"Viviana, what did I say when I picked you up from the orphanage?" The woman was not in the least bit happy with the change of topic. However, she plowed through, "Forget about your life there and just be happy that I took you in. Those children were bones and skin, as you once were. But I thought we put that behind us. No? Who is this Joanne Sterling, your mother that birthed you? They said you were left on the steps when you were an infant so, that couldn't be. However, why did you flunk the exams? I told you and reminded you about how important the entrance exams were in order to secure your spot in high society. Those cannibalistic vultures will only mock you and scorn you for your incompetence, as they see fit."
"Viviana," the woman took my chin into her hand and stared straight into my soul. "They will skin you like a rabbit if they know of any weakness. I need you to understand the weight of what you have just done. They will eat you alive if they know that you failed. And stop with this utterly stupid act, it will not get you out of this punishment young lady. I had to go through a lot of loopholes in order to cover up your exam marks. And dare I say it was no easy task..." a frown line appeared on her forehead.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The old lady returned with a stick in hand.
"Viviana stand up and raise your dress."
I slowly got off the bed and peered at the door. It was left slightly ajar. I felt the aches in my body with every movement I made. My body groaned at me to lie back down but my mind told me to make an escape. It was tempting but I knew that I wouldn't make it far before someone-- or the man from before caught up to me.
'I am stuck with a house full of nutcases, again. Is this what normal is? To be harsh and cold, with only indifference towards abuse?'
The room began to fill with the sound of the wood hitting my calves. Over and over again. A cold shiver washed over me as I felt the beginnings of sweat start to form. The flesh on my calves felt raw with pain. The biting force struck again and again without an inkling of the end. I bit my cheeks to keep from letting out a painful grunt. I will never give anybody satisfaction from my pain.
'Maybe I will be able to just close my eyes and just sleep. Peacefully. Without the disturbance of the cold heartless world.'
'I don't know how I ended up here but Joanne Sterling is surely the culprit. That venomous woman has no gentle bone in her body. Why did I ever call her mother? Why was I so foolish? She threw me away. Like I knew she would.'