Depths of Hell

Chapter 7

Raven is now 11
Popping the pill into my mouth I drowned it out with water. Taking a step back from the bathroom mirror to fully look at myself. I was pale. Badly pale. Looking like I hadn't eaten for 2 weeks. Which some of that was true. Ramona was keeping me in a very strict diet. Telling me it had something to do with me only having 3 years left. I remembered the task. I knew what I had to do. She was teaching me how to knock the guards out. How to kill people. Every little skill on fighting I was learning. Learning every skill she had learned. It was, scary if I'm being completely honest. Every time I looked in the mirror I couldn't recognize myself. I don't know what happened.

I would stare at myself in the mirror for hours, just to see no sign of 8 year old me. The sweet little boy that Brittany loved to play with. The sweet little boy that was just finally getting along with Luna. Everything was ruined every since I started to train. I couldn't stop myself anymore. I don't even know who I am anymore.

"RAVEN! Let's go, training starts in 10 minutes."

"Coming Mom." I called back. Turning my head to stare at myself one last time. I tried to see who I was. Find any recolation of who I used to be. I found nothing.

Turning on my heel, I walked out of the poorly lit bathroom. Heading back into my room to throw my shoes on. I opened the door into my dark room. It was poorly lit cause of where we lived. It was a run down house. Surprisingly we all had our own rooms. Sitting on my bed with my sneakers I started to tie them. My back hitting the headboard. I groaned in annoyance as I finally tied them. I headed downstairs to see Brittany sitting on the couch. Stopping in my tracks I watched her carefully. Until I heard her sniffle. Was she crying? Ramona doesnt like when any of us show emotion. I was about to go over and tell her to shut up before she stopped and stood. Dropping a small picture onto the couch and walking past me. Without looking at me. I tried around and was about to question her but she was gone. Confusion flooded through me as I turned back around. Hearing Ramona honk the horn and turned on my feet quickly. Running out the front door to the car. I got into the passenger seat and we left the house.

The car ride was silent for the most part. Neither of us spoke and all I did was be on my phone, listening to music.

"Do you remember the task?" Ramona asked me, her eyes still on the road. I nodded my head tiredly. She turned to me. A hard look on her face.

"Verbal answer. Please." She hissed. I internally groaned before mumbling.

"Yes." I saw her give me a soft smile. A rare look to her. Turning away I stared out the window. Watching the cars drive by and how fast they drove. Wondering how free those people were. Not having to be tasked with ruining someone's free will. Especially if there the king. I was bitter. Extremely bitter. But I didn't let it show. I'll take out my anger later.

Opening the doors Ramona beckoned me too follow her once again. Hesitantly I complied and walked in after her. It was a dark abandoned studio place. Cold concrete floors and walls. It hadn't been used for some time.

"Where are we?" I asked. This was a different training place then before. She turned on her heel and opened up her arms to me. Presenting the place.

"This is where we will be training." She told me. Not harshly but definerly demanding. I turned towards her again, as I had drifted off into wandering.

"What!?" I shrieked. She raised an eyebrow signaling not to argue. But I spoke before I could stop myself.

"This place is shitty. And won't I get hurt on the concrete floor?" My hand clasped over my mouth quickly. In one Swift movement she came over and slapped me. I fell to the ground, landing painfully on my side. Groaning in pain as I sat up. She stared down at me. Her hands behind her back.

"That's the point. You need to be at your strongest for when you take over the magical kingdom. I looked back up at her, standing quickly. She threw punches left and right as I tried to dodge them.

"Take over!?" I exclaimed. Her eyes met mine as she stopped. Revealing her arms again. She placed her hand in my shoulder. Flipping me around and yanking me to her chest. I gasped as my back hit her body. She held me there in an uncomfortable position. Holding my arm and nearly breaking it.

I cried out.

"When I am queen. I will kill king Tom. While you kill his daughters." Her grip tightened as she leaned closer to my ear.

"Queen Sophie will watch as we take over and eliminate all of her loyal subject and make the world chaos. So yes. You will take over the chaos. I will be queen. When my reign is done. You will be king." She told me, before letting me go and shoving me to the ground. I gasped as the hard ground came into contact with my exposed skin. Clenching my jaw shut I tried to ignore the stabbing pain I felt. Looking back up at her. She was glaring down at me but had a smile with disgust. I was breathing heavily as I stared up at her.

"You need to focus Raven. This needs to work." She hissed at me. Coming straight me again hit this time I swiped my leg under hers, tripping her. She fell onto the ground but easily got up again. We trained like this, for hours. Hours in relentless torture on end. She held me down. Pinned me to the ground. I hurt her a couple times. Got her jaw pretty good. I tried to ignore all the pain I felt in my lower abdomen. Struggling to get up as she kicked me again, her eyes were disgusted. She was disgusted with me.

"Are you mad?" I was able to breath out. Gasping for air as I struggled to sit up. Her cold eyes let mine again as she shook her head, solemnly.

"Just disappointed." She explained before turning on her heel and exiting the room. I clenched my first before pounding it into the ground hard. I was bloody and bruised by the time I dragged myself to the car. She waited for me, crossing her arms in the front seat. She didn't face me. I eyed her suspiciously before turning towards the window. The car still hasn't moved for what felt like forever. Until she turned towards me and grabbed my chin. Forcefully making me look her in the eye. My jaw was forcefully shut as she stared at me with hard eyes. I held my breath.

"You need to be at your fastest. You need to be at your strongest. So what the FUCK was that today!? Huh!?" She yelled at me. Her hand gripping my chin harder. I held back tears or anything that was threatening to spill from my eyes. Her grip became tighter before she threw my backwards. My head hit the window as I sat back up. Not facing her.

"Raven I swear. You are not going to get anywhere in life if you cry like a baby." She hissed at me. The same lecture..over and over again. On repeat in my brain constantly. My eyes searched endlessly for something else to focus on. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything. She spoke on and on the same conversation we have every single time. It filled my brain constantly feeling of her being ashamed of me. Her being disappointed in me. I was never going to be enough for her. I was never going to be enough for anybody. Everyone would look down on me if I kept to is up. I need to try harder. I need to stop caring.

I need to become numb.

If you guys are struggling with abusive parents please reach out to someone. A friend of someone, I know it's not easy to try so someone but trust me, it'll all be okay. It works out for you in the end. You gotta speak up and if that's not enough, sometimes you need to resort to other things but for now that's all you can do. Everything will work out. I love you