Freedom at Last?
Waking up in a jet black ebony Nathania’s hazy vision was back with nothing but inky darkness. Her eyes frantically ambled around the cramped wooden attic.
In a dimly lit corner of the attic, she stumbles upon a loose, floorboard that seemed suspiciously out-of-place. As the girl tried to pry it open, the damaged planks of wood flew out of her fingers and landed on the floor with a sharp snap. Beneath the floorboard revealed a concealed, dusty passageway that lead into the unknown depths below.
It was the crack of dawn so her step-mother was still asleep, which meant that this was her chance to finally escape the household where she was neglected and imprisoned.
With trembling hands and a racing heart, she stepped into the darkness, her body colliding with the walls as she ventured through the tight labyrinth of tunnels. Her body ached and her fleet throbbed after walking for what felt like an eternity but she wasn’t giving up. Faint memories of her stepmother flashed upon the young girl’s eyes. The cruel witch was a shadow of malice, she had a mocking laugh, her eyes were twin black holes and her oppressive stare that could burn through a soul. The miserable memories of her dark past came rushing back but instead of haunting her, they gave her a strange sense of hope and dedication she had never felt before. She was more determined than ever to escape this prison now.
She finally had a slight bit of hope now. A vague speck of light beamed directly into her eyes, blinding her for a few seconds. As she inched closer, the glimmer of light began to grew, casting gentle rays that illuminated the path ahead. Her heavy breaths and footsteps echoed in the cavernous silence, the girl’s body aching with each step.
The dim light cast eerie shadows on the walls as they carefully descended the rickety ladder into the depths below. Each step creaked ominously, the air growing thicker and more oppressive. Navigating through the endless passages, the girl found herself in what appeared to be an ancient, forgotten cellar. Darkness swallowed her as she inched closer and a vague speck of light beamed through a slight crack in the ceiling. The faint glimmer of supposed daylight was enough to illuminate the wall standing in front of her which was lined with cryptic symbols and old manuscripts hinting at the dark history of her house.
Her eyes trailed down from the unusual writings to a rusted key hole. It was then that her memory flashed back to the tarnished, copper key she had eyed in her stepmother’s attic. Her hand reached into her pockets and she frantically searched until the piece of cold metal she was looking for gently caressed her palms. Her fingers curled around the key as she pulled it out of her pocket and inserted it into the key hole with trembling hand
By: Sheena Balasubramanian
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