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THE DEEP COLORED WOODEN FLOOR spun under her feet. Vivienne had no clue what she was doing to be honest. Avoiding her family members that littered her house (except for the select few, of course) was a tedious task, and now it was made even harder by the help flooding the hallways with panic present on their faces, limiting places she could use to make an escape. It felt as if fate loathed her, and with every step she took, it became more infuriated and more interested in causing her demise. An overreaction, maybe, though it was necessary in fueling her desire to find a room to catch a breath in. And with a house that big you'd think it'd be easy, but alas, the only spaces empty were broom closets.
She took what she could get.
Vivienne had always been slightly claustrophobic. She didn't exactly know why, seeing as she'd never been in a stressful situation including a tight space, though it appeared anyway as she discovered around the age of ten during an intense game of hide and seek. Being stuck in a broom closet wasn't helping her case, either. If she stuck her arms out she'd have to bend them at the wrist in order to fit in the space. Add in old knick knacks that had been shoved in there over the years, a toy doll who was definitely blinking, and of course, brooms and dustpans, and you've got yourself an example of the situation she was in. Now, she'd never enjoyed coming into the broom closets, with both claustrophobia and just an avid dislike for musty closets in general, but now seemed to an exception. A sense of stability, a tie to reality. That's what it was.
All she needed was a moment to process. Her family congregating all together for the first time in a while- though only a year, it felt like forever. This year had changed so much for her, and that left so many loose ends for her family to pick at. God, she hated that. When they jeered at her, it was teasing. But when she did it back it was considered disrespect. Hypocritical, yes. Changeable? No. That was when something snapped in her mind. A voice, faint and velvety, echoed through her mind.
Escape.
That hurricane of emotions came sweeping back up, eating away at her thoughts. Her mind foggy, arms gone limp. Her knees nearly buckled under the pressure of it all. The storm running through her veins had taken over the fear. Whatever this was, it was exhilarating. It was as if she reached her hand out she could grasp it within her own fingers. The courage to run far, far away from here. It was exciting, and it was begging for an escape. Clawing at her chest, rising up through her throat, bubbling up in her ears. The years of imprisonment in this idiotic manor had caused this. All those frustrated sighs, rude remarks, every single choice had lead her to this moment- where she felt as if nothing could touch her. The power surging through her veins made her feel as if she was being lifted up.
Thick, heavy oxygen pumped in and out of her lungs, a reassurance that she was still there. The feeling of ghoulish eyes on her making her shift uncomfortably under the pressure of their gaze. She could do this. She could make it through the rest of the day. There was no couldn't. Only could. Couldn't seemed more reasonable to use in this situation, though she tried keeping her mind on optimism, something she wasn't particularly good at. Her hand reached hesitantly to the doorknob. It would open back out into the hall. Did she want to go back out there? After whatever it was happened? She knew she had to at some point, whether it be now or later. After a minute of thought passed by, she settled for now. The cold metal came in contact with her skin, and she fumbled with it for a moment before the door opened, sending a beam of scorching light through the closet. She stepped out quickly, sure that if the light would cause the things inside to crumble.
A series of footsteps that she hadn't noticed before audibly stopped. She closed her eyes shut out of anticipation, waiting for the mockery to begin. "Vivienne?" Her right eye opened at the sound of the familiar voice. A woman with ash colored hair, perfect posture and a flamboyant mint dress stood in front of her. She internally thanked fate for making it someone she actually enjoyed talking to.
"Aunt Agatha," Vivienne called are she ran into the arms of the older woman who let out a soft chuckle. "Oh thank god it's you, and not someone like Aunt Delores, that'd be horrifying."
"I know, I'm much better than the devil in pink," a humorous smile traced her lips, "Would it be bold of me to ask what you were doing in a broom closet?"
"It would be very bold, very bold indeed. If you must know I was catching a breath, since there's nowhere else to go for one, because, well..." the younger of the two trailed off, meeting the honey colored eyes of the older one.
"I'd like to think that in a house as big as this one that there's another space that isn't a closet to hide in, but I guess I was wrong." A moment of silence filled the air, before she continued on again. "Well, then, let's go join the rest of the family."
A bitter taste filled Vivienne's mouth at the thought, though she followed anyway. Her flats clicked against the floorboards, her hands running across the wooden carvings. Agatha and her conversed and caught up, though there wasn't much to talk about. Through the letters they sent they'd always been up to date on each other's lives. Small things didn't make it into the letters, and those things were the main point of conversation. Vivienne world admit that it was slightly awkward, even if she was closer to Agatha. She could only imagine how awkward it would be to talk to her other relatives she hadn't been in touch with.
As they got closer, she could hear the arguments, compliments and hidden insults that her family made. Now she felt terrible for the help, who must have been absolutely frazzled and drowning in the work. Both she and her aunt had stopped conversing by now, total silence being more preferable. As soon as they arrived in the room where all her family sat, they went their different ways, both sitting at separate ends of the table.
Most of their family paid no mind to them, all too caught up in their own conversations, though a few gave swift nods, or murmured hellos. The windows making their features glow in the sun.
"My lord, Agatha and Vivienne, that took forever. Where were you two?" A plumper man, with soft features and rosy cheeks- Uncle Beau, asked. His voice was soft, but laced with slight aggravation. Vivienne didn't blame him for being mad, seeing as he'd spent months planning the get together and now she'd shown up fifteen minutes late.
"Getting ready took longer than expected." She responded simply, before looking at her food. Eggs Benedict, which weren't the worst thing that one could have for brunch. She began shoving her face with it, realizing how hungry she was after seeing everyone eating their own food.
After a few moments of silence from the girl, that was not reciprocated by her family, Aunt Delores, the worst woman on earth finally decided to speak to the girl and break her silence. "So, Vivi," the girl in blue grimaced at the nickname, "you've...grown. Soon enough we'll be able to get you married off to a rich boy."
A clearly annoyed smile made its way onto Vivienne's lips. "That sounds wonderful, however I'd like to spend a few years independent, unlike what you did."
Delores' face turned an angry shade of red, matching her emotions. "Insulting your Aunt, are you? Well I'll have you know, that I could have you sent off to a finishing school like that, young lady, so don't you dare test me."
Vivienne's face turned into a scowl, and she turned back to her food furiously eating away at it. When she was finished, she realized that she wasn't going to be able to leave until everyone had finished themselves. That would take a long time. A very long time. She picked up the frigid metal fork and began twirling it between her fingers- risky, but entertaining. All until she dropped it, earning a glare from her mother that might as well have turned her to stone.
When she picked it up, she saw her younger brother, Alfred, laughing at her. He was going to pay for that. And he did- the moment they were allowed to get up from the table, she smacked him on his head, and he reciprocated the action immediately. Soon enough it turned into them shoving each other into whatever hard objects they passed by. A terrible idea, really, though in the heat of the moment, taking out their pent up annoyance with each other was to only thing they had on their minds.
That was until the twelve year old boy shoved Vivienne into a very unstable wooden console table, and the decorative vase fell off of it. It almost felt as if it was going in slow motion, though two seconds later it hit the floor and made a horrendous shattering noise, alerting almost everyone in the house of the accident. Both the kids winced at the noise, freezing in place completely.
A moment of silence took place as both kids processed what had happened. It felt surreal- as if it hadn't happened, which was disproved by their mother's booming stomps as she stormed towards them. Even if they tried to run they'd be caught eventually, and knowing their mother she'd be even more fuming if they ran. So they stayed put, awaiting their imminent verbal beatdown.
"Vivienne Genevieve Augustine!" the woman yelled. "How dare you be so reckless! Look what you have done! You've broken an antique vase, and shoved your brother."
"The vase is two years old, mother! And he deserved it, you most of all should know that. You saw him laugh at me and yet you chose to do nothing!" Vivienne yelled back. She was outraged- her mother knew what Alfred had done yet chose to ignore it, instead picking at her? What was wrong with this woman.
Her mother's face flickered with something the younger of the two was unfamiliar with. "Do not play with me, young lady! I have spent years raising you, watching you grow into an untamed beast! You will never be cut out for high society, unless I-"
Vivienne's throat went dry. "You wouldn't dare!"
"I'm doing this for your own good. As of tomorrow, you will join Aunt Delores at finishing school. And don't you dare argue with me. I will send "
Vivienne's eyes filled with tears, before she ran off to her room, the only place besides a broom closet she felt as if she could show emotion. She stormed past all the prying eyes of her family members, desperate to crash down on her bed and escape it all. When she did burst through the door, she slammed it shut and locked it behind her.
She sobbed silently for a while, fear and anger washing away what little hope she had. She was going to be sent away, brainwashed and tamed. She'd never be allowed to be herself again.
Then came the feeling again. It all came sweeping back up. Her mind became swarmed with thoughts of escape. Just to run far, far away from there and never turn back. It was so desirable, and this time she had to take the chance. There was no choice for her- she didn't care whether or not she would come running back after a day. She just needed to run.
And so she did.
In the dead of night, Vivienne snuck out her room. Silent as a mouse, or she hoped she was, she ran through the hallways her oxfords clicking against the wooden floors. They were slightly big, seeing as they were her brothers, and her trousers were too. Dressing as a boy wasn't hard, just escaping her home that was packed with both family members and help.
As soon as she made it to the door, her hands flew to the locks, moving against them quickly, trying to unlock them quickly. One click sounded, then another, and another. Before she knew it, the locks were undone, and she was flying out the door. She was quick to grab her bike that was conveniently placed right around her, before riding off into the night.
And she felt more free then she had in a long time.
•••
( 𝐬. 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬! )
this chapter was sort of hard
to write, but here it is!
the ending was a little bit off,
but i promise it'll get better.
next chapter she'll meet enola
and tewksbury and it'll pick up
from there.
thank you guys for all the support
on the story. your comments really
are fun to read and make me feel
really excited to get out the next chapter.
anyway, have a nice day/afternoon/evening/night!