Elemental Empires

{Chapter 3}

Mia opened her eyes a crack. She was huddled up in a corner of the cold attic, hands wrapped around her numb body to stay warm. The attic was full of unrepaired cracks and holes through which cold gusts of air enveloped their chilly tendrils around her already freezing body.

"Are you dead yet?", Violet's bored voice drawled from the other side of the door." I have selected a prime place for your grave".

Mia shook her numb hands and slowly got up to stretch her stiff body.

"Eh? Answer me dumbkopf, damn these rusty locks," she muttered as she tried 'and failed- to open the lock.

"What the hell is a dumbkopf?." Mia patted the dust off her & shivered despite the sunlight filtering in.

This place gives me the creeps.

"German for someone dumb like you."

"Since when do you kno-".

"Why am I even wasting time here? Get the heck up and haul your arse downstairs, she must be coming now!".

There was a soft click as the door unlocked and banged open.

"Who must b-" Mia started to ask but Violet had already flaunted off.

After a hot shower, Mia sat before her dressing table and observed the shadows under her eyes.

A horrible night it was.

She remembered what happened yesterday and winced as she pushed her bangs aside. There was a noticeable purple bump on her forehead where she had hit the wall, Mia ran her hands across it and sighed softly.

My own father did this to me..

***

"Late again. Make breakfast yourself," Crystal muttered as she sipped coffee, her finger tracing the words of some magazine.

"Hmmph," Mia shrugged as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Ugly midget, at least try make yourself presentable. Ruby is comin' over", Crystal sneered and tapped Mia on her head as she passed her the empty coffee mug." An' do the dishes after she leaves".

Mia nodded absentmindedly and listened to all the given instructions without paying any attention to them. Her mind wandered as she stirred the pancake batter.

Dad said he is not my father,mom and Violet and Breeze treat me like the stepsisters do in Cinderella...so maybe I am a ste-

"Eww! I don't want you to show that face  my beautiful Aunt! Go change or something, have plastic surgery maybe," Violet sauntered downstairs wearing tight clothes and hoards of gems, resembling a walking jewellery shop--a rather ugly one.

Mia wolfed down her breakfast and before anyone else had a chance to call her hurtful names, she scooted upstairs to dress.

Aunt Ruby was Mia's mother's sister, she was an extremely sophisticated woman who never ceased to impress-with her immaculate dressing, posh hair-do's and well-maintained figure she looked just like she was one of those famous movie actresses.

***

The cherry tune of the doorbell echoed throughout the house as impatient feet pattered hurriedly to the door to open it. Mia descended the staircase slowly- being painfully awkward and clumsy she was in no hurry to socialize with her relative. The
door creaked open and Aunt Ruby strolled in.