At the age of six, the once life sentence altered into an unknowing death row. A year filled with nothing but fear and confusion, attached to a 13 year warranty of silenced pain.
Maybe one day it will just be a nightmare she'll come out of, wake up from. But reality sets in every time, those dark, sinister eyes burn holes through her.. taunting her, reminding her.
The feeling that seeps through her body never allows her to forget the truth. Every time she sees her mother's eyes, she desperately tries to open her mouth but something stops her.
The disapproving voice interrupts her with nauseating remarks that ink her mind.
Prompting little Mia into not telling her mother, convincing her that no one would believe her. Discouraging her of pondering the idea of blurting it out to anyone, making her believe its even abnormal to think of.
Every night, she replayed those moments through her bewildered, innocent mind. Every night, she'd cry herself to sleep. Releasing her frustration through the waterfall that runs down her red, puffy cheeks.
Wrestling with her mind, feeling trapped in an internal conflict formed as a perpetual maze, consumed by darkness.
Flashback (2009)
"Zia? Zia? Zia?" Milena chanted, jumping up and down.
Maria faces her niece with a loving smile before speaking. "Yes, my love?" Maria crotches down to her level, cupping Milena's right cheek.
"Zia? Can we watch tv in your room?" Milena politely asks her, excitement in her voice.
"Of course, my love. Did Mia give you candy again?" Maria questions, already knowing the answer.
"Uh...." She avoids eye contact, remembering her pinky promise to Mia.
Maria shakes her head in amusement. "Don't worry, sweetheart. It's okay. Go enjoy your show." She stifles a laugh before kissing her on the cheek.
Milena runs out the kitchen before making her way up the stairs. Yelling for Mia and Lucas to follow her to Maria's room. As she enters her aunt's room, she notices Sabrina, her baby sister waking up from her nap.
She sees Mia walking over to her before gently playing with her tiny fingers. Milena walks further into the room, skipping her way to them.
Mia turns around and notices Milena entering the room. She smiles at her and waves her over, indicating to join her.
"Hey, Mimi. What do you wanna do today?" Mia softly asks her, a small smile on her face, excited to spend time with her two favourite cousins, Milena and Sabrina.
"I wanna watch some cartoons. Can you watch with me?" Milena moves closer to her and sits down before pulling silly faces at Sabrina, who giggles while pulling Mia's shirt.
"Si, Mi." Mia responds with a nod, laughing at the faces she makes at Sabrina before gently taking Sabrina onto the floor with her and placing her close to her side.
Milena joins them on the floor before grabbing the remote nearby and switching to her favourite show, sitting close to the television. After what seems like an hour, Luca joins them and sits on the bed above them.
YOU ARE READING
Hostages .
Non-FictionThe realisation hits me: she was behind it all. I was conned by my.... "You caused all of this. You are the problem here. You and that child of yours." She sneers, her voice vibrated with rage. All of a sudden, she starts coughing and spluttering...
