The Story of The Past I: Pain

Flashback

Each step she took felt like an icy path. The coldness that froze her heart and the fire to melt the ice was nonexistent. It was a story of Laura's past.. the life of a weak girl.

In a corner, she sat, hugging her knees while tears flowed out of her eyes. By now, her hands were red and wounded. The flow of her blood dripped onto the floor, and the smell of rust spread across the room.

Laura held her hands together, squeezing it as she raised her head to look at the blood, flowing out and dripping.

Her emotions were destroyed, the wish of living her life as a new person was crushed.

The door opened and entered Mary. Her eyes trembled upon smelling the unpleasant smell and immediately went to cover her nose with her hand. She ran towards Laura, lifting her head and touching her hands.

"Did Lady Edith do this?" Mary asked, biting her lip.

Laura didn't say a word, nor did she move a muscle. Her eyes were dull and her body didn't want to move.

"I'll tend your wounds, so please take a seat on the couch," Mary said and pulled Laura's arm up.

Mary came back into Laura's room, holding a medical kit and proceeded to tend her wounds. Laura winced as her injuries started to burn in her palms. She bit her lips, not letting her voice be hurt.

"It's okay to let your voice out," Mary said, frowning as she placed bandages around her palms. How can they do something so cruel to a small weak girl? "Please take some rest now."

Before Mary left Laura's room, she tucked Laura into bed despite it being bright outside. It was best if Laura got some rest, especially after the cruel things Edith had done to her.

Not only that, but the maids in the estate also acted superior to Laura. Which wasn't right, and Mary couldn't bear to see Laura in pain.

Not being able to sleep at all, Laura sat back up on her bed. Her throat was dry and was begging for some water. On her bedside cabinet, there was a jar of water. However, it has been a week since the maids have changed it.

Not wanting to be a nuisance, she forced herself to go to the kitchen alone. It was a bad idea, but what choice did she have? All the people who surrounded her were enemies.

Stepping her foot down on the cold floor, she held the doorknob and twisted it softly. The moment she went out, the sunlight that entered the estate blinded her eyes.

Even if she had seen the sun earlier in the morning, her eyes still couldn't get adjusted to it because the past few days, she only stayed in her room, and all the windows in her room were kept closed.

Barefooted, Laura walked the long hallway and was on her way to the kitchen. She held the jar tightly, hoping not to bump into the maids who thought lowly of her.

Each step she took to go the kitchen felt like years, her shoulders were up and attentive. Her eyes would look at each side every minute, like a criminal who was scared to get caught.

Laura saw the kitchen, and her face lit up, and she felt at ease until she heard a group of laughter coming towards her direction. She ran towards the kitchen and hurriedly hid inside the empty cabinet.

The footsteps grew louder and louder, and despite being hidden in the dark, her heart was beating out loud. She then covered her mouth and held her breath in.

The maids entered the kitchen and which startled Laura, whoa almost made a sound. She felt relieved that she was able to hold it in. Otherwise, she wouldn't know what to do if she had gotten caught.

In the dark cabinet, she was hiding in, she shut her eyes, wishing they would leave already. Her body trembled, and her breathing gets faster each second.

"Where did the monster go?" Asked one of the maids.

"I don't know. Why? What is the problem?"

"When I entered her room, she was not there. Not even under her bed."

"Gosh, what a pain in the neck."

"When I find her I'm going to punish her. What in the world is the count thinking? Adopting a girl with black hair, isn't she a demon?"

"I mean, she is."

"Come on. We better go back to work. You wouldn't want the head butler to scold us."

Hearing the footsteps fading, Laura felt relieved and stayed inside the cabinet longer just to be sure. Her legs felt too weak to walk, but in the end, she had to force herself to get out.

Laura poured water out of the jar and cleaned it. Just cleaning the jar was enough to make Laura happy because each day she had thought about Sister Abby.

Being in her own world, Laura didn't hear the kitchen door opening and suddenly felt a hand pulling the back of her dress, choking her.

Laura turned her head and saw the maid who was trying to find her earlier. Her eyes trembled, while she struggled at the maid's grip.

The maid pulled Laura, throwing her onto the ground while Laura coughed, holding her neck. Cold sweat formed on her forehead and her legs were locked onto the floor.

"Let's see if you can escape me again."

The maid grabbed Laura's hand forcefully, dragging her while Laura was still on the floor trying to get up.

As Laura was being dragged her knees felt as if it was on fire. Laura struggled out of the maids' grip, angering her. Laura looked at her knees and touched it. Her eyes narrowed looking straight into the maid's eyes.

The maid flinched and took a step back unconsciously. Showing the cowardly side of herself, she clicked her tongue and retread back. Leaving the small girl wounded and sensitive.

Laura sighed as she crawled into the corner of the hallway. She hid behind the curtains and tucked her legs in, not wanting to be seen by anyone.

It was a bad decision and she started to regret getting out of her room. It was better if she had locked herself in the room and become someone nonexistent. Quietly let time pass so that no one would know who she is.

With the harsh criticisms and treatment, she had experienced Laura had wished to be a better person.

Why is the world such a cruel place?

Laura sniffled and wiped the tears dropping from her eyes. It wasn't the time to cry, but Laura couldn't hold it in further with the amount of sadness and painful experience she had.

At that time it wasn't just the maids who had treated Laura bad, but her tutor did as well. Being a biased teacher, Baroness Edith had favored Tine more than Laura.

The color of Laura's hair had disgusted her. After seeing Laura's hair she decided that she didn't want to treat Laura well.

"Who would want to teach an orphan? Plus, look at her hair, it's disgusting," Edith said as her face scrunched up.

To Edith, every word Laura tells her, it sounded like a small mouse squeaking, which made her even more annoyed than she already was.

Fame. Fame. Fame.

That's what all Edith wanted—tutoring a fine lady like Tine, especially when her father, Count Harrison, is famous in the business world. Not one noble or commoner didn't know who he was.

When Count Harrison asked Edith to become Tine's teacher she didn't have any disagreements. However, she made a condition with the count. And it was to give her twice the amount of her payment.

It was a difficult decision for Count Harrison, but in the end, he gave in.

Despite the mean personality of Edith Alcof, she was still one of the top women in society. She was known for teaching other noble kids and making them successful.

"Walk properly! Can't you just listen?" Edith scolded Laura, holding a whip.

"I-I'm sorry," Laura apologize, looking down the floor.

It was not right for a girl like Laura to lower head in front of someone who has a lower status than she had.

It was a rule for someone whose status was higher. And if so, it means you are showing defeat.

"Show me your palms," Edith ordered, tapping her foot on the floor. "Faster!"

Laura flinched and showed her palms to Edith. Edith raised her hand up, holding the whip, and slashed it on Laura's palms. Laura gritted her teeth, holding her tears and screams, thinking that Edith would double her punishment if she let her voice out.

"That's it for today's class. Go away now. I don't want to see your ugly face," Edith said, rolling her eyes at the battered girl in front of her.

Once again, the wound on her palms was back, and scars had started to form as well.

Not wanting to be seen by anyone, Laura ran back to her room, lying on her bed, crying her heart out.

'Why is the world so against me?' 'What's wrong with having black hair?' 'Why don't I have a family?' 'Why am I alone in a world where no one's going to save me?' 'What have I done to receive this kind of treatment?'

'Why is my life so pitiful?'

Laura curved her body into a ball. Clenching her hands on the sheet, not caring is blood would stain her bedsheets.

It was painful, being in a place where no one was by her side.