"Silly girl!" A tall woman strode into a dimly-lit room, a perpetual scowl on her face and her hand raised high. Her dress was pitch black, blending into the gloomy shadows that blanketed two people.
"You ungrateful rat!" She screeched with malice. With a exaggerated flick of her wrist, she slapped a little girl in front of her right across the cheek.
The disdain in her eyes was plain to see, judging the girl through her thin, needle-like eyes.
Her hand snapped out in a flash, closing in on the little girl's thin and pale wrist. The girl's eyes dilated in fear, pulling her wrist back just in time before the woman's scary hand could touch her.
The little girl bit her lip, her gaze blurring ever so slightly before focusing back on the terrifying figure before her.
A scowl of fury appeared on the tall woman's face as the little girl dared to avoid her hand.
The girl grimaced as the relisation kicked in, hastily bowing to the tall woman, head lowered before her in a show of submission.
"I... I..." She stammered, cold sweat dripping down her brow.
The little girl knew she was in deep trouble.
-
The full moon illuminated the flowers carefully planted in single rows, an errie atmosphere covering the entire street.
A short figure dashed past the beautifully presented flowers, head turning to look at the blooms for a split second before turning away.
Subtly, she disappeared into the darkness. A muffled shout followed right after she vanished into the dense growth, cut off immediately a second after.
A heavy silence followed her wake.
"Huff..." Catching her breath, the figure stopped her mad dash through the densely packed trees. She bent down, her hands on her knees as she gasped for air.
"Not... again..."
Sorrow laced her tone as she collapsed on the ground in a heap, her legs giving way.
Tears fell, dripping down her cheeks and dropping to the damp soil below her. She raised her hands to wipe her cheeks, only to realise her left hand was covered with a dark, sticky substance.
In the gloom, she could not pinpoint exactly what it was, but she had a nagging suspicion.
The mistress, the screeching and unpleasant woman, was very harsh with her today, as expected since she had zoned out more times than she had normally.
Exactly 11 times. 2 in the morning, 8 in the afternoon and once when running, causing her to almost trip and fall flat on her face.
She smelled the familiar smell of roses in a nearby garden and could not help herself but to look at the vibrant shades of red once she had a glimpse.
She would have even stayed for longer if she could, admiring their beauty for hours.
Examining her left arm, she checked for an open wound only to bite back another shout as a searing pain travelled up her arm.
It wasn't the first time she was hurt.