Ongoing Cycle

19

[Y/N] wished she could go back to being thankful on this day, however fake it had been years ago. At least she could live through the bliss that existed by the oblivion of youth. At least she wasn't old enough to realize the monsters her parents were. The food fuming deliciously on the table and her cousins just as young as her playing tag with her had covered all of that. She was thankful back then, especially to her parents. She thought she had a family and that she could always count on them. Oh how wrong she was.

      To her parents' credit though, this year's thanksgiving hadn't been as bad as she expected it to be. Currently, as she looked out the car's window in the backseat while she ignored her parents idle conversation in the front, she hoped it would continue that way. She hoped they would use this holiday as an excuse to not bring her down every chance they got.

     Playing with the seatbelt that laid across her chest, she twisted it back and forth as she waited in anticipation. She didn't want to be around her parents anymore. She wanted to get back to going to school. That way, her studies would distract the demons that crawled in her head.

      Whenever school was off for a few days, it made [Y/N] realize that she would have nothing to do. Because school became her priority, her hobby, her life, she could no longer find joy in any other things. She used to love to read books, but even that was pushed away from her. Now, if she tried to open a book up, she'd feel too empty to scan the words that laid on the pages. Instead, her fingers would twitch as she thought about the imaginary homework she needed to do.

     Her parents had stolen her childhood....her teen-hood....maybe they would steal even her adulthood. Maybe they would force her to work somewhere that wouldn't make her happy, or make her marry a man she did not love. Was she really going to watch them rob her life away?

     Before her thoughts could go even more astray, they arrived home. In the dimly lit garage, the car was parked and the family unfastened their seatbelt to climb out of the car. Tiredly pushing herself upward, she stood up and slowly walked into the house after her parents.

      She took off her shoes and entered the living room to see that her parents had finally acknowledge her since they've left aunt Himari's house. Feeling suspicion arising in her as well as anxiety, she stopped in her tracks and looked between the two of them.

     "[Y/N]," her mother said crisply.

     She blinked for a few seconds. She knew it. They wanted something from her...but what? Did she get in trouble for some unknown reason? "Yes, mother?" she asked obediently.

      "You know I absolutely despise my sister, Himari, correct?" the woman pointed out.

      "Yes," she responded. She didn't know where the hell this was going.

      "Where have you've been going to when you excuse yourself from the dining table?"

      "Anywhere. Sometimes I just need a little break so I walk outside for a few minutes or just sit on a couch to check my phone or something," she easily lied.

     "Lies!" her mother barked out. [Y/N]'s eyes widened and her body grew cold in fear. In a split second, before she could register or understand anything, her mother appeared before her. The woman stretched her perfect manicured hand and snatched the girl's [h/c] hair roughly. Her mother pulled on her locks so hard that [Y/N] dropped her jaw to release a silent scream. Tears sprung out at the corner of her eyes while she blindly tried to push the woman's arm away.

     "M-mother....why?" she croaked out, her voice raw in pain. She turned to her father to try and get help. Surely he had to feel somewhat bad for her. It was Thanksgiving after all. "Father?"

     She was wrong. Through her blurry vision of wet droplets, she watched as her father stood there on the sidelines, not once batting an eye at the sight before him. Her arms drooped to her sides hopelessly. She should've known.

      The hair getting tugged much harder than before, this time she could not be silent. She let out a whimper that sounded terribly pitiful when her mother started walking towards the bathroom. She was forced to follow right along the woman to avoid hurting her scalp any further.

      Entering the small bathroom, the claws on her head shoved her down to the floor. She was kneeling right next to bathtub.

      "Remember how I told you a story of a boy who lied everyday? He had to wash his mouth of soap and that rid him of all the sins he made," her mother told her in a sweet tone. The woman then reached down the bathtub and grabbed a piece of soap lying there in the corner. In a swift motion, the lady pushed it through [Y/N]'s lips and the bitter, overwhelming taste bursted into her mouth.

     Her eyes grew large in horror as the poison stayed there in her mouth. She couldn't even spit the damn thing out, for her mother wrapped her hand on her lips. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to wrestle herself from the woman's grip.

     The thing in her mouth was taunting her as its bubbles turned into a puddle that laid in a pool on her tongue. It singed her and it was taking a hold of her. She was going to choke. Her bile and vomit was rising. It was going to be sick mix of soap and the food she was stuffed with an hour ago.

      Her fucking mother finally let go of her mouth. The piece flew out of her mouth and she leaned forward into the bathtub as she gagged repeatedly.

     "You didn't think we'd notice you hanging out with your dear cousin?"