Violet
Darkness engulfed Violet as they sat in the corner, curled up into themselves, crying. Violet wondered what they did wrong to deserve all this. What they did to deserve to be locked up in the basement, surrounded by the stench of alcohol, covered from head to toe in burns, cuts, and bruises. Why their family wasn’t here to protect them. All Violet wanted was to go back to the old times, the good times. The days when they and Anastasia would spend their time running around below the sun.
“Anna, Anna, Anna! Come and play with me!” Violet called to the older girl, as she ran over to her.
“What would you like to play Vi?” Anastasia asked the younger girl, smiling.
“Can we play hide and go seek!?” the younger girl panted, out of breath from her run.
“I would love to play with you Vi. I’ll give you a five-second head start, okay?” Anastasia replied warmly, looking down fondly on the younger girl. The girls played under the sun all afternoon until Violet got hurt. Violet decided to hide in a tree. About halfway up the tree she lost her footing and fell. Violet was screaming when Anastasia got to her side. It turned out that Violet had broken her arm when she fell. Anastasia stayed with Violet the entire time she had her cast on. The older girl would protect Violet from bullies and any other harm that would come her way; they were inseparable. They thought it would be that way forever.
Violet smiled slightly, despite the situation they were in. Violet winced as one of their wounds reopened when they shifted their weight. They heard their captor coming towards the door. Their breathing became quick and uneven as they feared the worst. They would rather be anywhere but here, locked in this basement. Violet curled further into themself, knowing they were going to get “it” again. The basement door slowly opened to reveal their captor. Violet flinched when they saw their captor come stumbling in, clearly drunk, slowly removing their belt. Oh, how they wished they could escape and fly far away from here. Yet here they were, chained to a basement floor, not able to go anywhere. The captor slowly inched closer and closer with the belt enclosed in one hand. Violet could smell the stench of alcohol being emitted from their captor. It was clear what the captor intended to do when Violet’s ears were met with a “SNAP” from the belt, enclosed in the set of hands. Violet tried to shuffle away but was soon stopped by the chains wrapped around their hands, ankles, and neck. All Violet could do was sit there and whimper with every “CRACK” of the belt, every wound reopening with a“THWACK”. More and more force was added with every whimper and cry they emitted.
About an hour later, Violet’s captor finally finished the “task at hand” heading back upstairs. As soon as the door closed, Violet felt like their chest was collapsing in on itself as they had a hard time breathing. They tried to hold back the panic and pain they were feeling, knowing they were going into a panic attack. Violet remembered their first panic attack and how Anastasia and Eva helped them through it. It was about a week before their 7th birthday when it happened.
“Violet, breathe for me. You can do it, just copy my breathing.” Eva said while taking a deep breath in and holding Violet’s hand to her chest so she could copy her. Violet tried to copy Eva’s breathing but choked every time she tried to take a deep breath. Anastasia was on Violet’s other side whispering sweet nothings in her ear to try and calm her down. Violet was completely calm about an hour later.
“Can you tell me what is wrong now?” Eva asked Violet when her breathing was finally even again.
“I have a piano recital tomorrow and I’m scared that I’m going to mess up.” Violet replied with panic in her eyes.
“ You have been practicing none stop for the past week, you will do amazing Vi.” Anastasia said gently, turning to the younger girl. Violet blushed as she looked into Anastasia’s caring eyes. Both girls wrapped the younger one in a tight embrace, both continuing to whispering sweet nothings in her ears.
“Your birthday is in a week and we were wondering what you wanted.” Eva whispered in Violet’s ear as she rubbed her back with soothing circles.
“I want this hoodie I saw online.” Violet muttered back.
Eva and Anastasia looked at each other with a knowing look. They knew exactly what hoodie Violet was talking about, she had been eyeing it up for months now. They knew that Hot Topic sold them. The only problem they had was that the closest Hot Topic was about five hours out of town.
“We will gladly get it for you Vi.” Anastasia whispered back.
Violet smiled as they slowly started to calm down from the panic attack. Violet slowly started to drift off to sleep with that image in their head. About half an hour later, Violet’s ears were met with a loud “BAM” as the basement door was slammed closed by their captor. Violet jolted awake at the sudden intrusion knowing exactly who it was. Violet looked up at their captor with fear in their eyes as the person stumbled towards them. Violet knew their punishment would be way worse for falling asleep. Violet knew that it was their birthday tomorrow, the day they have hated for years. Ever since their 7th birthday, when everything changed forever.
“Happy birthday!” Violet’s dad cheers as he hugs Violet.
“I’m finally 7!!!!!” Violet cried as she bounced in her dad’s arms.
“Mommy and your older sister are out getting your present right now, they will be back soon. Would you like to play in the pool with me until they get back?” Violet’s dad suggested gently.
“Okay, let’s go!!!!!” Violet yelled excitedly running out the door into the back yard. Violet’s dad followed behind her as they both got into the pool.
About an hour later, Silas got a call from the Emergency Services. When he came back to the poolside, he sent Violet a cold glare. Violet looked at him and frowned when she saw the cold glare she received from her dad.
“What’s wrong Daddy?” Violet asked, getting out of the pool and walking towards her dad with a frown. Violet stopped dead in her tracks when her dad started to yell.
“MY WIFE AND OLDEST DAUGHTER ARE DEAD NOW!!!! ALL BECAUSE YOU HAD TO HAVE THAT STUPID SWEATER FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!!!” Silas screamed at Violet, filled with rage. Violet cowered away in fear at her dad’s sudden outburst. Once Silas’ words registered in Violet’s head, her eyes welled up with tears and she started to cry. Silas glared at Violet as she started to sob.
“STOP CRYING!!!! IT’S YOUR FAULT THEY DIED!!!! GET OUT OF HERE YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!!!” Silas yelled at the little girl as she stood there sobbing.
As Violet zoned back in, they started crying. Violet wished every year that they could have their mom and older sister back. They wished that they could have Eva and Anastasia holding them in a tight embrace, and never let go. But here they find themselves, chained to the floor in the basement for another miserable birthday.
“You know what day it is tomorrow, don’t you?” Violet’s captor asked them with a sick smirk on their face. Violet just looked down at the floor underneath them, ignoring their captor’s question.
“ANSWER ME YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING WASTE OF SPACE!!!!” Violet’s captor shouted at them while kicking them hard in the rib. Violet whimpered and looked their captor in the eyes.
“Tomorrow is my birthday. The day Mom and Anastasia died, ’Dad.’”
