Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 80

(3rd person POV)

Flashback

"How can this be acceptable, girl?! Look at the stitching! It's missing in places!" Lyra bellowed as she walked over to retrieve a worn down wooden spatula that hung from the cupboard. The young girl cowered away, behind the chair of the small dining table as her eyes trailed the older woman with fear. Her little body shook as the spinster retrieved the spoon and made her way slowly across the cottage, closer to her. She shakily stammered, "I'm sorry! I wasn't meaning to rush it-I swear!"

"You foolish girl! Now you've wasting some of our precious thread! How will we be able to sell your work at the fair this weekend? Do you realise how hard Linota, Irene and I work to earn the materials that will allow us to sell our items?"

The girl shuddered as she eyed the wooden spatula in Lyra's hand. "Please! I didn't mean to, I, I had to work quickly or else I couldn't finish it before-"

"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU? QUANTITY AS WELL AS QUALITY! Who would buy from us if we don't produce the best in the market? Do you want to know why Madam Barns earns more than us? It's because her daughter does a better job than you!"

The girl whimpered and just before Lyra brought the spoon down on her, she screamed, "I'll do better! I'll-"

"SILENCE!" 

With that, wood met flesh and the girl bit her lip hard, as she tried to not give her caretaker the satisfaction of hearing a cry. Of course, nothing could stop the utter agony that seized her tiny body. The pain was almost unbearable for the young 6 year old girl. After Lyra had finished with her, she kicked the girl and roared, "Now back to work! And this time, make the stitching straight, or you would be sent to bed without supper!" 

The girl did as she was told and went back into her corner of the cottage, with tears in her eyes. The blurred vision made it harder for her to concentrate but as her fingers shook over the piece of fabric in her hand, she thought about Linota and Irena. Where were they? Why weren't they back? Maybe they could have stopped Lyra from hitting her. 

The girl looked cautiously up at the spinster who sat at the spindle wheel in the middle of the cottage, with her back turned and spinning vigoriously. She didn't dare ask her when they would return. The other two spinsters knew that Lyra would abuse her, but they didn't do anything. At least, they would show a little bit of sympathy. Yet, it would never really last long. Soon, they would bring up short remarks about how the girl's mother had not wanted her. And that, would forever be ingrained into the mind of the young girl. For years, she would wonder why her mother and father could have possibly abandoned her to live with these horrible women. However, she completely blocked away the thought at the age of ten, when she was ready to take part in the impossible; escape. 

...................

(Daniella's POV)

I woke up and panted as I tried to shake off the image of Lyra before me, with the familiar wooden spatula in hand. My hands immediately flew to my back and pressed down with paranoia. There were no bruises; good. I looked around my room and had to mentally remind myself that I was no longer in Wonderland and that the spinsters had no control of my life. Then, I pulled my sticky sheets closer to me and curled up, still shaken by the nightmare. I wouldn't ever dare explain all the details of growing up in Wonderland to my parents for they would certainly hunt the spinsters down and kill them. Well, father might not, but mother will. No matter how much the thought of them still made me shiver, I couldn't help but feel as if I cannot do anything back to hurt them. It's absurd, considering that I know mother has, well, killed many. Surely adding a few more dead people won't matter. Yet, I can't imagine that ever happening to the spinsters.