Anti-Academy

Suprise

I wake to the phone ringing today. The strangeness of the phone's ring echoes through the once silent house. Rarely does that phone get used. It's actually only paid for because it's considered part of our utilities that got paid in a cheaper bundle. I'm not even sure what the number is or if it's publicly available.

It stops ringing abruptly and I lay back down in bed with a huge sigh. Listening to the quietness of the house. I feel a shiver run my blood ice cold. Our house feels abandoned. Like the haunted houses that were in the movies my brother loved to make us watch. Its like the silence before the zombie or vengeful ghost comes after you. That's what I feel this morning.

A foreshadowing of something bad except it's not like it can get much worse for me. Why do I feel like I'm on the edge of something horrible... That feeling only makes me jump and shriek with shock as the phone begins to ring once again.

Jumping out of bed I rush down the front stairs to grab the phone. In my rush to prevent it waking Mother I don't realize that I made a fatal mistake until I have the phone up to my ear and look across the room to meet Mother's eyes. 

My breathe freezes in my throat as I realize what I did.

You are not a member of this household, Sang. You'd do well to remember your place and use the servants passages. Or not. Just gives me a reason to extend your punishments.

"..ng...Sang?!? Hello is anyone there?!? No our parents don't have an answering machine or it would have picked up earlier! Max someone did answer. Hello!?! I know someone is there! Sang! Is that you? Say something!!" My sisters voice cuts through my useless panic. There's nothing I can do to change what I did. 

"Yea, Marie it's me! Calm down I had to catch my breath." I close my eyes to try and calm my rapidly beating heart. I feel Mother move past me to sit on the stool across from me at the bar.

"...Sang! Are you even listening to me!?" Marie yells once again grabbing my attention.

"Uh yea...well no I actually missed that. My mind is working really slow right now can you repeat that?" I hear her exaggerated sigh in the background and then a lot of movement.

"Sang?" Hearing Max's deep voice filter through the speaker almost brings me to tears. It's been so long since I've heard his voice. We've been speaking through text more and more. Marie has been the only one to make sure she calls once a week. 

"Max." I reply breathlessly I know he can hear it because he only answers with: "I know, Sang, I know" before we have some peaceful silence.

"Marie and I are like an hour out. We had some business in town to take care of so I called Dad this morning to let him know we'd be by to visit for a week or so. He said to call a head and make sure Mom knew we would be staying at the house. He wouldn't hear of anything else." 

He pauses as though waiting for me to respond but I'm frozen once again in shock. I don't have any clue as to how to respond. I'm so excited about the chance to see them again. However, I have no idea how Mother can go from punishments everyday to nothing for a week or more. The fact that she needs those punishments more than an alcoholic needs a drink terrifies me.

"Sang? Are you still there? We thought you'd be happy? What's going on?"

"I am!! Max, I can't wait to see you and Marie!!! Never doubt it for a second. I just can't believe you've both finally gotten the chance to come home."

"Well we've had a few issues with both our works and it's given us sometime in the neighborhood. I'm really glad I get to see you again too Goldie." Marie's yelling in the background about his driving and I giggle before thinking.

Stunned I look up to find the cold stare of Mother. It's a promise of all the bad things she has planned. But it doesn't hold the same effect that it usually does. Max and Marie are coming home.

"Hey Sang is Mom around? I think it'll go better if she hears it from me that we're almost there and I'd like to ask if there's any errands she needs us to run."

"Sure. She's right here. I will see you soon, Maxis." I quietly hand the phone over to Mother and the transformation is mystifying. I watch as she feigns surprise and watch as it sinks in that my next punishment will be a while in coming.

She pauses in her conversation to tell me to go clean and make sure everything is ready for Max and Marie.

She stays on the phone with him for thirty minutes at least discussing what errands he could do for her before coming here. She gave him a list of groceries that was a mile long. Of course because we have exactly nothing in the house because eating is only a privilege I earn when Dad is home. Which is only at night and sometimes only three times a week.

Still I get a lot accomplished in that short amount of time. The living room and den are both vacuumed and dusted. The entryway, kitchen and dining room are swept and mopped. I have started on the dishes and counter tops when I notice the conversation has ended and turn to look at Mother.

She is standing at the end of the bar that separates the kitchen from the dining room. She has both hands braced on the counter, fists clinched around the edges.

"You ruin everything, you slut!!!" She finally looks at me and the hatred knocks me back. Unconsciously I back up until my back hits the sink. The triumph in her eyes shock me to the core. I gave her exactly what she has wanted for months. A reaction.

Before I can even register everything that's happening she has grabbed my arm and is thrusting me towards the basement stairs. In my shock I try to pull away thinking there's no way she would risk getting caught. In my panic I don't realize how close she's actually pulled me until I'm laying at the bottom of the stairs looking up at her.

"Sang, Sang, Sang. I still have a whole hour before Max and Marie make it to town." Mother states coldly walking down the steps. "That's not even counting the numerous errands that I gave them to run. We still have a while yet before you get your reprieve. I'll make the best of it." She finishes with a cackling laugh that resonates deep in her chest. The joy she is getting from my unfiltered responses...

I've fought for two years to prevent this. I have suffered through everything so quiet and unresponsive. But I don't know how to grab that persona and wield it today. I try. Oh do I try. But with each cut, with each lash, I can't prevent the whimpers, tears or pleas from escaping.

What's worse. Even after she's finished with me and demands that I clean the mess, hide the room's instruments and clean up before our guests arrive. Even though it's one of the most manageable punishments she's ever given me. I feel so very defeated. 

For the first time in a long time I feel self-disgust. I look in her full body mirror she hung for these purposes behind the closet door that hides all her torture devices. She loves when I look at what she's made of my body. The scars she has left. Usually I don't look but today I couldn't stop myself even if I wanted to. She's always been very careful keeping the scaring to a minimum on my forearms, lower legs and face.

Looking at me now. I hate the girl I see. 

I hate her weakness for not breaking free. 

I hate her strength for not allowing others to suffer for her. 

But mostly I hate her... 

because she's me.

I close the door tightly and make sure the lock is firmly in place before I turn for the stairs to go make my sore body presentable.