Life Under Death

1

                I shut my bedroom door. Throwing my book bag to the side, I laid on my back and sighed. Another day with everyone. Taking everyone's shit, and smiling as if I'm not bothered by it. I stared at my glo in the dark stars on my ceiling before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. When I opened them again, no longer was I lying in bed, and no longer were there stars. Instead, I sat on a throne and before me a grand room. "Welcome back, M'lady."

                To my side, a peach pale hair girl sat on a smaller chair. Her hair long on one side, but short on the other. One red eye and the other blue. Wearing jester like clothing, she sat with a pillow on her lap. On that pillow, she held a small staff. I reached over and twirled it in my hand. "Hello, Adaline."

                 "Was your day of exception?"

                I laughed at her question. "Me have an exceptional day..." I stood and walked across the grand room, Adaline followed. "That would be an interesting feat. Wouldn't you agree? And what about you, did you have a good day?"

                She skipped ahead of me, twirling. "My day, M'lady? My day is always the same. I wait for you to return here." She suddenly stopped and looked down at her feet.

                "What is it?" I asked.

                "Something weird did happen today. It was almost like someone else was here, but I can't put a finger on it."

                I looked back at her. "Someone else? Do you think I've thought someone new?"

                Adaline shook her head and shrugged.

                I continued to walk ahead of her. "Maybe you were thinking too much. I must go. I will return in the morning."

                Adaline bowed to me as my vision went dark.

                I found myself in my bed again, looking up at the stars. I can hear the jingle of keys, indicating my mom was finally home.

                I grabbed a towel and some clothes before exiting out the room. "Hey, mom." I yelled as I walked past the stair case.

                There wasn't an instant response. Not until after I turned on the shower water, there was a knock at the bathroom door. "Hey, Skiri. Didn't know you were home." She held her phone to her chest, showing she was in a call. Probably with her boss, or maybe a friend.

                Regardless, she'd probably leave tonight, like last night, and the night before. When we both were home, she usually didn't notice me. It wasn't until after dad left, she stopped noticing my existence. I don't think she liked the idea of him giving me more attention than he gave her. She would often sit on the couch, drinking, and just watch dad fill me with attention. Some nights, I would hear them arguing from the living room. I'd slowly open my bedroom door and catch mom storming by me, her face still wet from the tears. She'd push by me, and continue on. A year of that passed, and eventually he couldn't take it anymore.

                They both agreed on a divorce and they went their separate ways. Regardless of obviously not liking me, she denied dad's file for custody claiming she was better suited. Of course, the court agreed, but allowed him to have me on some weekends. If it were up to me at the time, I would have had it the other way. But, here we are, five years later.

                I stood in the running water and looked down at my feet. The steam over ran the room and it was like standing in a cloud. I reached over and slowly turned the knob. For a moment, everything seemed still.

                My mom's laugher interrupted the sill of the silence, bringing me back to my reality. I stepped out, gently placing my foot on the white rug. I wrapped myself in my towel, and pulled my hair from my face. I could still hear my mother's laughter from downstairs, along with other voices I couldn't recognize.

                In a sense, it wasn't fair. She never really allowed me to have friends over from school, but she never actually gave me a reason. At the same time, she would have her friends over at the oddest hours of the night. When I question the fairness, she said it was because "she was an adult, and the owner of the house."

                I pulled myself to my knees and sighed. The shower faucet dripped, slightly splashing me from behind. I pulled myself to my feet and began to dress. After brushing my teeth and pulling my hair into a ponytail, I opened the door slowly. The cold air from the house hit me, and I shivered slightly. I tossed my towel and clothing down the laundry hamper and descended down the stairs to the kitchen.

                Before I hit the bottom of the stairs, I could hear my mother and her friends a lot more clearly. I slowly walked down the rest, waving to the group. Everyone looked at me, including my mother. "I'm just... getting something to snack on. I won't be long."

                Mom nodded to me as I turned my back to them and stepped foot into the kitchen. "I brought back some pizza from work, if you want it, you may have it. It should still be warm." She called after me.

                "Thanks, I'll get that then." I replied with a slight smile.

                It wasn't a moment after I turned the corner, I could hear her friend whisper to her. "I thought you said you didn't have kids? Who's that?"

                "I don't, my old friend is going through some stuff, so I'm watching her daughter for her."

                'didn't have kids'? 'just watching over an old friend's daughter?' I guess that's what she's been feeding to her friends. I held the box in my hand, my face red from humiliation and anger. I bit my lip and tried to slip passed the group without a word. "You're welcome" She yelled to me.

                I turned around and forced a smile. "I'm sorry, thank you, Miss. Dian." I used her first name the same way prison wardens would their prisoners. I guess if she didn't claim me as her child, I wouldn't claim her as my mother.