Mirror Me

     She tried to pull Snap away but she..he..it only dug it's claws deeper into my skin. After a second of my yelling, she let go and sat down in defeat. "Open the damn presents and go to bed." I glared at her and place Snap in my sweater, Snitch simply glared at my mother with a look of a natural born killer. A hunter stalking down a deer. A predator and it's prey. I decided to ignore them and open the colorful box to find a beautiful dress that had to cost a fortune. It was sheer black with a lace collar connected to long flowing sleeves. It was simply made, I could have made it, but in todays time, it would have costed thousand. Why? "Mariah, do you like it? Do you think it'll fit?" I nod but continue to stare at it. Why? Why was I given such a gift?

     "Can I open grandmas gift yet?" I was hardly aware of my own words when a little pink box was placed in front of my. I opened it and inside was a small, thin, silver chain. I knew instantly that it went together with the charm that my father had given me. I reached for his gift to confirm my findings, but it wasn't there, it was gone. Panic filled my chest and when I looked over, my mother was dangling the charm in front of her eyes. "Give it to me." This seemed to grab her attention for a second. "Give me the charm from my dad." This time I used a tone I've only every used once with her. It was low and gravely, shocking to even myself. 

     She looked over to me with a smile, "I'll just be keeping this, you hate roses anyways, right?" It's true, ever since I was a little girl, roses have scared me. I've been baffled by the fact that something so beautiful could harbor something so painful. I want this rose though, I want it with all my heart, and by god, I'll get it back. "Now then, how about some cake?" 

     I deny the cake and insist that I'm just really tired, what with Ratch's weird behavior, and the memories of my dad. Not to mention that the kitten has fallen asleep on top of Snitch as if they've known each other for years. "Alright honey, sleep well, I'll wake you in the morning for your lessons. Don't let those vermin on the bed with you, you know how I feel about that." She kisses my forehead and places the cake in the freezer for tomorrow. It's a shame, all the shades of blue are my favorite color, which the cake is, inside and out. I really want that cake. I won't, dad said not to, so I won't.

     I nearly tripped over Snitch and Snap as we raced up the steps, my gifts, or the ones that I still have at least, in my arms. I tripped over the dress and mother instantly came running, her black hair tussled around her waste as if she had been running all night. "Are you alright? Didn't get hurt? No skinned knee's, let me see, no bruises?" I sighed quietly.

     "No, I'm fine, go to bed, and rest easy. You spent all morning making that cake to perfection." It doesn't take all morning to make a stupid cake, she must have really messed up in making it a lot. She smiles and heads in the direction of her room. Hers is downstairs on the first floor, I'm on the second, and she uses the third as the attic. She must have a lot of junk in order to need to use the whole third floor for all that shit. 

     When I burst into my room with a groan, I'm welcomed in by all my paintings and drawings. Poems scattered the floor and a dark blue city gingerly showed up between my hanging paintings on the wall. I had painted a country road on my large window with nothing but glistening green vegetation. My book shelves are filled to the brim with Mangas and my own books. I've had twenty three books published, hence the reason we can still afford such a large house and all it's luxury's. Each one was a hit, and so was my mothers when she was younger. Now all she writes are how to manage your children, how to garden, and how to cook books. None of them are really popular. I think she did something to make all mine as requested as they are. It's really weird. I don't trust her.

     After an hour of painting my dreams, I snuck out into the hall. Silence. Not a sound was heard. If I were to drop a pin, I would hear each and every single one of it's little taps on the ground.