Sadistically Sweet (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Nothing Good Can Ever Last For Long

It had been a week since I had fallen into the pond. Most of my time was spent playing with Olivia or trying to avoid Francis, but every day dragged on as I tried to keep my sanity. I was starting to get homesick and tried of acting. 

Several times my act had cracked, and I broke down. When that happened, I would lock myself in the bathroom for hours on end until I pulled myself together again, as I had currently been doing. I had cried a lot in the past week, but now my tears have dried. 

I looked at myself in the mirror for what must have been the hundredth time. My eyes had lost their entire spark and I found it hard to look myself. I had changed so much in the past week. Due to not eating enough, I had lost some weight. Yeah this was nice, but I would have been more appreciative under different circumstances.

My hair had lost the sunshine it once held; not surprising since I hadn’t been outside since my near death experience. In fact, Francis wouldn’t let Olivia or me out of his sight. Even when I just hung out in Olivia’s room, he had demanded to keep the door open. I think he had become paranoid after that night.

Despite his clinginess, he had become nicer. He didn’t hit me anymore, but sometimes I could tell he was holding himself back. While I was grateful for not getting hit and that my bruises had finally faded, I was still truly terrified about what he had planned for me. 

After three or four days, he had kissed me again; it happened when I was doing dishes after breakfast. I was drying off the final dish, when his arms wrapped around me. By now I was used to this, but his words sent chills down my spine. 

‘My world is almost perfect,’ he had whispered into my ear. 

I tried ignoring these words, but he spun me around to face him. His hand gently pulled my chin up to look at him, and I felt my eyes go wide. He was smiling down at me with suffocating affection. My breath caught in my throat as his face neared my own. I closed my eyes and his lips met mine for the second time. 

I had thrown up later that day. He had not only stolen my first kiss, but my second also. Every morning and every night he would kiss me now. Even though I hated it, I was getting used to it. I could finally hold my stomach after the first four or so kisses. My body couldn’t handle it anymore, but I had to endure it. I would rather have to deal with a few kisses than being beat.

I decided to stop thinking this nonsense. I had the whole day to go still, and I wouldn’t spend it with my head in the gutters. I splashed cold water over my face and pulled back my hair. Thankfully, Francis had bought me hair products so my hair wasn‘t a mess. 

I had made a list one night, and in the morning everything I needed was here. I don’t know when he was able to sneak out and buy me my things, but he did. Now I had my shampoo, conditioner, hair ties, and a proper hairbrush. 

I dried my face and zipped up my sweater. Even though we had heat in the house, it was still bone chilling outside. If I had fallen into the pond today, I would probably freeze within a few minutes. This winter was going to be brutal, but it hadn’t snowed yet.

Time to go meet my nightmare. I pulled open the door and made a path for the kitchen. I could already smell breakfast being served, and Francis hated it when I was late. It is not like I cared what he thought, but I was still trying to avoid getting hit.

“Good morning Haitlin,” Francis said cheerily once I stepped into the kitchen.

He walked over, kissed me on the lips, and pulled out my chair. I sat down and looked at the pancakes he made. They looked good, but I wasn’t that hungry. Olivia was smiling and looking up at me with large eyes.