{ 12 } There's A Story In Here Somewhere...

Here's the news out of Ohio today: a 33 year old man in Cleavland allegedly decides to shoot his wife, his sister-in-law, and his three nieces and nephews. He holes himself up in an apartment and shoots himself in the head a few hours later. Injured is a seven year old and left unharmed is the gunman's two month old daughter, who was in the apartment during the shooting.

Why do I bring you such happy news on a Friday? Because every time I hear about some tragedy involving parents and kids, I can't help but think of the child that is still alive. Imagine this baby when she grows up: "Yeah, my dad killed my mom, aunt and cousins, then himself. I guess I'm pretty to lucky to be alive... I think."

That's going to be one messed up kid. But messed up how? I mean, what do child survivors of violent crimes grow up to be? I know, I know; I could look it up in a psych journal, but that's not really what I'm interested in. I'm interested in this from a creative side.

Think about it: will she grow up to be a hard nosed lawyer, fighting for child advocacy or will she grow up to be a junkie? Will she become a secret crime fighter, defending women from abusive husbands or will she become a schizophrenic cat lady? These are the thoughts that run through my writing brain.

Here's what i need from you: leave me some comments on what you think happens to these kids. I don't want typical answers, I want crazy fantasy.

Here are a few more real stories to get you brains going:

• Santa Shooting Rampage; Covina, CA; 2008: eight year old girls opens door to "Santa" who then proceeds to kill eight people and then burn the house down
• Toddler Witness; North Canton, OH; 2007: two year old is found home alone, tells his grandma "Mommy's crying... Mommy's in the rug" and "Mommy broke the table", police find broken furnature, a pool of bleach on the floor and, eventually, the body of the pregnant woman; her married (not to her) baby-daddy (of the toddler and the unborn) is charged
• Can't remember the deatils of this one, but a brother and a sister were kidnappped, the brother was killed and the sister was recovered. I think it was in ID or MT...

Anyway, that's all for now. Leave me some feedback!

My reviews of the YA books I read coming soon!