If you can run away, run now, run fast, and don't let the slithering shadows catch you.
In this reality, we see the perspective of our lives based on the cage we are held captive in; the limited space of the ceiling from the floor to the walls. And the idea of freedom tastes like sweet nectar from Eden. But then not because you can dance around freely means you are at liberty, sometimes we were just too blind to see the invisible boundaries set by societies' manipulating hands.
We are all captives of our own monsters. We are all damsels in distress, waiting for a prince charming in shining armor and white horse. We are all wishing for that fairytale ending to come but happy ever after is but a myth, a farce created by the media to fool the naïve.
Soft yellow lights were reflected from a slightly open door. Voices could be heard from the inside; hushed talking of two elderly men. It was a matter of business and like every business, it concerned nothing more but money. Though it wasn’t just the tangible paper but something an ordinary mind couldn’t possibly comprehend.
"She'll be of age; she needs to learn. Her training should be upped, start it soon," one of the two men stated in a phlegmatic voice. A machine kept beeping somewhere in the room.
"I'll work on it, how 'bout the next auction?" The other one said, the younger one with a steadier voice and healthy breathing.
"When it will be? Two weeks from now, eh?" There was labor in his voice.
"Yes, it'll be exactly on her sixteenth birthday."
"Good, make sure she knows the drill." A coughing fit erupted. "Get out, I need to rest."
"Okay, dad." The man started to leave; his footsteps echoed through the walls.
Panicking, the eavesdropper bumped on a nearby table almost dropping a vase on the floor, if only she was a second slower, she would have. Still clutching the glass ornament, she ran to a corner, hiding from the incoming shadow. Her breathing became ragged with fear, sweat formed intricately on her forehead. She prayed not to get caught.
The girl knew well enough of the training they were talking about. She has been dreading it her whole life and she couldn't do anything to stop it. It was a tradition, done by every past woman in her family. Being an only child and a girl made it worse for her. She was concealed away from the world, raised by domineering men, and ruled with idiosyncratic customs. She was but a mere beautiful robin in a golden cage.
The steps grew quiet along the corridors; the girl made the courage to escape in the direction of her room. She marched without turning to her back.
"Child, where have you been? And you are still dressed up in those clothes!" The chambermaid exclaimed to the gasping girl as she opened her door. Being caught off guard, the vase in her hands shuttered to the floor. The maid immediately kneeled, picking up the glass pieces. "What are you up to, my child?"
"Nothing!" she said, raising her hand in the air. "I u-um, just walking a-around, looking for something, yeah. Why in a hurry Alice?" The girl stammered out; she started undressing as her maid swept down the remains of the vase.
"Your governess is already waiting in the study room, better move faster if you don't want to receive another beating, my child." The maid helped the girl dress fixing her hair so it won't get to her face. The governess wanted the girl to look her best all the time.
"Okay, okay...I need to go now. How do I look, Al?"
The maid appraised the girl with a sly smile. "You look good child; remember to be wary of your actions." The maid tapped the girl's nose; an act of her affection. She was like a daughter to the maid and there was pity in her heart for the life given to both of them.
Nodding, the girl went out and headed to the familiar bricked path. The walls were lighted with candles, emitting soft lights. Though she had lived her entire life in the dingy mansion, it still felt surreal. She wanted it all to be a dream, something she could wake up from but as the red wooden door grew big on her sight with the frowning image of her prim and proper teacher, she couldn't help but cringed.
"Where have you been my dear child? You are always making me wait; you know very well that I don't want my time being wasted. Hasten up now," the governess said, escorting the girl inside the room in a hasty manner.
The girl stopped amid, "I'm sorry, Candice." The girl was trained to smile her sweetest to people, so her lips curved up even though her insides were against it. She hated the governess with a passion; the times spent with her instilling cruelty were nightmares. She wanted to bolt away from her but she was restrained by the voices in her head, giving her forewarning of the consequences it would result. There was no option other than to submit.
"No more nonsense, come here." The governess grabbed the girl's arm, pulling the girl in front of the three men sitting on a black leather couch; faces were hidden behind their masks.
Upon seeing them, the girl's heart went rabid. Though, her exterior remained calm and collected. She was dying to flee but her legs stayed unmoving, cemented on the floor. There was a fine wall that separated the turmoil inside her. She was used to it, used to acting like it was nothing.
"Undress, slowly..." The governess whispered to the girl's ear. The girl reached for the strap of her dress, untying the little ribbons, she let it fall on the ground; exposing her red undergarments to the men in front of her. "Dance..." She maintained eye contact as she started unclasping her brassiere, her hips moved in tune to a silent song in her head. Gone the innocent girl, her inhibitions were washed away as her hands moved to the side of her hips, back bent down, head still raised, she uncovered herself for the three sets of eyes to see.
Her luscious young body exposed, the girl started to close her eyes, palming the curve of her body, giving the men a good show. Right. Left. She swayed without a second thought.
That was her life, her upbringing, her very own damnation.
You should remember, we all create our own misfortunes.The voices of the crowd became a horrific tune in my ears. My heart wouldn't stop galloping, the craziness was going around in my head, running amok. That was it, I was about to get doomed. My short-lived life would be over. If only the auctioneer could forget about my number but it would be a miracle. The event was called for my sake, the initiation before I fully turn into a grown woman, or that was how the men in my family see it-- a mere training. But it was all lies to cover up their imprudent imposts."N
When faced with choices always choose the lesser evil.A minute has passed and the conversation curved into an awkward silence. My voice was caught up somewhere and I was unable to form audible words. The guy not more than thirty with a godlike appearance bought himself a bride and he wasn't being cheap about it. He wasted a big sum of money on purchasing me and my body. The thought would have never crossed my head if not for the fact that I was the one who has been bought. I had no clue of his identity nor anything to do about him. However, he reeked of regal air, something that told me he could get any girl he want
The danger is almost always invisible to your eyes, like the devil hiding behind the shadows of the apple tree."What if I don't want to sign?" I asked in a tepid voice. I was growing afraid of the situation in front of me. It was far from what I was expecting and it slowly planted a seed of doubt for the training I had undergone. What if I fail?Though pain and torture were included in my unusual upbringing there was some weird inclining in the pieces of paper in my hands. The words that were
Reality is your dream, becoming a nightmare."Don't just suck! Play with the darn thing. Give it some love. Feelings! Emotions! That face, fix it right this moment, show that you're enjoying it! My child, how would you please young master with that kind of stoic face?"
Secrets are the daggers we give to others.Two hours. It had been two grueling hours but I haven't uttered a single word to Yulian. I was still flustered from our previous endeavor if you could call it like that; I wasn't sure what had happened--to me at the very least. It was more of an impulse than anything else. I acted out of instinct that I hadn't thought of the repercussions of my undoing. I was new to all this; was I doing it wrong? I had no idea. It was easy to describe myself as an idiot and shameless.Stupid
Soon you’ll realize that happenstance is a greater part of destiny. "Wear your mask." Yulian smiled wryly. I bent my head to the side; bewildered by his request. I had no idea what he was talking about. "There," he said pointing to my hand.I opened the clutch bag Venecia had given me before we left Crestwood Manor. Inside was indeed a mask, a beautiful Colombina with black crested jewels matching the color of my dress. "It's stunning," I beamed admiring the piece of ornament that glinted over the moon creating Kaleido shapes."Let me help you," offered Yulian taking the mask from my hand. He went to my back and clasped each elastic cuff between my ears. "Mi Eliza, just stay within my reach."I turned my back facing two stormy eyes, "I will."He nodded, "Good." There were hesitations in his voice, suggesting he didn't want me to be there. That he was forced to do it. "My family is very eccentric; just don't be afraid of them. I will stay with you the whole time. Trust me, it’ll be ove
You have to remember; you only see what your eyes let you see. And sometimes darkness is your eyes' way of protecting you from all the horrors of the world. It doesn’t take sight alone to see clearly.The tension was lingering in the air and none of us wanted to point it out.It was the blind guiding the blind. Yulian wouldn’t utter a single word and I dropped engaging on my second try. There was this fear in his eyes from the warning he gave me. The kind you see in those who don’t know what was about to happen but expects the worst. He was clearly afraid but as
Real monsters are not the ugly ones with fangs and claws. Real monsters are ordinary people. And that’s the most frightening thing about them.“Please let me out of here. Please!” I cried desperately, pounding my fists on Yulian’s chest but he wouldn’t let me go. His grip only tightened with every hit I make. “I will do anything just get me out of here, I beg you please,” I pleaded endlessly.How? Of all the places he could have been. Why do we need to cross paths?