When You Were Young

Molly watched Joseph retreat from view and then looked down at the bodies of Helena and Phyllis. Veronica had killed them. She had killed them with so little thought, as if she were swatting mosquitoes. How could Molly have been so wrong about Veronica all these years?

For three years she had known Veronica. Samantha had raised them as sisters during that time. Although they were the same age, Veronica had always insisted she was the older of them, bossing Molly around like a little sister. I let her, Molly thought. Every time Veronica wanted to do something, no matter how it might get them in trouble, Molly went along.

After Rebecca fell into the Fountain of Youth, Molly latched onto Veronica as her only friend in the world. Veronica, being the same age as her, was the only one who could understand how it felt to be the baby in the community. And because of that, Molly went along with everything Veronica did, too afraid to lose her only friend.

She was never my friend, Molly thought, touching the mud-stained hem of her dress. Veronica had used her, just as she had used David and even Samantha to get what she wanted. Now she would use Joseph to clear away the algae so she could have access to the Fountain of Youth again.

All of this was her fault. She thought back to that moment in the cave when Rebecca tottered on the brink of the fountain. If Molly had only reached out her hand to pull Rebecca-the girl who had raised her from an infant-back from the edge everything would have been different. How could I have let her die? Molly wondered. I was angry with her. I was an angry little girl and I didn't know any better.

This thought did little to comfort her when she again looked down at Helena and Phyllis. They had died because of Molly's grudge against the best mother she could remember. Samantha, Prudence, Wendell, and David were gone too thanks to her. How many more would have to pay for her mistake?

She couldn't let Veronica take Joseph to Seabrooke. She had to stop them somehow, but she was too little to fight Veronica. She needed help.

Molly ran into town, waving her arms and shouting for help. "Oh, look who's back," one of the boys who'd tormented her earlier said. "What's wrong, do you need your diaper changed?"

"Helena and Phyllis are dead and she's going to kill Joseph. You have to help me stop her. Please," Molly said.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Veronica! She killed them."