Rona.
† Flashback †
Blood slowly slid down my fingers as I stared at the dagger. The very one I plunged into her chest.
My knees buckled, eyes darted around in a frenzy as blood pooled on the cashmere rug.
"What...What just happened?"
My grip on the dagger loosened and it hit the floor.
Clang!
Caesar leapt towards me, sheets wrapped loosely around his waist as he grabbed my arm. "What the actual fuck, Rona!"
His arms were like bars of steel.
"I don't know..." I choked out, "I don't fucking know what happened!"
'What have I done?'
"One minute I was by the door... then she was on top of you and..." I shoved him backwards, "Everything just went...black!"
Caesar's iron-clad grip loosened as he stumbled back.
He rushed to her side, hovering over her wound. "Call a fucking ambulance."
My legs moved on auto-pilot as I scrambled to pick up my phone.
"Please... Please pick up."
The dial never seemed to end, a continuous reminder that the person behind me was bleeding out of her chest.
I did that. I stabbed her.
"Hello this is 911, What's your emergency?" A hoarse female voice echoed from the other end.
She must've had a bad day but I guarantee it wasn't as shitty as mine.
I staggered backwards, my legs nearly gave out as I leaned against the wall.
"There's a woman in my apartment... She's bleeding out of her chest-"
Caesar's scream was ice in my veins. "She's not breathing!"
The phone shattered on the floor and everything else was a blur.
The sirens, the paramedics placing her on a stretcher.
It went dark, and the only thing I could think about was the fact that I killed my mother.
†
The biting cold seeped into my skin as I laid on the damp floor.
The key rattled in the background, but I had long accepted my fate, to die in this mouldy cell. Alone.
The pain was tearing at every fibre of my being from within and it was becoming impossible to fight.
"Leave me alone." I rasped.
I was met with an eerie silence, and I strained my neck to stare at the guard.
He had a solemn look on his face as he unlocked the doors,
"Lucky bitch." He muttered under his breath.
A weak grin made its way to my face, nearly driving him past the edge.
He grabbed me, hoisting me above his shoulders.
A startled shriek escaped my lips as I choked on air, "A warning ... cough... would suffice.."
Strings of red appeared in my vision, as large rivulets of blood stained his uniform.
I stifled my coughs to keep him from noticing, being beaten up was definitely not on my to-do list.
Rays of light peeked through the window blinds, it was the first time I'd seen the sun since I was thrown into this godforsaken hole.
The guard unceremoniously tossed me on the hardened floor.
"Fuck," I groaned, curling in on myself, "Would it kill you to be a tad bit gentle."
He rolled his eyes, "Bitches don't deserve princess treatment."
"That's a compliment coming from you." I grimaced, balling my hands into fists as I stood up.
"Seems the princess doesn't want to leave-"
"Heh! Maybe we grew on her."
The other guards bellowed from the lounge.
Leave... My eyes widened and I stared at the open doors, freedom finally within my grasp.
"I...I can leave?" I asked, craning my neck to meet his gaze
He placed his cigarette stub on the ashtray "Boss's orders. Now get the hell out."
"Is our little princess too frail to walk? Should I get you a wheelchair?" One of them snickered, his voice grew darker as his eyes raked over my body, "Or better yet, carry you myself."
My fingers dug deeper into myself skin, 'Ignore them, Rona. Ignore them.'
I took a wobbly step forward, gripping the door with all the strength I could muster.
'Am I finally getting out of here?'
The humid air hit my face, nothing like the decadent smell that was forever etched in my memory.
A single black car was parked in the driveway, windows tinted.
I have a bad feeling about this.
CLR-1202. Its plate number, forever ingrained in my memory.
It was the day he proposed to me, December 2nd.
My lips curled in a smile that didn't reach my eyes. I should've known, this was too easy.
The guards laughter echoed through the deserted space.
"Surprise Bitch!" The cynical guard bellowed loudly.
I flipped him off, I can't be bothered by the likes of him.
"Fools. They ought to die."
The door slid open, I could recognise those prominent pale knuckles even if I was halfway in the grave.
"You missed your weekly visit." I took slow steps towards the car, masking my discomfort, "I thought you'd forgotten all about me."
His face was devoid of all emotions as he held his hand out...
I see, we had a visitor.
There was a bright flash of red as she stepped out in a pair of stunning Oran heels.
Bailey Reid, My Mother.
"Nice to see you again, My dear girl." Her brightly painted lips lifted in a smile, "But I thought you'd be a little more excited to see me."
Her stare burned into my skull, and my face stiffened. "You can imagine my surprise, the last time I saw you, you were proclaimed dead."
"Oh darling, " She reached out to pat my shoulders, her voice grew imperceptibly low, "We both know that your aim is so poor you couldn't kill me even if you wanted."
Her nose brushed against my ears, "I'd offer to teach you a thing or two, to improve your aim and maybe...your skills in bed."
My blood ran cold as I caught a whiff of her cologne.
"Hard pass, but maybe I could teach you a thing or two about basic etiquette." I spat through gritted teeth. "Let's start with not screwing your daughter's fiancé."
Caeser's hand circled her waist. "Rona-"
"It's not my fault he begged me to fuck him." Bailey cut in sharply. "In the end everything you've ever had, I gave it to you."
"Oh please! Like you've ever given me anything." I hissed, marching towards her, "If there was an award for the world's worst mother, you'd have zero competition."
Bailey took a step back, her confident gait faltering.
I stood before, looking every bit like a vengeful ghost from the depths of hell. "An incubator would be a more fitting word for you, Bailey Reid."
"Rona!" Caeser stepped in, pulling her backwards. "That's not how you talk to your mother."
"Are you..." I paused, raking over his build, "supposed to tell me how to speak to her."
'He probably said worse in-'
Hnghhh!!
My eyes widened as my gaze slowly dropped to the knife embedded in my stomach.
Bailey, She gripped the handle, twisting it deeper with a manic look in her eyes.
"It's all mine. Everything, your business, your face, all mine."
Her grip loosened and her hands dropped to her sides.
My eyes darted between the both of them
"What...What is happening-"
"I'm going to become you, My dear girl." Her smile grew wider, "You owe me that much, don't you?"
'What the actual...'
"You knew about this, didn't you?" Caeser avoided my gaze.
He knew.
I staggered backwards, the world shifted underneath my feet.
"This was all your plan." I whispered, "You knew I was sick, you knew I would slip into another episode."
Caesar's eyes widened, "I swear I didn't know Rona, I found out you had cancer just recently."
"That doesn't matter!" I screamed, my hand on the cold metal surface, "You betrayed me."
"You finally figured it out." Bailey chuckled, I also knew you would go feral when you slipped into your episodes. Why else would a knife be conveniently placed in the room."
My knees gave in, eyesight blurring. So it was all their plan.
The last thing I saw was Caeser rushing towards me, but he was a second too late.
He was always late.
My head hit the ground with a thud. Black spots blurred my vision.
"Good, you didn't miss this time." I whispered, "You've always had better aim..."
I trailed off as a figure flashed before me, darkness consuming me whole.