Scruff Redo

The Basement

Creaks were heard from the floorboards beneath the twelve-year-old's small feet. She flinched before racing up the stairs with a raging amount of speed, just below twenty seconds and she made it out of the patronising darkness.

She heard the click of a light switch being turned on and froze completely, staring at the closed, wooden white door at the end of the hallway. The little girl's ocean blue eyes grew wide with undeniable guilt and fear, her mouth agape and hands trembling. Her skin turned pale however the face and ears were merely close to white, they were a dark shade of red which made it look as if she could explode any minute now.

Scurry, a part of her subconscious yelled.

Stay calm and explain, the other half debated.

Her mind was spiralling with crude thoughts of how her step-parents would taunt her for being up past her curfew. They were strict, causing her to be alert during all times. The twelve-year-old was obedient, though, nobody really knew if that was all there was about her personality. Of course, secretive could be a way to describe her but generally, there was nothing to say about her. Obedient, she herself hated the label. It made her angry sometimes, however, that annoyance couldn't be seen or else she would be put into the basement again.

When she was nine, she still had an older brother who was twelve at the time, one night he stole the keys to the basement and began exploring it with a torch. After that, their step-parents had said that they couldn't control the boy's menacing personality and sent him away. What if she's sent away too? Where would they leave her? She was only twelve, how would she be able to handle anything alone?

"Meredith, is that you?" Her step-mum had asked, loud and clear.

"Meredith," the bedroom door was unlocked and there she was: standing by the door frame in a pink robe with her silky blonde hair tied into a neat bun while fluffy indoor shoes warmed her feet.

She gave Meredith a look of pure disappointment knowing very well that her step-daughter knew all the house rules by now. She had lived with the two adults for three years now. It irritated Josie Luthor more than anything when children didn't listen, she felt like slapping them sometimes but contained herself to keep her angelic persona. According to the Luthors, reputation mattered the most. You must do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd in a wonderful way.

Meredith nodded awfully quick and regretted making any movement right after. Her step-father wasn't seen or heard from so the young girl assumed that he was showering. It was only eight thirty, after all. Josie questioned Meredith about her presence during this time of night, why she wasn't asleep, why she was making unnecessary noises.

The little girl spared no time before answering back calmly. She explained how she was thirsty and went down for a quick drink of water but got frightened after the darkness blanketed around her. As per usual, the lights downstairs would be switched off by the simple controls made from the step-father's phone, however, Meredith didn't know that – she would normally be deep in sleep when this takes place.

"Well, if you really were sleeping you wouldn't feel thirsty. Clearly, you didn't go to bed half an hour ago. Wait here." Her step-mother responded and instructed immediately after Meredith gave an explanation.

Not long after her mother went back into the bedroom, both parents returned. This was a huge sign to the twelve-year-old: one parent, one slap. Two parents, you're going to the basement. Inside her head, Meredith lectured herself – What on Earth was she doing awake in the first place? Why did she have to go downstairs?

Mark Luthor, who also had blond hair, a tall and in shape body and the genuine hatred upon kids, stared down at Meredith with fury burning through his dark brown orbs. She willed for him to just send her down to the basement now, the uneven feelings she received from her step-father's stares scared her more than anything. What if he went mental with power? – Lunatic over the use of abuse? The aftermath of that would be more than just horrifying. Mr. Luthor gave the young girl a vague description about her uselessness that brought down the family before forcing her down the stairs and back into the black area.