twisted | summary

twisted | chapter 1

" a corrupt world is full of only liars ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀and theives "
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Celia's P.O.V

⠀⠀The light fluttered through my window, casting shadows against my arms and legs, as my blankets and pillows were strewn about. Shifting around, I heaved a sigh, knowing I should get up for the day, yet wanting to stay in bed longer. And, who wouldn't? Laying in bed all day sounded like a great idea, except it didn't appeal to my mother as much as it did to me. I knew that if I stayed for another second she'd bang on my door, and no one, including her, wanted to hear that.
⠀⠀" Cel! " I heard her faint call, echoing throughout our small cottage. I didn't have to wait long to hear the patter of small feet, of all shapes and sizes, approaching my room. Holding my breath, I tensed up, before feeling my bed collapse with all the weight. " Come on, Cel! Momma says to get up! " One of them prodded my cheek, while one of the smaller ones cuddling closer to me. With a giggle, they began to jump on my bed, knowing very well that it irritated me. I groaned, withstanding their jumping and poking for a few more heartbeats before surrendering, pushing my covers back. " Alright, fine. You win. " I broke into a yawn, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
⠀⠀Daisy, the smallest one, flashed me a brilliant smile, dimples prominent in her chubby cheeks. " Yay! Now you can play with us! " She exclaimed, tugging at my sleeve. I ruffled her hair affectionately, " I will, after I do my chores, though. " I told her firmly, standing up out of my bed, trying not to look so crestfallen to leave it. The rowdy one, Alec, stamped his foot, " Chores are stupid, you should just play with us instead. " He said gruffly, or as gruffly as a six-year old could sound. Rose, the copycat, let out a giggle, " Stupid is a funny word, " She mimicked her older brother, and soon, all of them were tasting the word, testing it out on their tongues. Danny, the sensible one, frowned a bit, " Momma says we shouldn't say that..." He protested, but was drowned out by his siblings. He shot me a pleading look, and I gave him a nod, raising my voice, " Danny's right, it is a bad word. And anyone who says it, will eat with the chickens, " I said sternly, crossing my arms. They all formed solemn expressions, knowing I was scolding them. " We're sorry, " They said in unision, and I was about to accept it, until I caught a glimpse of Alec sharing a mischievous grin with Nai. Tugging at their ears, I frowned, " And that means you two, as well, slimeballs. " I scolded, as they mumbled an apology while rubbing their ear.
⠀⠀Satisfied with their reply, I herded the group out of my room, promising I'd see them at breakfast, and that no, I wouldn't forget to play with them later. At times like these I wished bitterly that we didn't have such a huge family, larger than a family should be. Yet, Father always reminded me that families that live in the countryside were large because the amount of labor needed to run a household. Which made sense to me, however, it didn't soothe the twinge of jealousy when I learned that city families only had a maximum of four children. Who knew a family could be that small?
⠀⠀Once I had changed into the usual getup-a cotton dress, knee high boots, and jacket- I was wrestling with the laces on my boots when I heard my door slam open. I didn't need to turn around to know who had done it. " Mom says your place looks like shit, so you better clean up! Kai and Mira are coming over. " My snobby ten-year old brother said with a smug, not even caring about the noise he made. Sighing, I ignored him, much to his dismay, as he loved it when I scolded him for his misbehavior. Slinking to his side, Marco, the more sensible twin, briefly glared at his brother before flashing me a small smile, " What Marlo means is that Mother wants the place to look painfully clean for our guests that are coming soon. " He explained quietly, elbowing his brother. Standing up, I ruffled Marlo's hair, " Don't say shit, slimeball, or I'll yank that pretty hair of yours out. " I promised, narrowing my eyes ever so slightly, challenging him to defy me. Naturally, he caved in, grumbling under his breath as he stormed out. Marco watched him leave, before shrugging his shoulders, " Being a twin is hard, isn't it? " He let out a sigh, as I patted his cheek, " I wouldn't know, Mar, " I replied, and we made our way to the kitchen.
⠀⠀I wasn't surprised when I saw the flurry of movement, the kids sweeping and dusting, trying to leave everything spotless. I dodged them and followed the savory smell of Mother's fresh scrambled eggs, already craving breakfast. She noticed me first, flashing a brilliant smile as she cut up fruit. " Cel, I'm sure by now you've heard of our event of the day. " She exclaimed, her soft voice carried over the sizzle of the pan. I nodded, stealing a slice of orange before devouring it quickly, not ashamed of how hungry I was. " Great. When you see your Father, do tell him breakfast is almost ready, won't you? " She suggested, " You know how he is, a nonstop worker, " She scolded, but held affection in her eyes for him. " Alright. " I agreed, and left through the side door, heaving a sigh.
⠀⠀It was times like these where I was tired of living here. I looked towards the North, past the endless forests and mountains, past the river and hills. Small, yet plentiful, buildings scraped the sky, a faint cloud of pollution hovering overhead. " I wonder what it's like..." I mused aloud, a twinge of jealousy bubbling in my chest. I trudged through the pasture, feeling a bit uneasy about the looming forest around us. Mother always told us about the creatures that lived there, waiting for a fresh new body to stumble in; to devour it. She said they had mutated body parts, with multiple eyes and horns; horrid and disgusting. It sounded like something out a nursery tale, and I would've never believe her if I had never witnessed one myself. Yet one can't deny what they've seen with their very eyes.
⠀⠀I remember it clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Mother had sent me outside to do some chores, and warned me not to go near the forest. Being the reckless and mischievous child I was, I ignored her warnings and tiptoed towards the dark, heavily dense, forest. Almost immediately, I heard deep huffs and hoofprints; indescribable noises yet I knew whatever was in there could kill me.