Blind to Hope✔️

Chapter Twenty~Flashback

Eight and a half years ago

Sang was in her room, staring at the door, wishing for it to open. It was a horribly sweltering summer, and her room was terribly hot, but mother had told Sang not to leave it under any circumstance. There was no lock on the door preventing her from leaving, but the mental one was nearly overpowering.

It hadn't been hard to follow the rules the first day. Sang was used to being alone, but the second day was when she pressed her ear to the door, listening for sounds of her mother. Then the third day came, and still no one let her out. By that time Sang's stomach was growling and contracting in hunger pains and her mouth was completely dry.

This hadn't been the first time her mother had forgotten about Sang, but this time around, Sang hadn't managed to hide any food beforehand. She was starving and weak.

But mother had said not to leave, and Sang was determined to be a good girl and obey. It was just before midnight on that third day though, that she decided to make a break for it-just to drink some water from the tap in the bathroom right by her door. Then Sang would slip right back into the room and in the morning mother would let her back out again. In Sang's young mind, getting a few sips of water was worth the possibility of getting caught.

Slowly she cracked her door open, her small heart beating too fast under the pressure of the situation. When Sang didn't hear anyone, she opened her door a little bit further-just enough to slip out. Her head brushed the door handle due to her short stunted height.

The bathroom was only four feet away. Sticking to the sides of the walls, Sang silently tip toed over there. The house was completely dark, the windows covered by long drapes, making the shadows appear alive.

Thankful that the bathroom door was open, Sang rushed inside, her eyes only on the sink faucet. She was too small to lean in like adults did, and with her skinny arms she hoisted herself up until her stomach was pressed into the counter. Still trying to be as quiet as possible she cracked the handle out until only a dripping thread of water came out. Overeager she plunged her head forward and lapped up the small trace of water. It soaked into her tongue, and for a few moments there wasn't enough to swallow.

Sang smiled a few moments later, this was easy. She should have done this yesterday when she went into a coughing fit because her throat was so dry. But the sound of the water while euphoric in Sang's ears, also hid the slight sound from behind her.

A large hand grabbed the back of her head and slammed it forward until it hit the bottom of the sink with a loud thunk. The young Sang cried out in pain, her feet kicking out into the air behind.

"What did I tell you?" Mother demanded in a growling voice, "Don't leave your room! I gave you one thing to do and you can't even do that! Are you stupid?"

"Mama," Sang begged, as blood began to sliver down her face from where her head had been smashed into the porcelain sink, "I'm sorry. I was just so thirsty. I'll go back to my room. Please, I'm so sorry."

Sang's mother wasn't satisfied with that though, "No," she said a little too calm, "You're thirsty. You should get something to drink first."

Sang's trembling body relaxed a notch, "Really?" She asked in wonderment, would she really get to drink? Maybe mother did love her.

"Really, you haven't had anything to drink or eat in three days. You deserve some water," her mother affirmed before she pulled the handle to the hot water and let it run out.