Adorning

Prologue

"Get out of bed, you spoiled brat!" Hollered the cigarette beaten voice of Aunt Denise. It was Tuesday, probably. Ever since summer started, I haven't really kept track of time. I rolled over on the stiff air mattress and squinted at the time displayed on my lock screen. 3:54 am. Good old Denise, waking me up before my alarm even bothers going off. "I haven't got all day, dearie!" Denise called again. She always did that, use words like 'dearie' and 'sweetheart' but, she said it in a way so you could depict she wanted to be obeyed.

Reluctantly, I stood from the bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I glanced in the mirror as I came down the stairs into the dining room. Yep, same old me, same old reflection as there is every morning. Aunt Denise was sitting at the table painting her nails a new shade of bluefish black, the color of her heart. Uncle Jeremy sat on the edge of his seat, staring into the other room, probably watching the game. He jumps from his chair and shouts happily, his cereal bowl flies from his hands to God knows where. I hear it clatter against something.

"Jeremy! How careless of you," her green snake eyes avert to me, "Sweetie, would you mind cleaning that up?" She bats her false eyelashes at me until one starts to fall off. She reminds me of that lady, Ms. Hannigan, from the production Annie. A slavedriver. I pick up the pieces of the cereal embroidered bowl and throw them in the trash. The snake isn't done with me yet. "Oh, dearie, you're bleeding." She says as she snatches my wrist.

"It's just a small graze." I say noting the small centimeter of blood dripping down my wrist. Denise raises her eyebrows and pulls me to the sink.

"We can't have you getting that blood all over the carpet, now can we?" She busied herself in pouring dish soap over the cut. She has obviously never had a child of her own. The cut began to sting as Denise scrubbed harder. She looked up at me, probably expecting tears. She sighs heavily when she can't find any pain in my eyes. She unhooks her talon-for-nails from my arm and goes back to her manicure.

"When is departure?" I ask from behind the fridge door. No food, crap, my stomach grumbles and I rub my hand over it to soften the noise.

"So insistent on leaving." Denise smirks. "Ungrateful little b-"

"4:45" Jeremy interrupts. Denise has a habit of swearing, it's one of her many addictions she is trying to get over. Jeremy checks his watch. "You all ready to go, kiddo? We should be leaving here for the airport in about ten minutes."

"Yeah, I just have a few last minute things to pack." I say with a pretend smile, I've gotten pretty good at those. He buys it, and shoos me off to my room. I really am already packed, I don't have much anyways. On my dresser is my plane ticket and a letter addressed to Ms. Clark from my dad, Mr. Clark. He always addresses me as 'Ms.' In his letters so the guys at prison think he's writing to his wife. I never respond to his letters, I should, but I don't for some reason.

I take a look around my room one last time before picking up the letter and stuffing it in my bag. I grab the ticket and run down the stairs. I must have looked somewhat happy to be leaving because as Jeremy drove me out of the driveway, I swear I saw Denise with a look of distaste. Never gonna have to worry about that old snake, ever again. I rushed into the airport after a final hug from Jeremy.

"Don't mess up." He had said but the words following it surprised me, "I love you, bye." Those words echoed in my head all through the plane ride. Sure, I had heard them before, once or twice, but never from him. I should've said I loved him too. I should've stayed back there with him and helped him fight the snake. Oh well, I won't see him ever again, the snake wouldn't allow it. I will miss them.