Twelve Days of Christmas

Third Day of Christmas

On the Third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me...

"Sang! Come here, now!" My stepmother screamed from downstairs.

I flinched away from the sound of her voice, but left my room anyway to go downstairs. The longer I waited, the worse the punishment. The question was, did she have a reason this time? Did she know about my mistake of sneaking outside a few nights ago?

"Go check the mail, then bring me some crackers to my room. That's all I feel like eating today." My stepmother snapped. I didn't mention that she was up and walking around, and would have to go through to kitchen, where the crackers were, to get to her room. "What's that look on your face?"

"Nothing." I said, looking down at my bare toes on the floor.

"Don't lie to me! Maybe a good scrubbing with some soap will do you some good." I paled at her words, dreading the punishment that was surely to come. "I keep food in your mouth and a roof over your head and how do you repay me? By lying. Well, I'll scrub the lies right off your tongue. Come here brat."

She stomped into the kitchen and I followed behind. If I went unwillingly, it would only make the punishment worse.

She grabbed a bar of soap from the sink and turned to me. "Open your mouth." I opened my mouth, her fingers latching onto my jaw, holding my mouth open as she shoved the bar of soap into my mouth. She twisted it and shoved it in, my teeth shaving off some of the soap. The strong taste filled my mouth, floral scent filling my nose. I resisted the urge to gag, knowing it would only anger her more.

"You're disrespectful. Do you think you could last a second on your own? Without me here to take care of you and make sure you're going down the right path, you would end up dead or raped. No one likes a dirty mouth, that why I must scrub it clean." She sets the soap on the table, then turns and grabs a Brillo pad. She shoved it into my mouth next, using it to scrub my mouth and lather the soap. The metal cut the inside of my mouth, stabbing at my tongue. My eyes watered as tears sprung up in my eyes, the soap causing the fresh cuts to burn.

"The women out in the world will kill you for the things that come out of your mouth and the men will only want it for one thing. Do you want to be molested? That's why I'm doing this, I'm protecting you."

I could taste the blood mixing with the soap in my mouth and I knew I wouldn't be able to eat much for a while. I held back a whimper, not wanting to cause this punishment to go on longer.

Finally, she pulled back, setting the Brillo pad aside. "Wash your mouth out, then go check the mail like I told you to. You've exhausted me, but I hope you've learned your lesson."

I waited until I heard her footsteps disappear into her room before I stood and went to the sink, opening my mouth and letting the bloody soap pour from my mouth. Finally I gagged, my stomach clinching with pain. I rinsed out my mouth until there was no soap left, but still my entire mouth stung from all of the tiny cuts the Brillo pad had inflicted.

I kept my tongue in the same place, the less I moved my mouth and tongue, the less it hurt. Then I headed outside to check the mailbox. I got the letters out, quickly heading back towards the house. It was then that I remembered that there were monsters after me, making me aware of my surroundings.

And the three French hens that lay slaughtered on our front porch.