protective sister with medial power of attorney. She and the psychiatrist had finally made the decision to allow little Adeline the opportunity to have a supervised visit with Sarah. They felt that Adeline’s presence, and her experience, might be able to help Sarah regain her health.

Over a period of months, police and doctors were able to unlock the mystery of the "Bradley" home. The current residents had relocated to a quieter, gated neighborhood, where they could live peacefully. Sarah began to perk up when Adeline would visit, which became a regular thing. The doctors and her parents saw no harm in the visits. Sarah slowly became more herself and was eventually enrolled in therapy. She was able to process and even share parts of what had happened leading up to the death and burial of her only child.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

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