Violet, The Perfect Doll

Chapter 4: Violets Rules

I awake to the smell of chocolate chip waffles, sausage and bacon, one of my favorite morning smells. I sit up in bed and stretch fairly obnoxiously. I open my eyes to look around, that's when it hits me. I'm still in this prison I'm forced to call home. I get up from the oddly comfortable bed and walk over to the small black vanity to take a look in the dull, plastic mirror. I have slight blue bags forming under my eyes, my hair is a mess, and I don't think there's a hairbrush anywhere around. I bring my wrapped hand into the focus of the mirror, looking at it through the plastic reflection. I jump away from the mirror when I hear the door open, cradling my hand to my chest, instantly remembering the pain. "Goodmorning doll, breakfast is ready" their voice booms through my throbbing head. I take a glance down to my perfectly good hand, to see the old burn scar, I wince. I haven't actually looked at it for a very long time, but what's happening to me now brings me back to the abuse my father put me through, the pain and the memories come flooding back as I ignore the person holding me captive. I was only ten, I had made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He didn't like that, he hated it when I tried to feed myself without permission, he smacked the sandwich from my hands as I went to bite into it, grabbing my right hand and pushing his almost finished lit cigarette into my hand. I screamed as loud as I possibly could, as the sizzling of the cigarette burning my flesh rang through the room. I fell to my knees and begging him to stop, but that only made his grip on my wrist nearly bone crushing and the cigarette to push deeper into my once soft flesh.

"Are you okay?" I feel their arms wrap around me as I snap out of the gruesome memory, that's when I realize I've curled myself into a tight ball on the carpeted floor and was hyperventilating, hot tears stinging my skin. I immediately push them away from me and get up from my fetal position and walk myself to the dining room, taking my same seat from last night. I watch them slowly walk into the room before speaking, "listen you don't have to talk right now, but don't you ever push me away again. There are rules that I will explain after we eat." They state with a sternness that held sadness between the words they said. I give a nod before wiping the tears from my face. They come back with a black plastic plate with two waffles, two sausage sticks, and about four pieces of bacon on it, and set it in front of me at the table with some silverware. "Thank you" I whisper, before eating the food I was presented with.

After we finish eating, they put the plates in the small sink in the kitchen. They sit back across from me and their arms in front of them on the table, crossing them. "Rules, my dear. There are only three, Ready for them?" They question me, lowering their head slightly to line up our eyes. I swallow hard before giving a nod. "Rule one, you must ensure the house is clean at all times, you will not be punished if otherwise, but we will not live in a mess." They begin, taking a small breath before continuing. "Rule two, you must respect me, and treat me with the love I treat you with. Otherwise, you will be punished." They pause for a moment, giving a slight nod to my wrapped hand I've been subconsciously holding onto. Letting me know that this was for breaking that unknown rule. They then continue, "Rule three, you will not leave this house, and you will not attempt to escape. This is our home now, there is no need to leave." He finishes, giving me a look that says, 'do you understand?' I give another nod. "No, you need to use your words" they snap, pulling their arms off the table. "Yes, I understand." I reply back, keeping my eyes on the small scratch on the table. "Oh, and no outside connections, it's too dangerous out there." They add quickly before getting up and heading to wash the dishes. I get up and follow them to the kitchen. "Once your wrist doesn't need a wrap anymore this is your job, doll" they say, giving me a smile from over their shoulder. "May I shower please?" I ask sweetly, as I need to get as far away from them and behind a locked door as possible. "Of course, sweetheart" they say back, while looking at me prior to returning to the dishes.

I quickly grab a change of clothes from the dresser in the bedroom, grabbing a pair of black sweatpants, yellow lace underwear, a sports bra that is somehow my exact size, and a slightly cropped gray shirt. I run into the bathroom as quickly as I can and locked the door just as fast. As far as I'm aware, it's the only lock in the house I can control. I search the few cabinets and drawers in the bathroom, two of which I cannot get into as there is a padlock on them. One cabinet is stocked with perfectly folded towels and washcloths, all different shades of gray. Another had some lotions I used to love in high school, a couple perfumes that were half full, coincidentally these exact perfumes went missing in my senior year of high school, and a few feminine products. I opened up the one drawer that didn't have a lock on it to find two toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and some mouthwash. I slam the drawer shut, aggravated there's not a single thing with a sharp edge to it. I open up the cabinet with the towels and washcloths back up, grabbing one of each and turning the hot water on.