Beauty in Cinders

CHAPTER 8

Sonya felt cold.

She looked down the long dark corridor and could see the white drapes flowing like ghosts as the wind howled through the windows. Why did everything seem bigger, so much taller? Sonya heard faint crying in one of the bedrooms on the far end. Forcing herself, Sonya quietly made her way down the hall. She shivered and rubbed her little hands up and down her arms.

Little hands?

Sonya noticed her height and realized she was back to being a little girl. Fear filled her heart as she felt herself drawing nearer to the crying. It wasn't before long she recognized the cries belonged to her mother. Screams suddenly erupted and Sonya could hear loud banging in the room ahead of her. Sonya's breath became rapid as her little hand reached for the door knob. Just as she started to open the door, a soft heaviness suddenly filled her other hand. When Sonya looked, she saw a gun had appeared in her hand.

"No," she whispered through tears. "Not again."

Sonya felt herself entering the room and immediately saw a younger version of her mother fighting with her ex-husband Leandro, Sonya and Gina's birth father.

"No," Sonya whispered again before she started to scream. "NO!"

Leandro stopped and turned to look at Sonya. When he started to barge towards her, Sonya raised the gun and immediately started to fire.

"NO!!" Sonya screamed and woke up in her bed. She shot up, realizing it had all been a nightmare. She covered her mouth and looked towards her door, hoping she hadn't woken anyone up. When it seemed like no one would be coming, Sonya lowered her hands and started to cry. "When will it stop?"

Sonya looked around her dark room, the only light coming from the moon shining through the window. If it was all a nightmare, why was she still scared? Sonya's chest felt tight. She reached for her inhaler and took two puffs.

Getting out of bed, Sonya made her way out of her room. She desperately needed a glass of water. Just as she walked down the dark hallway, she felt someone near her. Turning around, Sonya saw Gina standing in the shadows by the doorway of her own room.

"Another nightmare?" Gina asked.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Sony mumbled and wrapped her arms around herself. Gina stepped out of the shadows and went to her sister, hugging her tight.

"No need to be sorry," Gina said and looked at her. "I always thought the nightmares would stop after a while."

"Really? Because I never did," Sonya replied sadly. "When I found out I killed our father I knew I would never be able to forget it. The moment I woke up and saw him lying there in a pool of blood ... I knew that image would always stay burned in my mind – and it has."

Gina frowned, wishing she could do something to help her sister forget that awful night. It was a night Gina remembered all too well. When her mother had told her what Sonya had done, she had wanted to applaud her sister for having had the guts to put an end to all their torment. Unfortunately, the torment only ended for Gina and her mother, for Sonya's only became worse with all the guilt she felt. Sonya's life had become a nightmare while Gina's and Beatrice's became easier. Gina hoped her sister could realize what she'd done was a good thing. Their father spent too many years beating on them and their mother. Gina wished she'd been the one to shoot their father, she probably would have been able to live with it a lot more than Sonya has.

"Where are you going?" Gina asked her.

"To get some water," Sonya said, her brown eyes to the side in thought.