Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

A metallic taste flooded my mouth as I was slapped.

One. Nothing.

Two. The slightest taste of blood.

Three. Gushing blood.

Four. Everything numb.

I didn’t fight. What could I do? Natalia would just make up a lie, and considering the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Houston barely even trusted me, I would obviously be the one in trouble.

I would just wait for it to be over. It didn’t even hurt anymore. I could tell it annoyed her that I wasn’t even making a sound. Apparently she doesn’t know that I never show any signs of being hurt.

I was on the twelfth slap now. Eight more to go. At this point, I didn’t even care. I would just get this over and done with, so long as the brat didn’t get what she wanted.

Tsk tsk. Who would be shameless enough to insult somebody and then ask them for MONEY, let alone asking for ANYTHING at all!

I closed my eyes as she continued slapping my cheek. I felt the pressure, but nothing more than that.

Soon my cheek stopped being harassed.

She wasn’t done, however, because she then began screaming in my ear. “WHY DIDN’T YOU GIVE ME MY MONEY?” she yelled. I stayed silent, because I knew that if I said anything, she would yell even more.

“UGH. I’m telling your parents!” Natalia shouted.

I just rolled my eyes. With the ruckus she was making, I was pretty surprised that Mr. and Mrs. Houston hadn’t already come, even though their room was across the mansion!

I watched disdainfully as she stomped over to my adoptive parents room. It was going to take a while for her to come back with them, especially since she had to walk ten acres, just to get there.

I’m not complaining.

* * *

I should have known that Mr. and Mrs. Houston would take Natalia’s side.

Natalia somehow managed to get the story twisted, where I was the one who demanded money, insulted Natalia, AND slapped her.

Could my adoptive parents NOT see the marks on my cheek? Ugh.

Sometimes I wish that I could just run away or jump off a cliff or something. This was one of those times. “NANCY. OUTSIDE THE HOUSE NOW!” Mrs. Houston shouted. She was hugging Natalia close to her, as if NATALIA was the one who was hurt.

Mr. Houston shot me an apologetic yet disappointed look as I angrily marched down the stairs, out the massive front doors. 

* * *

It was around midnight, and I had absolutely NO idea where everyone was. I had already tried opening the doors, but they were locked. Same things with the windows. Was this Mrs. Houston’s way of punishing me? If it was, I hope she knew that the social workers wouldn’t approve.

I walked toward the massive Wisteria tree in our spacious backyard. I like the tree. It calms me down.

I slowly began climbing up the tree, making sure to put my feet on the most stable branches. I stopped climbing the when I was about halfway up.

I looked down. I was usually so lost in thoughts whenever I climbed the tree that I never noticed how high up I was.

I pushed away a wave of fear. I had done this many times before. I just needed to relax. I settled into the crook of the branch I was sitting on.

Thoughts began to flood my mind.

Why was Natalia so mean?

Why was she JEALOUS of my hair? I was always made fun of because of it.  

Why does Mr. Houston ALWAYS take Mrs. Houston’s side, even if she’s wrong?

Most importantly, why on EARTH did they leave me out here? I sighed as I rested my head against the tree bark.

This was all so confusing.

Life had been so normal before Natalia came. Yeah, usually Mr. and Mrs. Houston got mad at me for some reason or another, but let me tell you this: They have NEVER told me to go outside without Mr. Houston feeling bad and telling me to come back inside after 5 minutes.

Not to mention the fact that NOBODY has been as big of a brat as Natalia!

I knew for a FACT that Mrs. Houston saw my red cheek, and the blood, yet she took Natalia’s side.

A new question formed inside my head.

Why does Mrs. Houston hate me so much?

I felt myself getting drowsy. I needed to get down the tree before I fell asleep. If I fell, I would be injured REALLY bad.

I tried making my way down the tree, but paused when I heard a voice. NATALIA’S voice.

It seemed that she was singing. The lyrics were faint, but I could make out a few words. I was soon able to hear more. The lyrics sent a chill down my spine, and I felt as if I was rooted to the tree. Soon, the lyrics were in my head, playing over and over again. 

"Watch the girl in the tree

Hopelessly alone

Higher, higher, she climbs up

To her little throne….

Watch the girl in the tree

Locked outside her home

Faster faster, she falls down

To the ground below…."

_____

Creepy as the song was, I felt my eyes closing. The song was lulling me to sleep.

I soon realized that I was no longer on the tree branch.

I was falling, falling to the ground below.

Before everything went black, before I lost consciousness, I heard Natalia say two words.

Goodnight, Nancy.

Copyright 2020 TheGalacticCat 

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Hey everyone! Sorry for not updating sooner! I thought that I had already posted Chapter Two! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I'll be posting Chapter Three soon :)