Cry for me

8. MY mother

Flashback:

I cried when my dad said that he would be leaving us to join the air force. He had always dreamed of protecting the country. I was 10 when he used my sister's sixth birthday to reveal that he was leaving us. My father hugged me and my sister close to him and over his shoulder, I could see my mommy's eyes darken. A wicked smile formed on her face and I knew we were going to pay for my father's choices.

Lilly barked at us and jumped up and down in excitement. The little puppy was a gift for my sister Samar's birthday and to try and ease the weight of the bad news. My father let go of us and Samar ran to play with her dog. My mother's wicked smile was replaced by a softer one as she whispered that she would take care of us. The double meaning going right over his head. He left for the army to protect his country, but he couldn't even protect his own family.

_

My mother no longer had to hold back. Samar could thankfully still go to school, but I was home-schooled. My mother was a science teacher in Highschool, but she was also my teacher who wasn't as forgiving with mistakes as one would assume.

''You were a mistake and the only one that still gives a shit about you is Samar.''

I could feel the anger coming off her in waves.

''I'm sure we can change that.''

Samar loved her puppy and played with it outside because dogs couldn't come inside. That's why mother didn't let me in either. The dog and I would always be in the garden, which was shielded so no one could look into it.

''As long as Lilly's alive you're not allowed inside.''

-

I was starving, cold, sad and lonely. The dog bed was now mine, seeing as mother now only let one dog inside. It was the middle of December and the weather was merciless. I dreamed of the warm shower that I got to take once every week. Mother showed me the room that used to be mine before father left. It would be mine. I would be able to shower every day! I didn't want to hurt the pup, but I didn't have much of a choice. Mother had let Lilly outside when my sister left for school. I didn't want her to suffer a lot and I didn't know how to do it, so I grabbed the dog bed that was now mine and placed it on top of little Lilly and sat on it, tears streaming down my face as I heard the little barks and pleads but I didn't get up until Lilly no longer struggled.

I hadn't heard anything for a while and when I opened my eyes, I saw mother staring at me with a smirk on her face.

Behind her was Samar, her eyes searching for Lilly until they fell on me in shock.

I had won a spot in the house that day, but I lost the love of my sister. She was terrified of me as she ran into the arms of our mother not knowing that Mother was the real monster.

-

I was allowed to go to school after I killed my neighbour's dogs. She quickly got sick of torturing animals. I didn't have to get tortured in the shed if I helped torture my mother's victims.