"Just stop! Stop!" When I opened my eyes and heard a banging noise, I saw mom's fist hit the table and scream so loudly. "Why do you have to aggravate matters, Arthur? Oh, how I wish we could have a peaceful meal just once! But you're continuously coming up with new ways to ruin us! I'm so tired of this!" She removed Bryon's hold on her shoulders and stood up. Dad also stood up, he looked so offended.
"What are you talking about? I'm likewise sick of trying to understand your children's idiocy, especially your youngest! Is it really my fault that every day that comes to us, he causes us a headache? I tried everything to understand him and even endure his actions, but you can see how he continues to insult me and abuse any chance I give him! And he has the arrogance to threaten me with a knife! If you still have the patience to put up with that demon, well, I don't!"
"Please, son, calm down and consider this sensibly. You can still change your mind about leaving. Even if your apology isn't genuine, you know your father will forgive you and allow you to stay here." When Mildred said that, I dropped my polo shirt on the bed that I should have put in my backpack out of disbelief. I fixed my eyes on her, and she took a fast step away."I apologize if I am interfering in your family matters, but as the person who has cared for and guided you since you were a child, I am deeply concerned about you and what will happen to you once you leave this house. Where are you going to live now? Archer, you're just a kid. You have no idea how horrible and cruel the actual world is, and you are unprepared—""How could I not be prepared, Mildred? I've always seen how horrible the world is since I was born. My father himself showed it to
I agreed to mom's suggestion that I live in Sotour Ville, where her sister, Aunt Agnes, lives. But I informed Mom that I would prefer to stay in the condo and assured her that I would continue my studies and call her daily. I knew Dad was unaware of Mom's choice, but I knew he had a sense that Mom would help me; I just didn't know what his next moves would be to fully destroy my life. But for the time being, I'm focusing on the present.Dad didn't stop me from fleeing or order the guards to stop me; it's as if he made up his mind just like I did. Mom told me that dad had left immediately after our disagreement at dinner. We don't know where he went, but she told me that dad was still enraged. The guards let me out freely, but they did not let me take my car with me since it was dad's order to them."Wait, wait!" I stopped when I heard Bryon's voice. I eve
September 27, 2016I took pain relievers for my headache, yet it still hurts because of my wound. I was also tired of walking, but all of that seemed to evaporate when I arrived at Sierra's house. I looked at my wrist watch and noticed that it was exactly nine o'clock in the evening; there were only a few people on the road, but they all appeared to be chasing the time. People are closing their stores at this time since there is a curfew. It's a good thing no one spotted me wandering in the middle of the curfew. It's as though I'm standing on a dead-end road right now.Sierra has kept the lights in their bakery turned off since Jade left. I looked around and noticed that the stores had already closed and that the owners were heading out, most likely on their way home. Only the streetlight next to Sierra's Bakery illuminates the road. When I turned to look towar
"Are you not confident and don't believe we can get through this together?" was the only question I could ask her as disappointment grew inside of me."No, Archer, it's not like that. I'm merely thinking about actual possibilities rather than being idealistic." I didn't object when she said that. I simply nodded at her remark and gently let go of her, feeling sad and disappointed. I didn't want to force her anymore, but I also didn't want to leave her alone either, so I just stood there wondering about what to do next. I couldn't stay here either since I can't bear the thought of seeing my father again, and I'm also thinking about what Bryon said. He's partly correct; Dad could still consider stabbing me from behind, and he might believe that going for Sierra would satisfy his vengeance on me.Maybe I'm disappointed and upset because I thought and expected her
I was awakened by the sunlight shining directly into my face. As I blinked a few times, I noticed that the window was open, allowing light to enter and strike me directly. I wondered at first why I didn't hear my alarm clock or Mildred's loud voice asking me to get up every time, telling me that I needed to get ready for school. But it wasn't until my gaze was drawn to the wooden ceiling that I realized I wasn't in my room. I sat up slowly and gently rubbed my eyes. I was taken aback when I noticed Sierra, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, beaming at me."Good morning." She said it in a calm tone. My lips curved into a smile. At first, I was a little taken aback by everything, but that feeling has vanished because of her. Maybe it's because I still can't believe I'm standing on my own. I'm still adjusting because I'm not used to anyone not waking me up in the morning or making sure I have everything
I sipped the cup of coffee that Sierra made for me. Because of my excitement, it even burned my tongue a little. For a little moment, she became frustrated with me and even reprimanded me for not blowing it first. I just laughed at her facial reaction because she's so cute when she's angry."You mentioned earlier that you're used to not eating breakfast; why did you train yourself in this sort of way?" I raised my brows at her, indicating that I did not agree with her behavior."At first, I wasn't used to it. When Robert wasn't here yet, Aunt Jade and I always ate together: breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. But when Robert was always here and almost lived here, I began to feel uneasy in his presence because he was always staring at me, so I typically simply shut myself in the room or stayed in the bakeshop. When it was time to eat, I would always reason out
September 28, 2016It's now four o'clock in the afternoon, and I'm on my way home to Sierra's place after completing my transfer paperwork. Mom was present to expedite the process, and the principal had many questions. They even assumed we were going to move out of town, which is why we were in such a hurry to complete my transfer to another school. Mom explained and reasoned that I would be living with my grandfather in the city, and she answered all of their inquiries with such a confident tone and straight face that they all seemed to believe her. Mom just proved to me today that she could be an actress since she is so good at lying and acting that she doesn't seem to be faking it at all. Mom even offered to drive me to where I was staying, but I declined and told her to go home right away because Dad might think of something else if he found out mom wasn't at home or with her friends.
"When are you going to grow and learn, huh? I'm so tired of understanding your antics! Now, look at the outcome of what you did! The video of you losing yourself outside that bakeshop was widely circulated all over Camden and national news, you're the talk of the town, and you even dragged our family! They're making fun of us! Just because of a goddamn girl you're going insane! Dad hit me again with a whip, and all I could do was scream in pain.I'm seated on a chair, my body tied to it, in an empty dark room with only a faint light bulb providing illumination. It's been seven years since I've been here; grandpa was the one who would always drag me down our house's empty dark basement, and who frequently gave me punishment and beatings if I made a mistake or did something he didn't like, especially when it has something about our family being negative to the public. Dad and mom were always at odds re
"Where are we going?!" When the light from the lamp post crossed his eyes, I noticed how dark and horrible they were. I attempted to yank Archer's hand away from me, but he became quite violent."You fucking lied to me! And if you can't love me back, I'm going to get rid of you instead " There was no other man, no stalker, and a man with a face mask. It was just Archer and me. But before that happened, I called Emmy to the Meadowoods Library before Archer ever got close to me. When I asked for help for the third time, I told her that I would go with her since there's someone who's threatening to kill me. Of course, she was concerned.I had the entire plan written down before Archer did. But it was never my intent to drag Amalia under her grave."Calm down, Archer; we can talk this through." He was practically twisting my hands and tried to shove me inside his car while I was in pain. But I needed to buy some time because Amalia hadn't arrived yet."Why should we talk
Everyone in Camden Town knows practically everyone else, including the famous Mayor and his family. As I already stated, I did a great deal of reading and pondering before heading to that location. As a person who grew up in a bizarre and aberrant environment, everything must have a reason, or else your existence will be meaningless. My intention to kill myself was pure when I drowned myself, but after I was awakened, I gradually wanted to restart my life because of Jade and Everson, but my flesh was telling me that living a simple life was never for me. I knew Everson was friends with Archer; while I was going around Camden, I would see them together, and there was a whisper in my ear instructing me to do what I wanted to do. And it was to get close to Archer Leviticus. When I thought about him, I told myself that I needed to see a psychiatrist again since everything about me isn't normal anymore. I want to be good, but I also want to be bad. I started hatin
"Thank God, you're awake!" Jade pulled me back to life when I thought I had sunk to numbness. It was a terrible heartache, and I felt like Jade smashed my dream. I was already so close to dying. I was so enraged by her but something unusual happened to me that day when I witnessed a single tear fall from Jade's eyes. It was as if something struck my heart; it was the first time in years that I thought someone truly cared about me. And the fact that she was a complete stranger made me appreciate her even more. Someone risked her life to save a piece of garbage like me while I was alone in the vastness of the water. That day, I couldn't decide whether to be glad that He had kept me alive or angry because I knew that once I was living, something awful would happen in my life again. But now I already know the answer. Being alive is cruel to me. I didn't deserve to have a second life. It took me a week to finally respond to Jade becau
"She left us." I placed my hand on Amalia's shoulder to stop her from walking. "Let's just face it." I told her once again, and when Amalia eventually stopped, I closed my eyes in relief. She turned to face me, her eyes and entire face scarlet from crying. She knelt on her knees and cried even more, panting for breath. "Let's just say she's in good hands now—" "You can't rest assured! Allison, she's just thirteen!" She yelled at me. I looked around and noticed others stopping to stare in astonishment at us. I knelt down, took her hand, and pulled her up, but she quickly swayed my hands away from her. "How can you be so calm? Our sister has gone missing!" She yelled at me again, looking at me in utter disbelief. It had been a year; one day we woke up, Luisa was gone. I knew it would happen soon because Luisa kept talking about asking for help and what may have occurred to us only if we had gone with our sisters. So, I had the feeling th
"I fucking despise myself!" Amalia sobbed and smacked her head. I took a nervous breath and bit my bottom lip before taking Amalia's hand in mine and embraced her. She sobbed, burying her head in my arms to avoid looking at our sisters, who were being taken by the cops. While Luisa was sitting on the ground hugging her knees avoiding looking at our sisters. I watched them from a distance, hiding behind trees, as they were perplexed and puzzled of what was happening, their eyes wandering around, attempting to find us everywhere while they sobbed. We didn't have a choice but to leave them or turn them over; we didn't have the money to feed them any longer, and we all knew that keeping our younger sisters in our care wouldn't get us anywhere. The proprietor of the previous motel we were in was starting to get suspicious of us, first, we were just a bunch of kids, and he was perplexed as to why we only stayed in a room with one bedroom, and he probably also
Carrie was right the entire time because as I grew older, I learned that mama was more than just the mother figure we all want. She wasn't ordinary; she was above and beyond everyone else. She was observant and had finesse, and she knew how to bend straight lines without getting caught. She knew everything about evil, and she also taught me everything. Like Allison, I took Carrie's advice to gain Mama's trust. It wasn't easy, as she had warned me. I didn't know where to begin since whenever I approached Mama, all I could feel was nervousness, and she was always mad and strict with me. Facing her was like facing Satan himself. And what's worse was I had forgotten that I had once been Allison, and I had simply forgotten how to be like her. Allison, as I recall, was a crybaby who was always afraid but yet did things she was afraid of anyhow. But, as time went by, I grew accustomed to lying and became a professional, just like my mother. I felt like I had inherit
"Why are you crying? You should be happy that mama didn't punish you," Carrie said as she rubbed Allison's shoulder, prompting Allison to glance up at her sister. Carrie was eighteen years old and could live on her own, but their "mama" would never allow her or any of them. Allison sniffed and brushed her tears away, but they still wouldn't stop falling. Her eyes suddenly fell on Carrie's bruises on her bare arms and legs; she had received them just weeks ago when she attempted to flee and seek help from authorities. She was their mama's most trusted child, not just because she was the oldest, but also because she was the best at lying, but now she was just another piece of trash that their mama hid under the basement. "I simply didn't like what I did to Nathalia and her mother," Allison said as she shook her head and sobbed again. Their mother always told them not to cry because it only makes people weak, but Allison was only seven years old and couldn't kee
"Mama, I think what we're doing is wrong." Allison muttered as she looked at her mother, who was putting on her earrings while checking herself in the mirror. Allison's heartbeat raced faster as her mother stopped what she was doin; she already knew her mother was going to chastise her, one of her mother's dislikes are them talking back at her or being against or questioning her actions. She embraced the doll that Nathalia gave her, because she finds comfort in it whenever she is afraid, which she is all the time. Dahlia's mother was dressed in a black long-sleeved dress, scarlet stilettos, and her hair was carefully done into a bun. Her lips were as red as blood, and she was really going for a stunning look since she was going out to dinner with Grace's wealthy friends. Dahlia would never say no to Grace's invitation to an expensive dinner. Dahlia has been acting as Grace's friend for two weeks now. She couldn't help but giggle inside her head at
"Oh my god, thank you so much! This is the finest gift I have ever received in my life! I really love it!" Exclaimed Dahlia, Susie's mother, as she gazed at the embroidered hoop of flowers Grace had made for her. "Oh my! My ears would be clapping," Grace sheepishly said as she shook hands in front of Dahlia, but on the inside, she was ecstatic that Dahlia liked it. "No, honestly, you are really wonderful at this," Dahlia said as she set the embroidery hoop on a vacant chair to her right. "Thank you so much; I learned to embroider from my mother," Grace said, looking at her mother beside her. Grace's mother, Merriam, teased her, saying, "Grace loves delivering her embroideries to her new neighbors, and you would probably know what she would give you when holiday comes. On top of that, she would really spend her day only doing this, no doubt since our house is extremely filled with her works." They all laughed. "Oh, come on!"