A Burden

Water is Thicker than Blood

"Rosella!" My mother shouted at me, a cigarette dangling from her dry crackled lips. The smell was disgusting, and you would think I got used to it. But that was all wrong. I hated the smell because it made me think of her, even in times I didn't want to. Yet, this was her house and she had all authority. My mother might not have admitted it, but she had several mental problems.

"What?" I answered back, my thick black hair falling to my lower back matted into dreads. It needed brushing, but my mother lacked money because she would spend it, feeding her addiction to those tiny pills.

I had no father and whenever I brought up the subject, my mother would drag on about something else. My mother wasn't abusive, but she had this way to get what she wanted.

"Watch that tone!" She replied, her words were like venom. The Portuguese she used, sent chills down my spine. I automatically knew what she was going to do that day. "There are some people who would like to meet you." She announced taking my tiny tan face in her tobacco stained hands.

I hated the smell and jerked away at the touch. She slapped me once, hard. I reeled back at the stinging sensation and looked up at the woman who claimed to be my mother. "They paid extra just for you! If you act up, you know what I have to do." She stated running a hand on her hip, I automatically knew she meant she was going to kill me.

I swallowed extremely hard and got up. "No." I responded. "Go ahead, kill me." I lifted my gaze to meet her's. She seemed surprised by this action and pulled back.

I felt powerful as I felt her stance change. However, it was the stance of my own doom. "Since you like feeling powerful, we will make you feel useless." She smirked and her nasty black teeth showed through her overly bright red lipstick. She jerked me up by my matted hair and threw me in the trunk, giving me no other explanation.

What was she going to do with me? I thought as the trunk door slammed shut hard. I shouldn't have opened my fat mouth. What was I going to do?