Chapter 12: ★FRAME★

    ~Chapter 12~

    Tearing my gaze away from that hideous thing looking back at me from the mirror, unable to bear the sight of the battered and bruised person staring back at me.

    I walked towards the shower and carefully began to strip off my dirty underwear, wincing from moving my sore limbs.

    The cool air of the bathroom kissed my skin, making me shiver. I looked down at my naked body, and my eyes welled up with tears.

    The bruises, the scars, the memories – they all blended together, telling a story of pain and suffering.

    Stepped into the shower, and I looked at the complex contraption before me. Shit, I don''t know how to turn on the shower.

    I stared at it blankly, like an illiterate person confronting an unfamiliar script.

    I wasn''t completely illiterate, though; I had managed to teach myself to read simple words from the books I''d secretly taken from my father''s library.

    That room was off-limits to me, a place I haven''t seen him set foot in, yet it was always spotless and organized.

    Often, I would sneak in, careful not to make a sound, and snatch books that caught my eye. Those stolen books became my teachers, helping me learn the basics of reading.

    Shocking, but that''s not all because as for bathing, I hadn''t used a shower in ages. My usual cleaning routine consisted of using a damp cloth and bucket "my father" had been merciful to spare that for me to wipe myself down when I felt too sticky or sweaty.

    Standing now, in front of this unfamiliar space, I remember how helpless of a child I was and useless in not knowing how to perform even the simplest tasks.

    "Dear." A gentle knock at the door broke the silence; I turned to face the door, remembering the kind lady who was waiting for me. Had I taken too long, prompting her to check up on me?

    "Yes?" I called out, trying to sound calm.

    "Do you need help?" said the kind lady. I looked back at the shower in embarrassment.

    I had no idea how to turn it on or operate it.

    "I didn''t hear the shower running, so I thought..." She trailed off, leaving the question hanging in the air while I quietly walked towards the door and gently opened it, using it as a shield to cover my naked self.@@@@

    She was standing in front of me with a look of inquiry, her face having wrinkles from old age but she was still beautiful.

    "I...I..." I cleared my throat in slight embarrassment "Can you help me with the shower?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

    She smiled warmly at me and I pushed open the door further, allowing her to pass through.

    She walked over to the shower, pressed a button, and I watched in amazment as water began to pour down from the showerhead.

    I quickly picked them up and put them on. Then, I slipped on the maid''s dress, which looked like a luxury from the ragged clothes I was used to.

    The dress wasn''t too long or too short; it was average, but it dwarfed me, it was a loose fit that drowned my skinny frame.

    The bust area was so big and hanging loosely from my shoulders like a sack. I looked like a child playing dress-up in her mother''s clothes.

    A mother I haven''t met.!!!, why are you so negative minded, I scolded myself.

    Fiddling with the dress, trying to adjust the shoulders countless times, but they kept falling down. I huffed in frustration, finally giving up. I walked out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, where Miss Stella was waiting.

    As soon as she saw me, she burst out laughing. Nice "Oh dear!" she exclaimed, walking towards me with a warm smile. She looked me up and down, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Look at you! So cute!" she cooed, lightly pinching my cheek.

    Cute!, please. I scowled, feeling a bit embarrassed, but a red blush spread across my cheeks despite myself.

    Miss Stella chuckled and patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Don''t worry, dear. By tomorrow, I''ll make sure it fits you perfectly. But today, we have things to do."

    She gave me some shoes before turning and walked towards the bedroom door, beckoning me to follow. I quickly wore them before trailing behind her, feeling a bit more at ease despite the awkward dress.

    She opened the door and we stepped out into the hallway.

    We passed the large, covered frame on the wall, and my eyes lingered on it, curiosity getting the better of me, AGAIN. I wondered what could be hidden beneath the cover and I must have slowed down without realizing it.

    "Come quickly, dear," Miss Stella turned back to look at me, making me snap my eyes away from the frame, quickly walking to catch up with her.

    I saw the elevator and assumed we would step inside it and glide down to our destination, but instead, Miss Stella walked off towards a corner of the hallway. I quietly followed behind her, turning the corner.

    A staircase was leading down into God knows where and I looked back at the elevator, confused. Why were we taking the stairs instead of the elevator? It looked like a waste of time, trudging down the stairs when we could have glided down effortlessly.

    But Miss Stella knows what she was doing as she descended and I quickly trailed behind her. We went down about 10 stairs before reaching a new hallway.

    We stepped into the hallway and I saw two elevators standing side by side. Miss Stella walked towards one and pressed the button. The doors slid open, and we entered. I stood silently, unsure of what to say or do. The elevator moved downwards.

    After a few minutes, the doors slid open, revealing a familiar hallway. My heart completely stopped beating as I recognized the surroundings.

    Why are we here?, what''s going on, don''t tell me...

    Miss Stella walked out of the elevator, but I remained frozen, my eyes fixed on her till she turned back towards me after noticing my footsteps weren''t behind her.

    "Come on, dear," she said gentle, as usual. But I shook my head, fear washing over me. Was she taking me back to that room? Had she been nice to me all along just to lure me back to that place?

    What a sneaky human, she is?!!!!