The MANSION {Madre's Mansion}

A YEAR;...

More months had passed, more nightmares been had, nostalgia had become a part of me, hair's grown thinner and longer, nails dirtier and stronger, soul broken and darker, liking for Desmond stronger and hope to leave this place deteriorating.

I feel something drop on my face causing my face to move a little. Something drops again and my eyes twitch. Then comes another drop, and another and another, in irritation and disgust, I pull my fingers over the wet areas on my face as I lazily pull my eyes open.

Sleep vanishes from my eyes and they are shot open in wild alert when I see a bowl right above my head. I sit up only to find Madre smiling eerily at me.

I stare closely at the bowl and I see a drop of red liquid escape the bottom of the bowl and land on the sheets of my bed creating a small red circle. I stare at my fingers and see they're smudged with....blood!?.

I take the sheets of the bed and aggressively rub them against my face and the white fabric turns pink.

"Good morning angel," Madre says to me and I jump off the bed in fear. I look over at Gabby and Tori. They both have a look of pity on their faces while Rachel has an indifferent look on hers. Their expressions cause my fear to skyrocket.

"Happy Birthday," she says smiling at me. ~what!?

"Drink," she orders holding out the bowl to me.

"What is that!? " I question in fear of my suspicions being true.

"Its blood. All the children in the mansion contributed blood to create the best gift for you. Once you drink this, you'd fully become one of us. " she says and my heart stops.

~Blood! Of over a hundred kids! She wants me to drink that!? Not only is that cannibalistic, but it's also unhealthy!! I'm not drinking that! I'd rather die than to.

"Drink," she orders again.

"Hell no! " My mouth speaks before my brain could process a response. I see Gabbys eyes widen from the corner of my eye and a smile appears on Tori's face.

"Don't test me dearly. Just drink it." Madre says stepping closer to me with the outstretched bowl.

"Nothing.... would make me drink that"I reply with my hands dancing above the bowl.

"I've watched too many kids put up this show. So let's just skip to the part where you give up and drink!" Madre replies annoyance and impatience heavily laced in her voice.

"in case you haven't noticed; I'm Sonia Smith, not 'too many kids'! " I reply trying to display bravery but I know deep down I'm trembling.

"Drink, Sonia! " Madre screams so loud, it feels the whole female hall shook. Her reaction enhances my fear but I gulp and maintain my posture.

"I won't! " I scream back and this attracts a few gasps and murmurs from the other girls.

"Silence! " Madre screams and the whole room goes pin-drop silent.

"Don't. Make. Me. Force. You. " madre say in a devilish bone-chilling manner. Taking a step towards me with each word.

"You'd have to kill me to get me to drink that. " I reply daringly as I stare into her red pupils which now look as though they house flames.

In the next second, I'm pinned against the wall, madres fingers around my neck, my head tilted, and the blood bowl to my lips. I tighten my lips and made tightens the grip on my neck.

Anger, irritation, pain, resentment, hate, and all the negative emotions I've ever felt suddenly come floating through my veins. I don't know from where the strength came but in the next second, Madre is staggering away holding unto her tummy and the bowl of blood flying across the room. It comes in contact with a wall, causing it to shatter and its content to spill on the ground.

"You!.... "Madre screams as she dashes towards me. I shield my face with my hands and I hear the other girls gasp. After waiting a few seconds, I take a peek at madre only to see her claws in the air as though she is fighting an invisible force that is stopping her from clawing me.

'Dear God, please help me.' I pray in my heart. Madre starts at me with wide eyes and the flames in her eyes come to life. I could practically feel the heat.

Madre growls at me before turning around and exiting the room. I let out a breath of relief I know full well I've been holding. Gabby and Tori walk up to me.

"Girl, are you alright? " Gabby questions taking my hand. The whole hall is suddenly taken up by applause and a few shouts from the other girls and I just look up at them.

"That was some bold ass sh*t sis. " Tori says nodding in acknowledgment

"Who knew the little Disney princess had some balls. " Rachel says walking up to us.

Gabby makes eye contact with me and questions if I'm alright. I don't give a reply cause I honestly don't know the answer to that.

I rush to the clean-up room, take a shower, change my clothes and head out of the mansion. I make it to the lake and I sit on its shore. I draw my knees to my chest and begin to cry.

~it's been a year! A year! I've spent a year here! I'm 20 now. A whole year away from my family. How did time fly so fast!? A year of my life was wasted. God why, why did it have to be me!?

Dad was considering getting me into the Olympics or at least the national level. My sports life was really promising. I missed my modeling tryouts. I missed entrance exams to college. My life went off course in just one year!

"Hey"

"Happy birthday," he says as he sits beside me ignoring the fact that I didn't answer his first greeting.

I look up at him and his smile instantly vanishes.

"It's been a whole year," I say before he gets a chance to question me. He scoffs and throws a stone into the lake.

"I heard the stunt you pulled this morning," he says staring at the lake.

"You hear a lot of things, don't you? " I ask a rhetorical question as I stare at him.

"What were you thinking!? " he questions looking at me as he flicks his finger at my forehead.

"Ouch!" I mutter rubbing my forehead with my fingers.

"I. I don't know, why didn't she just end me!? " I reply in all honesty. ~ I honestly wish she'd just put an end to me instead of putting me through all this.

"Don't sound like a loser. " Desmond replies staring sternly at me.

"Isn't that what I am!? " I scream as I stand to my feet's tears escaping my eyes.

"I've been here a whole year and I couldn't figure out a way to leave! Desmond I am a loser. Why won't she just kill me!? " I scream covering my eyes with my hands as bitter tears escape them.

"She won't kill you cause there's something about you she respects," he says as he stands up and walks over to me.

I don't understand him but I look up at him only to find him right before me.

"I miss home, this time last year, I was being cleaned by my mom in our backyard with a water hose. She was cleaning me cause of the mess my elder brothers made.

I used to say I hate their annoying behavior but I'd give anything to have them pester me again. Desmond I miss home. I might be a big crybaby for admitting this but it's true. " I confess. Tears escaping my eyes.

He makes to speak but doesn't.
"This is the worst birthday. " I say as I turn away and runoff.

This day no longer represents the day I was born, but rather the day I died.

The day I became a part of the mansion.