The cold night air seeped into the narrow alleyway where a small figure huddled against the wall. Yvette's body trembled from the chill, her thin frame barely covered by the ragged cloth she had found earlier that day. Her pale skin, now ghostly in the dim moonlight, was a stark contrast to the dark shadows around her. Only her eyes—crystal pink, glowing faintly—gave her any warmth, though not one soul around her would have dared to approach.
Yvette wasn't sure how long she had been here. She had lost track of time long ago, only knowing that it had been far too long since her mother had visited. Her stomach growled in protest, but there was no food to be found, just the faintest scent of stale bread that drifted from the nearby bakery. The city beyond the alley seemed so distant, yet so close, with the hum of life just beyond reach.
She was used to it by now—the waiting. Her mother, Luciana, would come when she could. But it always felt like a distant dream, one Yvette feared would never come true. She was alone, and yet, she wasn't. She could feel the presence of something, a vague awareness that lingered like a whisper at the back of her mind.
Her eyes flickered to the shadows, and for a brief moment, she imagined seeing figures move between the buildings. But they were gone as quickly as they had appeared, leaving only the cold silence behind. She let out a soft breath and closed her eyes, her mind wandering to thoughts of the past.
.....
Inside the mansion, life went on as usual. Luciana, Yvette's mother, was hard at work once again, her hands moving quickly to polish the intricate carvings on the grand staircase. She had been at this for hours, her back aching from the constant bending, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of her daughter.
The mansion, once a place of dreams and promises, had become a gilded prison. Luciana had forced herself to serve Glenn for her daughter's sake, Glenn the owner of the mansion, was a man obsessed with rare things—objects, people, anything that could be labeled as "unique."
At first, she had been proud of the work, but soon enough, the long hours, the cold indifference, and the growing distance between her and her daughter began to take their toll. She hadn't even been able to check on Yvette for days. She had only left her daughter in the care of the alley, hoping that one day, she would be able to escape the suffocating grip of her life as a servant.
____________
The next day came, and the sun had barely risen when Luciana made her way to the back of the mansion, where she had been given permission to slip away for a moment. It was always a delicate balance, sneaking out to check on Yvette. Glenn didn't like it when she left the property for anything other than errands, but the pull of her daughter's presence was too much to ignore.
She walked down the cobblestone streets quickly, her heart hammering in her chest. Her thoughts were tangled in guilt, fear, and love. When she reached the alley, she stopped at the entrance and peered inside. There, sitting against the wall, was her daughter.
Yvette looked up as she heard footsteps, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Mama," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Luciana smiled faintly, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sorry, Yvette. I didn't mean to be gone so long."
Yvette shuffled closer, reaching up to touch her mother's face. "It's okay," she said, though her voice was thick with sadness. "I'm used to waiting."
The pain in Luciana's chest grew at the words. She had failed her daughter. She had promised her that one day they would leave this life behind, but each passing day made it seem like that promise was slipping further out of reach.
She knelt beside Yvette, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I know, my dear. I know. But I can't stay. I have to go back."
Yvette looked up at her with confusion in her eyes. "But why? Why can't you be with me?"
Luciana paused, the words caught in her throat. She couldn't explain to her daughter that there were things beyond their control, things that held her to this place—things she was powerless against.
"I have to do my duties again, Yvette. You're safe here," she said, trying to reassure the child, though she wasn't sure if she believed it herself.
Yvette's eyes narrowed as she stared at her mother, her tiny hands trembling in her lap. "You keep saying that, but it doesn't feel safe. Why do I have to stay here, Mama? Why can't we go somewhere else?"
Luciana's heart broke, but she couldn't answer the question. There was no way to explain the fear she lived with, the strange power Glenn held over her life. All she could do was kiss her daughter's forehead and say, "I'll come back. I promise."