Somniphobia

Chapter 2. Visitors

Aria POV
I put all the groceries away that my mom made me get from the store so I wouldn't get in trouble. I prayed my parents wouldn't find out I came home late.

"M-mom!" I called as I walked downstairs from her bedroom. She wasn't anywhere in the house—it was like she disappeared into thin air. I walked toward the living room to check, but she wasn't there either.

I heard voices coming from the dining room, so I walked there instead.

"M-mommy..." I called as I stepped into the dining room. "M-mo—" I stopped speaking immediately when I realized I had walked into a room full of men.

"What do you want, Aria?" my father asked angrily.

"I c-can't f-find m-mommy..." I explained. My eyes drifted to the two men sitting beside him.

The man on my father's left had blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed friendly but looked irritated about something. The man on the right had dark brown hair and dark, forest-green eyes.

As soon as I looked at him, he stared right back at me with emotionless eyes. Cold shivers shot down my spine. He looked angry—as if he didn't like that I walked into the room.

"Get out, Aria. Can't you see I'm busy?" my father grit out angrily, trying to keep his composure at the same time.

I rushed out of the dining room, breaking eye contact with the mysterious man.

I walked upstairs to my bedroom, giving up on looking for my mother. She clearly left somewhere.

I closed my bedroom door—I wished I could lock it, but I wasn't allowed to. I got on my knees and pulled out my stuffed panda, my coloring book, and the crayons I hid under my dresser.

My mom called me childish for wanting to color or having a stuffed animal. She ripped up every coloring book I ever had except this one.

I lay on my stomach, coloring quietly while I had the chance. I had to be cautious—if she found out about my coloring book or my panda, she would flip out.

I never understood why she hated seeing me color or having a stuffed toy. She never even bought me a toy. I found this panda in the basement and snuck it back into my room when they let me out.

I named him Mr. Tree because he always "ate" bamboo.

"L-look, M-Mr. T-Tree... i-isn't i-it n-nice?" I asked him softly. He couldn't respond, but that was good enough for me. He was all I had. I couldn't talk to my parents—they hated the sound of my voice.

"Aria!" I heard my mother shout.

I shoved my coloring book and crayons under the bed quickly. One crayon rolled toward the door. I scrambled to grab it before she could see—

—but I was too late.

She stepped on my hand as I reached for the crayon. I cried out in pain as she purposely pressed her foot harder into my hand.

"M-mommy, t-that h-hurts..." I cried, trying to push her foot off.

She finally lifted her foot and snatched the crayon from my hand. I waved my hand in the air, trying to ease the pain as my tears kept falling.

"Where did you get this, Aria?" she asked angrily.

"N-no w-where, m-mommy..." I cried.

She grabbed my hair and yanked it hard, pulling me forward. I screamed in pain.

"Where did you get it? Don't lie to me!" she shouted, pulling harder.

"P-please, m-mommy... i-it's m-my l-last o-one..." I begged.