ASCENDANCY [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER EIGHT

A/N: Sorry about posting late (but in my defense it's only been 2 hours over😜)! I'll cut straight to the chase, here's your chapter for the week! Hope you enjoy it!
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Chapter Eight

My hands were raw with blood.

My eyes were sore from my sobs.

My throat was hoarse from my wails.

But my mind was numb, unable to fully comprehend the events which had just unfolded.

One moment I had been sewing a patch onto one of my oldest dresses, the playful shrieks of the other children invading my thoughts.

They were all so happy despite our unfortunate situation.

The youngest ones would pretend that their parents were coming back as we, the elders of the group, knew better. We had accepted that we would forever be a burden and that we would be better off giving up.

"How many times have I told you to stay upstairs!" Father bellowed, his crackling voice sending every one of us into a fright. "Where is Kione?" His voice raised another octave as he walked into the sunroom which only I was allowed into.

I watched silently as he dragged our newcomer, Rachel into the room, her face streaming with tears. I pitied her for I knew her punishment would be quite harsh. I had been there myself.

The whippings.

The entrapment.

The slow, nerve wracking torture.

"She's new, Father. She deserves another chance." I sighed and looked at the poor girl's face. "I'll take responsibility for her."

He gazed at me dubiously, never sure whether I was faking the calm mask I had glued onto my face the moment I had arrived in the hell hole.

He wasn't as disheveled as usual, his beard clipped close to his face and he didn't carry the stench of alcohol.

"Kione," he paused and shoved the girl in my direction. "I do not compromise with punishments; I will place the blame where I see fit." He gestured to the stairs and smirked.

It was all too familiar to me.

Without a word, I wrapped my arms around the girl and guided her through the rest of the other children. I was only fourteen and yet I had taken on the horrendous role of mediator between the orphans and Father.

Both Rachel and I shook with fear, although my own was much more subtle. She was too young to experience such a life based off of hate and abuse. I had seen her before her parents' death, so full of hope and kindness. She was what I used to be and yet there I was contributing to the end of her childhood.

Just we reached Father's door, I squated to her level, wiping my eyes of any stray tears. "Rachel, you mustn't show that you're hurting. Whatever you do, please don't scream." I held her fragile shoulders in my hands, her body barely half of my own. She was barely eleven years old.

I ushered her into the lavish room and sat her in the corner, her whimpering sending knives through my heart. I covered the bed and floor with a thin, plastic lining just as Father entered the room, his eyes agleam.

I quickly disrobed him and stood in the corner, my back to the horrific scene that would eventually unfold.

"Kione, why must you pretend that this bothers you?" He chuckled as his arms wrapped around my waist, his head resting my shoulder. "You were interested in the punishments of the others. What makes this one so different?"

I hated life.

I hated myself.

Because he had been right.

"Perhaps I'm not in the mood." I whispered, hiding my hands in the folds of my dress.

He reminded silent.

I could feel his eyes on me...analyzing me.

I could feel his breath on me...basking in my nervous scent.

I could feel his hands on me...contributing to the disgust I already held for myself.

Then, in a split second he was gone and back again, in his hand, a bottle of his finest whiskey.

He poured some into two glasses and handed one to me, his greedy eyes watching merrily as I drank the foul liquid. To his satisfaction, of course.

He kept pouring more and more until my movements were sluggish and I couldn't make out a decent sentence.

I enjoyed the lack of thought and guilt I felt on a daily basis.

Therefore, I hated myself even more for the relief I felt. It wasn't within my rights to forget about what a failure I was to the people who were dependent on me. I wasn't allowed to forget about the dreams of the future which I held so dear to me.

Father sat me on the bed and gestured for Rachel to come near, her large, green eyes trained on my staggering frame.

"Now, everyone knows the rules which I have bestowed upon this place of worship." He narrowed his eyes as his rubbed his bulging stomach. "What gives you the right to determine whether you are holy enough to enter God's sanctuary? Are you some sort of minister or prophetess sent from God to spread a message?" His voice grew louder and louder, causing a never ceasing ringing in my ears.

"Kione is allowed into that room; I thought we were as well." Rachel mumbled, her eyes brimmed with tears a large as melons. "It won't happen again, I promise."

Father cocked his head to the side and let out a throaty laugh. Although...I couldn't exactly understand the reason.

Before another thought could cross my mind, a knife was in his hand.

No.

No.

This punishment was vastly different.

I shot up, the world spinning for a minute before I latched onto his arm, begging for him to stop. I could faintly hear my words slur together, the turn of events putting my mind at overload.

Within a fraction of a second, I heard Rachel's screams ceased followed by a hot liquid explode on my face.

I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to give into the reality that the little girl's blood would be all around me.

All I saw was red.

Not a conscious thought to control me, I switched to autopilot as I began to clean up, throwing the wads of plastic away and turning to the blood splatter on the carpet.

Father sat on the bed, his beady eyes full of amusement and glee, as I scrubbed the carpet the spappy water in the bucket sloshing around.

My hands were raw with blood.

My eyes were sore from my sobs.

My throat was hoarse from my wails.

"Kione," Father began, his eyes full of self-pity. "I expect more of my wife."
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Did you enjoy it? I tried something different. But I gotta tell you guys that I definitely plan on editing this once it's completed. So if there are so inconsistencies with some of the plot, I apologize. I mean if you think about it, this is my first draft.
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