All Baby has known in life is pain.
Years spent locked away in an attic to bare the agony of her father's brutal hands.
Family is a concept unknown to her since the moment her mother died when she was only a mere five years old.
Thirteen years sh...
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Sprawled on my tummy across Mama and Papa's living room rug, I nibbled the edge of my locket, the cool metal pressed against my lips while I scribbled the last answers on my homework. The carpet tickled my elbows, and the sunlight painted golden shapes across the page, like secret codes only I could read.
Science was my favorite—easy as breathing, especially when it was about animals. Whenever Eliza picked science for the day, I felt like I was getting a sneak peek into the secret life of the world. Last week, I learned about coral reefs and water pollution. This week was all about meteorology—clouds, storms, the mysterious dance of the seasons.
Autumn was my favorite—when the world glowed gold and orange, and the air turned just crisp enough to make every breath taste new. I liked cloudy days better than sunny ones, when the sky felt heavy with stories, and the whole world seemed to hush, waiting for magic.
I don't like being hot.
Too many terrible things happened when it was hot.
Like when your vision goes all wobbly, the world fuzzes at the edges, and you wake up not knowing how long you've drifted. Or when your mouth feels like it's stuffed with cotton, and sweat clings everywhere like sticky invisible spiderwebs.
Sweat is gross.
Snow was pure magic! You could make angels in the soft white, wear the fluffiest sweaters, and run outside just to see your breath curl like dragon smoke. The best part was the sharp, sweet smell of wood burning in the fireplace, wrapping the whole house in a cozy hug.
I clicked my pen shut and reached over to scratch Artemis behind her silky ear—she grumbled a happy dog sigh and stretched out, heavy and warm against my side, all floppy paws and sleepy tail wags. Zeus was curled up by Papa's feet at the kitchen counter, snoring so quietly he sounded like a tiny, tired dragon.
It was Mama's turn to be on guard today, so I decided to spend the day here instead of my room.
I still wasn't fully comfortable roaming around the mansion.
