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𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪

I remember walking up those stairs the day I turned fifteen. As the other girls continued on down the corridor, Sara pulled me aside into a room with two wooden chairs.

She ordered me to sit down. Fear crawled up my spine as she sat across from me, putting her cane against the wall, laying her red nails across her lap.

For a long time, she didn't speak. With each moment that past I felt as if the room got smaller, closing in on me. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like my lungs were being squeezed. It was so quiet I could almost hear my own blood coursing through my veins, my own racing heartbeat in my chest. I feared Sara could hear it too.

Suddenly, she leaned in closer, and for the first time in my life she spoke softly, though the same harshness was there in her words.

"Considering you have a sister," she started, "I advise you keep this between us." She looked at me, threateningly. A shiver went up my spine and I swallowed, breathing deeply, the sound echoing until Sara became annoyed with it and slapped me. "Will you control yourself, girl!" She commanded.

She leaned back, bringing a leg up to rest over her knee. "What you experience tomorrow, you cannot repeat to your sister, or anyone, do you hear me?"

I nodded, confusion swirling my thoughts.

She grabbed my chin, digging her nails into my skin. "If I hear a single word escape your lips about this, I will hurt you in ways you've never imagined, do you understand? Not a word."

I nodded.

She threw my chin and left the room, locking the door behind her.

It was dark and small. A dim light coming from underneath the door. Fear swelled inside me and spread into every corner of my being. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to breathe quietly, scared Sara could hear me and come back into the room and hurt me again. I felt as if I could hear my own blood, my heart, like I could feel the blood moving inside me.

I heard noises coming from outside the room, soft muffled screams or moans. I wondered what was happening.

I listened, because that was the only thing I could do.

I stared into the darkness, images crossing my vision. Monsters or some kind of person with wide, lidless eyes, staring at me. I couldn't get rid of them. Even when I closed my eyes they were still there.

At some point I started crying. I couldn't escape this figure I had created. It was there, watching me. I couldn't take it anymore and I started beating on the door and screaming for someone to let me out. For a long time, no one ever came.

Finally, the door opened, and I fell to the floor, happy and crying because there was light. Sara jerked me to my feet and slapped me across the face, screaming at me to shut up. She threw me on the floor and left me there, but I didn't care. I had light. I wasn't trapped in that darkened room anymore.