A shadow crouched down in front of her. She looked into the window of her mother’s soul and let out a heartwarming smile. As her hand inched closer to unveil the cloth that was wrapped around her mother’s face, she let out a sharp gasp as her tiny wrist was in the painful clutches of her mother. The woman leaned forward and poured pints of terror and curiosity within her being with her words, “You cannot see my face, ever.” Her mother’s eyes turned unkind for a split second. “Is that understood, Danielle?”

“Yes, mother.”

Danielle ran towards her room on her mother’s command, nursing her throbbing hand close to her chest.

****

Dry blood. . .Tears ignored. . .Muffled screams. . .Agonizing breaths. . . Darkness.

A shaky groan elapsed her lips; she was dozing in and out of darkness. She attempted to lift up her hands, but they were unusually heavy, weighing her down. Unsuccessful to open her eyes, she gave into the darkness that was luring her in, whispering her name.

The canvas was sprayed with the color of gloom; the Gods were ready to cry. Standing in front of the mirror, her eyes ran down the skin-tight dress that hugged her curves. Standing proudly at a height of five feet seven inches, her eyes fell on her chest. The red dress accentuating her breasts. Her body had blossomed into a beautiful woman for someone who was only sixteen.

Danielle was young, attractive, and best of all, she was a virgin.

“Are you ready?”

She heard her mother from downstairs. She had no idea what her mother was preparing her for but she shouted back a positive response before descending down the stairs. Alongside her mother stood a handsome, older gentleman, with stylishly coiffed silver hair. Adorning a three-piece Armani suit, he stood a few inches taller than Danielle. Sporting a charming smile towards Danielle, he introduced himself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” Danielle let out a polite smile. Her mother taught her well, the silver fox mused to himself.

“Please call me Rick.” His smile blended into a flirting smirk, his thumb making tingling circles on her hand, her skin churning within her uncomfortably. More like Dick! Danielle bit her tongue. Swiftly glancing towards her mother, hoping for some saving, her heart was crushed when her mother didn’t even notice how uneasy the sinister man made her daughter feel. Her mother leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

She is all yours.

Is that what my mother said or am I just hearing things? Her confused eyes, pent up with questions, turned to her mother.

“Richard is going to marry you.” Her mother’s voice was dripping with sweetness. Danielle looked at her mother in utter shock. “Don’t look so surprised, my dear. I am a single mother and I can’t always look after you. He’ll take good care of you, won’t you Ricky?”

He let out a smile, making her stomach churn with disgust.

“Of course, Barbara.”

The darkness was giving away to something more intense, more horrifying. The room was surrounded with candles and rose petals cushioning her feet. The door creaked opened, stealing her attention towards it. A tall figure walked in and she morosely failed to curb her astonishment.

“Who are you?”

Her question remained floating in the air, unanswered, as her husband stepped into the room. “Rick, who is this?” Her voice rang bells of anxiety. “Why is he looking at me like that? Why are you?” Her body may have matured, her mind was still innocent. But not innocent enough. Her eyes travelled down to their pants, gawking in surprise at their huge bulges.

“I am not your husband anymore.” Richard said, stopping right in front of her. “I am your master.” He bent to level his eyes with hers. “And, you’re my slave.” He said, caressing her lower lip with his thumb. His finger moved exactly the way it did when they first met.

Danielle’s eyes started leaking, her heart shattered into pieces. But her voice stayed surprisingly steady when she asked her question, “How much did you sell me for?”

The only answer she got was a smile from her master that sent chills down her spine.

She was finally able to pry her eyes open. She was welcomed with a dingy room with a smell akin to death that was brewing up from somewhere unknown. The smell was so pungent she wanted to hurl her guts out. But all that came out of her mouth was juices of her stomach, begging for food. She was too weak to keep her head up and her eyes open. She dozed off again, but this time she was shaken out of her nightmares with a bucket of cold water. She was knocked out of her slumber, her chair wobbly. Drenched in ice cold water, when she finally opened her eyes again, they met a similar set of gorgeous green orbs.

Even though years of trauma had turned her into a self-contained person with a cold heart, a shriek elapsed her lips when she saw her mother’s face for the first time. Without her cloth wrapped around her face, Barbara stood before her adopted daughter with a sly smile.

“Mother?”

“She isn’t your mother.” Ricky wheeled into the damp room. The striking man now spent his life in a wheelchair. Even though age had taken a toll on him, taking a closer look, he still had an electrifying charm to him that could leave everyone weak in the knees. “You thought since you are all grown up, you can escape us. But this is your life, this is what you were born to do. Barb was never your mother. She is the one who sold you to me under the label of marriage.”

Danielle stared hard at the woman who sold her.

“Who are you?”

“I’m your worst nightmare.” 

.     .     .