THE MISERY

[Music Recommendation: Thirteen | Stephan Moccio]

Staring at nothing, in particular, Vilian felt nothing but the turmoil increase rather than subsiding. She didn't know how and what to feel.

After all that has happened, her stepmother explained everything the night, and that was the reason she had summoned her to the drawing-room after the party.

Eric was Cathy Moore's and Fredrick Fenan's only son and Cathy Moore was Vivian's very own best friend. In order to build their friendship and to build the Frosts' company stronger with more advantages that can be taken, Demus and Vivian had taken a step using the name of marriage alliances.

Vilian felt like a pawn played on the chessboard, and not to say that she had to go all through this with that rapist.

She wouldn't have mind getting married to someone unknown rather than to her ex who wasn't only her ex but also the one who ruined her.

Sighing for the umpteenth time, she rested her head on the headboard as she hooked her hands around her knees close to her chest.

"Mi'lady, please try to get some sleep. As per madam's word the Fenans will be coming to the mansion the very next morning. You won't be able to rest." Lily tried to convince her to sleep but it was up to no avail. The day was past midnight and she had not taken a good rest the last night too. She worried Vilian might turn ill.

The night felt so long that sleep wasn't anywhere near. Vilian had tried to read but could not concentrate.

Unhooking her fingers which were intertwined, she absentmindedly got down from her bed and opened all the windows and the patio door. The chilly wind swept passed her filling the dimly lit room.

"Mi'la-"

"Leave," said Vilian, softly. She wanted to be left alone. Lily did say nothing but sighed as she walked out of the room to the servant's quarters.

_______________

The curtains fluttered back and forth as the chilly wind blew. Vilian walked toward the railings of her patio and leaned on the railings.

The cold wind reached her bones. She felt her heart was a door left wide open to the icy wind, slamming only to open again.

After the long confusing night, she felt a hot tear drip down from her eyes over her cold cheeks. One teardrop followed another, welling her eyes. Silent sobs escaped her lips as the reality stabbed her and the memories broke her hardly built wall crumble.

She felt her chest ache so much. The same surreal feeling felt nostalgic. How much more has she had to face? The years of tears in her soul had become the tears in her eyes. She had tried to convince her stepmother that she'd marry anyone but not a monster like Eric but in return it resulted in getting a harsh slap from her. The slap etched her stepmother's palm print on her fair skin with a reddening mark and sent her back to the room.

Lily had to nudge and drag her up to her room. She was so much in shock.

As everything came in like a whirlpool her legs gave up their remaining strength and slid down to the floor, curling into a ball as she clutched her knees together.

Tears flooded and soaked the party dress that she had not bothered to take off, but it was the least of her concern. She bled an ocean through her eyes the whole night. It felt like the pain that she long buried had resurfaced over the night.

The night she spent shedding silent tears and little sobs. Unknown to her the tiredness had lulled her to fall asleep eventually with pain and tears stains.

The next morning hasty footsteps echoed in the silent hallways along with a creek sound of the food trolley. Lily was mumbling and cursing to herself as she hurried to walk toward Vilian's room. She had awoken lately and it had panicked her to death, for the day wasn't anything else but usual.

"The Fenans were yet to come, and there were still some of the guests who had stayed after the birthday party... How stupid were you to oversleep, Lily? How stupid?!" Her hands flew up to her lips as the latter that she had uttered echoed in the silent corridors. On her right was a servant boy pushing the food trolley as he gave weird glances at Lily now and then.

"Wait here. You can come in once I call you," said Lily to the boy and entered Vilian's room.

"Mi'lad-" Lily's not-so-loud voice squeaked in the dark room. What she was to utter interrupted with gasp that left her lips. Her hands flew up to her mouth, glancing at the state of the room.

It was a big mess, warning Lily to take cautious steps. Shattered pieces of glass were splattered on the floor. The small vase which was earlier near the door was lying in front of the vanity table, left with shattered particles of the broken vase.

Traces of blood followed toward the patio disappearing under the fluttering curtains panicking Lily. She ran. She didn't mind getting hurt, for she was so in panic. What state was she in?

Swatting the curtain away, Lily fell to the ground with a widening eye.

"Mi-l-lady..." came her low voice quirking at the end. She crawled dragging her trembling body toward the girl lying on the floor, unconscious with blood in the process of drying. Lily was in a state of not knowing what to do.

Such a state should not be known by anyone, for she had promised Vilian that she'd neither reveal her traumatic condition or the causes of it to anyone.

Her trembling hand reached the hand which was lying lifelessly, tainted with whole lotta blood and a glass shred that was pierced right deep into her palm.

Lily tried to pull it out but her eyes turned blurry with tears that started to escape from her eyes, witnessing the misery.

Rubbing the tears away, she stood up and ran towards the vanity table. Opened the drawers and closed them, not getting what she wanted, but soon she found the bandages and some other medical kits which she needed from the last drawer.

Placing the things on the table, she ran towards the door and creaked it open. Calling out the boy, who was leaning on the wall as he hummed a song, she asked for a clean bowl, and the boy gave it soon, sensing the urgency of the maid though he didn't know the reason.

Lily didn't bother to thank him but shut the door and ran to the en-tice with the bowl. She filled it with water and slowly placed it next to Vilian, brought the medical kits, and placed them aside.

As she held the injured hand carefully, she laid Vilian's head on her lap. Soaking the clean white cloth with water, she dabbed the blood clean and placed the hand in the clean water bowl that turned the once clean water into crimson red.

Taking a deep long shuddering breath, Lily mustered herself, and slowly but carefully, took the big glass shred out of the injured hand. A big mouth full of a sigh escaped her lips as she dropped the glass piece down on the cold floor, which was already tainted with blood. As she turned to get the surgical spirit, another gasp left her mouth. Vilian's foot was also injured.

"Oh, dear! How could you hurt yourself, Mi'lady?" she questioned worriedly. "Let me wrap this up first. I'll have to fill the bowl with water too," she spoke to herself as she poured the surgical spirit and dressed the wound carefully. Laying Vilian's head on the floor, she stood up, took a cushion pillow from the egg chair, and placed it under Vilian's head. Lily took the bowl and ran back to refill it.

Carrying the water bowl, she carefully walked forward, trying not to spill it, but her tracks came to a halt when she saw a black shadow or what looked like a silhouette standing next to Vilian.

Gone were the thoughts of not splashing the water. She ran toward Vilian with the water bowl in her hand. Water drops slipped from the bowl as it danced in the container.

"Who- Oh!" her question turned out into an exclamation seeing the intruder.