Grandmama's Mansion

Lines of Blood

Blood surged through my veins, adrenaline pulsing, as I frantically tried to break free of the straps around my wrists and ankles, but it was no use. I was helpless. I was silently screaming, and my eyes were practically falling out of my eyes sockets. I was truly and completely petrified in fear.

Grandmama slowly drew back her right hand holding the whip. Then, in a blur, she snapped her arm down and I saw the whip hit across my chest and left leg. At first, in a state of shock, I felt nothing. I looked down and saw the line of blood on my body, watching the blood slowly slide down. It wasn't until the second whip that I felt the pain. This one hit me across my cheek. I felt the hard leather hit my flesh, ripping through it. At first it stung, but moments later the real pain came. The pain was agonizing and I wanted to die. It was unlike any pain I had ever felt, nothing could compare to the immense pain. The blood rushed to fill the shallow wound, but it bled more than was necessary, quickly devouring my chest in it. It left a cut on my skin as she slowly and painfully pulled it back. I felt the blood slide down my face as she swung again. My nails were scratching into the wooden arm of the chair, bleeding. My feet were flexed and my lip was bleeding from biting it.

Whip, whip, whip. A total of seventeen whips, one for each year of my life. Three hit my face, all of them hit my chest, twelve hit my legs, and one hit my groin. I was utterly covered in blood. My chest was completely red, my cheeks and mouth were covered, and my legs were dripping. The blood was warm, and some blood seeped between my lips and tasted like iron, but I kind of liked the taste. I tried to focus on things besides the whips, such as the blood, but every time the whip slashed my skin again... I just couldn't do it. The pain seemed to echo through my brain, constantly reminding me of itself.

Finally finished, she asked calmly, as if I had just sat in time out like a five-year-old, "Have you learned your lesson?" It was demeaning, but I nodded, my face swelled from the whips. The experience made me fear her, and the pain served as a constant reminder. Not just her unnatural abilities, but the extent of the punishment. But I realized I tried to kill her, and in a way I was just thankful I was alive.

"Good. No food for two days, and from now on you shall get one whip every day." One whip a day! I still had most of a year before I became 18, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to leave, even then. I couldn't imagine a life where you got a whip every day.

I didn't respond and she walked up and slapped me. "You shall thank me for my kindness!" she hissed through her teeth. I shook my head no, and she slapped me again. Each time, the slap hit my swelling wounds, making them release more blood. I'm sure Grandmama's hand was completely red with my own blood.

"Thank you," I said weakly.

"Thank you, who?" she shouted.

"Thank you, Grandmama."

Satisfied, she untied my bindings and pointed at a towel by the now locked box. I walked over and contemplated smashing the box on her head, but just took the towel to wipe off all the blood. The towel touching my wounds burned unbearably, and I realized the blood would just replace itself, so I left it alone. After the short time I tried to use it, the towel was completely red.

Putting my clothes on, the rough fabric rubbed against my wounds, making the pain even worse. I slipped the locket in my pocket, and watched her unlock the door. I walked out and she followed. Wearing the clothes put constant contact against my wounds which I think Grandmama planned. It prolonged the pain, not to mention how it intensified it.

Outside, Lance was standing against the wall next to the door. He was silent as Grandmama locked the door and walked downstairs. Just seeing her and her dress sent chills down my spine. As soon as she was out of view, Lance turned to me and examined my face.