In that moment, Patricia loathed herself more than she hated the old woman. The fury clawed at her chest like a beast, wild and violent. She wanted to kill her, truly kill her, even if it meant losing her own life.
"Please!! Take me instead!" Her mother cried out, collapsing to her knees, her voice breaking under the weight of desperation. Patricia's head jerked at the sound.
In the past, her mother would stand still, silent, distant, whenever the whips struck Patricia's skin. And most times, she wasn't even allowed to watch. But this time felt different. This wasn't silent endurance. This felt like a rebellion…however pitiful. It was as if her mother was clawing at something inside of her.
'Oh, if only one of us had power… just one of us… maybe life would be different.' She thought.
