The Bastard Daughter Part 2

"When you taste

Your broken spirit

Stop hiding from wounds

You plastered

Hoping they will heal

Unattended"

~Harpreet M Dayal~

Days, weeks, months even years have passed, and she stayed inside the laboratory. White gown was her normal dress. White room was her normal surroundings. Beeping machine was normal sound. Alcohol and medicine were her normal smell. Everything was just the same normal thing for her. After how many months of tolerating the pain, Aurora was immune to it. It became a part of her.

Aurora now understand of her mothers sudden illness. She was suffering from the same thing her mother had suffered. The sickness, her skins paleness and her body were slowly thinning. She then realized that her injected medicine was the same medicine they had given to her mother.

Every time they injected something her, Aurora was already anticipating the pain that her body will suffer. The cold burning sensation that will flow from her brain through her whole body. It was the feeling as if she was burning alive. Her flesh was so sore that she couldnt even move a muscle. Her voice? She couldnt hear it anymore. Her tears? They were still there, clinging on her eyes but they never fell. Never again, after the very first day that her father had made her a guinea pig of a human tester of his poison drugs.

Aurora was used to it. Different kinds of poison were tested by her body. Of course, there was there was always an antidote before she could die. But they will only give it to her after they finish to study the effectiveness and reaction of the poison to her body.

At 13 years old, Aurora saw the sudden change of her hair color. Where in, the straight black hair turned into grey. Aurora was so shocked that she started to panic and hyperventilate. After they calmed her down, they have explained to her that I was just the effect of the poison to her body. Her father though wasnt happy at her outburst. So, he punished her by not giving her food for three days, resulting for her to feel the pain inside her like a scratching claw in her stomach. Aurora then learnt to never do it again. Her father had told her that her body wasnt hers anymore to react the way she did.

At 15 years old, Auroras hair turned completely white. She was so scared at the effect of the poison to her body that she started to look if there are more of her body parts that were affected. Thankfully it was just her hair.

At 16 years old, Aurora lost her sight. But she never cried. She knew already that it was again the effect of the different poison her body was consuming.

Doctor Stanley had assured her that it will be okay and that she will be able to see again. She just listens to everything he said to her. He was the only person who talks to her nicely – the formal and proper talk. Aurora on the other hand, learnt that it was better to stay silent and just listen. In that way, she was preventing herself to be punish if she ever offended someone.

At 18 years old, like what Doctor Stanley had said, after three months of new year, Aurora can finally see again. But no joy nor happiness in her eyes.

Unknowingly to others, she was feeling numb.it was like losing the sense of feeling and having an emotion. Unknowingly to Aurora, she didnt know that as her sight came back – the usual caramel color of her eyes did not.

Her father had prevented her to see herself in a mirror. Theres nothing glassy inside her prison room. So she couldnt really see her actual look.

At 19 years old, Aurora have seen another transformation from her body. Like the gowns and walls of her room, her skin became sickly white. It was like the snow when she once saw it in her life. But still, the test continued, and the pain never ceased. Through out the years of having a poison in her body, she became weak and was always sick.

Even now, Doctor Stanley had informed her that today will be the last time that she will be injected with another poison. Her fathers newest creation. And she was the only human tester to test it.

It was crystal blue. Beautiful in a way that it was so terrifying. The feeling of the poison inside her was like glacial. Cold, too cold in her veins that left a slightly electrifying sensation to her body. She was confused as to feel the absence of the anticipated pain, but Doctor Stanley just smiled at her.

Instead he said, There you can go now.

Again, she was confused.

Where will she go?

But before she could ask, two scary men entered the room. She slowly backed away from them. The last time she saw people like them, they forcefully laid her in a bed.

Will they going to drag her into another room?

Aurora didnt know that she was hyperventilating until Doctor Stanley came to her side and tried to calm her down. But he could not so instead, he ordered the men to wait outside and faced the now teary-eyed Aurora.

Shhhh Dont cry. They will not be going to put you into another room. They are here to escort you back to your new room. Away from here and away from these. Okay?

Aurora nodded to the Doctor, but she couldnt understand what was happening. He then gave her a new kind of clothes. Aurora stared at it for a moment, not believing for what she was seeing. It was a thick jacket. With furs around the hood and the circle of the wrist. It was paired with the same thickness of a pants. Aurora can say just by looking at it that it will consume her small body.

Dont you like it? Doctor Stanley asked her. Aurora looked at the Doctor then back at the clothes.

She took the clothes and went to the small bathroom inside the room. She removed her only clothing and then put the white sweater that was too big for her. Her fingers couldnt even see in the jacket for the sleeves are too long for her arms. When she put the pants, it was also too big for her small waist and hips. She had to fold the hem multiple times before it could fit her small form. Then when she put the big thick jacket, it completely consumed her.

When she walks out of the small room to see Doctor Stanley, the older man laughed at her. Aurora have no idea on why the Doctor was laughing. She just stared at him and wait for him to sober up.

Good god. You looked strange wearing that clothes. Wow, I couldnt even recognize you. Come here.

Aurora walked towards the Doctor. She yelps in surprised when he suddenly lifted her up and put her carefully in the single white bed.

Do you still remember this? The Doctor asked, showing her the necklace that her mother had given to her when she was still a baby. Aurora nodded, staring intently at the pendant. It was a tiny bottle of rose perfume. Her mothers most precious possession – Auroras only memory of her.

Aurora have no knowledge until now that it was taken from her. All her stay in this prison hell was solely focused on her pain and sufferings. Now that she knew about its absence, she wants it back but too scared to voice it out.

Its yours again. Your father had refrained me from returning it to you but now, since you are leaving this place, I thought to give it back. Just dont let your father see it on you, can you do that?

Again, Aurora nodded.

Good. The Doctor clasped the necklace back on her neck. There. He even put the necklace inside her clothes just to make sure it was already safe from exposure. Aurora stared at the man looking at her.

Aurora could see the guilt, pity, and shame in his eyes. They were there, lurking behind his glassy blue eyes.

Thank you. A soft, hesitant and too small voice came from Auroras mouth. The Doctor was too stunned to even notice that he was crying just by hearing the voice of the broken angel in front of him. It was the very first time that he hears her angelic voice again. The very first time she talked to him.

God. How could he destroy the life of this angel? How could she thank him after his inhuman treatment on her? Ever since he dragged her here, hes been carrying the guilt that he felt for her.

Stanley didnt stop himself anymore. He embraced the young lady in front of him and cried all the things that he had done to her.

Aurora on the other hand, stiffened. Feeling strange and uneasy for the sudden connection from another person. It has been years since someone had embraced her and it was the last goodbye of her mother.

Before he freed her, Doctor Stanley tightens his embrace and put his mouth before her ears. Aurora then grew more uneasy at the sudden action of the Doctor on her. She tried to struggle from his tightened hold but stopped when she heard his whispered words.

Take care of the necklace. It might save you one day.

She stared stunned at the Doctors words. He then loosened his embrace from her and patted her head.

Now go on. In a month, you will be free from this hell but I cannot tell you if the place you will going to will be heaven or worst than hell.