Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Unbridled Pain

—

If you are experiencing abuse, please seek help immediately. Contact emergency services if you are in immediate danger. Consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or a local support service.> ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

"A child like you should have never been born!" The voice of my mothers voice echoed through the halls as I ducked behind a pillar to hide.

I was only 5 then.

The halls glimmered and shone. Every piece of furniture was immaculate, no thanks to my parents who never lifted their hands.

My stomach growled, a hunger growing. It had been days since my last meal. No matter how not lacking in any funds my family was.

She would have continued to search for me back then, but she was suddenly called by my father.

He was a very cold, ruthless man. A temper worse than any in existence. My parents as usual were screaming and arguing. They did so every day even into my teens.

I hid between double doors, peaking through. I did not know why I didn't just ignore them. Little me contemplating if I should intervene.

I started out the door when my father called my mother Satan. I thought "how dare he, that was uncalled for!"

"That was horrible! Didn't you just call her that? Leave her alone! How could you call someone that. That makes you even worse." I said with my inflamed sense of justice.

My mother sat down at her chair in front of her favorite computer and stared down at me coldly "You do not intervene in adult matters Lotus"

"But-" I started, feeling hurt. I just wanted to help. Why was she so mad?

"You will shut your mouth, you do not get mouth off at me! This is not your place. You don't get to interrupt just because you're the successor"

I felt as if being punched in the gut. I wish I could scream and yell that if they didn't want me involved in their fights, they should stop fighting in places where I'm directly between them, by them, with no where to go. This was supposed to be my time normally, until she got ticked at me saying I was mouthing off because I made a joke about math being "algae bra"

Mid day was usually when I would sneak down to get a meal ㅡ if I could. Taking a brief 5 minutes break from the yelling. That's how I wished it was.

I was no normal child, I had never even attended a single day in public school. Which everyone as I grew always told ne how jealous they were that I got to stay home.

They, never had to live within the walls I had.

No amount of glamorous furniture can hide the bitterness of a life where one hasn't even the privilege of enjoying it.

Lately, my father was coming home from 'work' around lunchtime to 'relax' which meant I didn't get to. Not even on weekends.

I didn't even know all the ins and out of what he did for work, for politics. I just knew, it was not good things.

This time they were arguing about my fathers multi month departure to another country on business. I made a joke that I would follow along the plane like a Pixie so wouldn't be left behind, merely to seem as if I would miss him.

Maybe then I had hoped, he would like me. Trying to joke or lighten the mood, give people drawings and tell them I loved them was the only way I had learned to survive there.

However, I oft found myself lacking in any sense of missing the monster who posed as a man. Even as a child, my thoughts were the same.

Only my emotional processing was always overwhelmed. I was very emotional and very angry. I remember watching TV and thinking when the main character finally had an outburst, the parents would listen.

I found that was never to be as I had hoped.

My parents called me over a few hours later before anyone was to depart from the residence. "Be on your BEST behavior, shoulders down and back, speak politely. Remind them who you are" my mothers voice hissed as she gripped my shoulder.

"If you do well, maybe I will let you eat" she cast me a warning glance as if saying if I messed this up, missing food would be the least of my worries.

I gulped, trying to force a smile on my face. "None of that glowering you do" she continued. "I tuaght you to have better manners than this"

"But I am not doing it intentionally, that's just my face" I pleaded her to understand. She just slapped me across my jaw and cheeks "that will be your face if you do not listen" she said as she grabbed me by the hair and dragged me towards the foyer.

She now fixed my hair and brushed it down, she always cared about performances. The perfect family archetype. She glanced over my dress she made me wear when little kid me hated dresses. She smiled at its yellow tone. Fixing my bangs further before someone asked if we were ready.

She nodded and indicated they may open the doors. I saw a woman and a man that may not have resembled my parents much, but a similar powerful aura surrounding them. They were dressed casually. Their imposing nature still shone through.

Behind them I sensed a darkness clinging to their backs, but as I usually did I dismissed it.

The man looking quite relaxed and at ease.

They softly put their hands forward and nudged a little girl into the room. I stared at the girl, she in fact looked quite like me. Like a sister or something, but the same age.

She was dressed in a soft pink simple dress, while mine was both blue and yellow.

She had softer features, blond hair and white streaks in it as if platinum.

We stared at each other for a moment, confused as to what this meant. Before both of us reached out a nervous wave "hi" we said in unison.

We looked at each other shyly.

"Lotus, meet....someone who will be close to you for life" they said.

I turned to her curiosity sparking on my shy demeanor and face. One of my closer friends now popping up behind us. He was the cousin of some girl my age my parents were close with. Some old fashioned ducal house but in modern times it seldom held any pertinent weight.

He grabbed my shoulders and exclaimed as if recognizing the girl.

He bounced around us "Lotus, Lotus! Get your robots you made out. You're going to like her!"