Lucifer's Effect

three

Bright lights and flashes surrounded Adelaide and her family. The Callahans stood elegantly behind the red ribbon, gleaming silver scissor in Mr. Callahan's hand as everyone waited for the opening of the new amusement park their company had built.

She stood beside her parents, the girl who would give up just about anything to get away from there with a smile plastered on her seemingly flawless face. The smile, however, was forced as she started to feel pain in her legs from standing too long in a pair of Louboutin high heels.

"Welcome everyone to the grand opening of our amusement park. This amusement park would not have been built if it wasn't for the quick thinking of my employees and the hard work of the builders." Mr. Callahan said and with a chuckle he added, "It took a long time to build too, if I must say, and even longer to discuss the ideas for the wonderful rides that appear before you. But here we all are, at the grand opening of this magnificent outcome of a project. This is one of my greatest investments, and I have to confess that I did not do this alone. For that, I thank everyone who helped my share holders and I make this project come to life." Her father nodded his head over to a man in a suit and tie, standing on the sidelines with a body guard right next to him. "Now, may I present to you.." He trailed off, wanting to add more suspense to his speech. "The Manhattan Middle!"

The people clapped and cheered, journalists and photographers flashed their cameras at her father as he cut the rope, successfully opening the park to the citizens of Manhattan.

Her family moved to the side, letting the crowd of people move to the ticket area and buy their way to be able to enter the new amusement park. A smile found its way to Adelaide's face as she watched a little girl, no older than 8 years old, tug at what seems to be her older sister, dragging her to the front, excitement evident on her face.

Breaking her focus, her mother called her over. Complying, she walked towards her.

"Adelaide," she said.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Your new maid, Garah." She motioned to the young girl, who seemed only a few years older than Adelaide herself, wore a maid's uniform and stood firmly behind her mother, her head looking down at the ground. Adelaide recognized the girl as the one who knocked on her door a few days ago, stopping the boy in her room from going any further.

"Good Morning, Ms. Callahan," she spoke softly while she curtsied.

Adelaide smiled at her, thinking of thanking her later on.

"Your Father and I have things to do, stay around the area with your maid." Adelaide nodded and was about to say her goodbyes to her mother when she grabbed her wrist, with a little too much force.

"Don't do anything to embarrass our family name, Adelaide. I saw that dreadful bruise on your neck-" Adelaide let out an inaudible gasp only she could hear, her hand involuntarily touching the spot on her neck. "Don't be a whore, Adelaide." With that, her mother left her daughter standing there. Frozen on the spot with what she had said.

"Are you okay, Ms?" Her maid asked. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh turning to the side so she can face her.

"I am, don't worry if my mother or father talk to me like that. They just want me to be a person who can live up to the Callahan name, I just-I just make mistakes time and time again." She told her maid, her voice getting softer with each word she spoke. Staring at the entrance, she crossed her arms over one another.