My fate had been decided on a normal spring day.
Dressed in a casual yellow dress, denim jacket, and a pair of red sneakers.
Mama held my hand tight as we walked all the way from the trailer we called 'home' to the other side of the street where the houses stood enormous with grandeur but also held an ambience creepy as the people living inside of them. People who were superior enough to make me uncomfortable.
Mama was a mere nanny, yet I envied her simple job to no explanation. Getting a chance to see the inside of that place she worked in was a dream come true and I didn't hesitate to fake an illness so she could finally let me tag along with her.
"My boss doesn't like kids," she warned, reminding me that I should keep my naughty ten-year-old dirty hands to myself. "In fact, he doesn't like kids at all. If it weren't for your back aching, I wouldn't take you with me."
I made a puppy face, making sure Mama wouldn't change her mind about taking me with her. Despite that her remark disheartened me, I didn't care.
"He's going to be really mad at me, so please be at your best behaviour, Avery."
"Yes, Mama. I will."
The guard at the heavenly-looking gateway checked my mother's ID before letting her in.
"Is that your daughter, Halima?" He asked, noticing me.
"Yes, Tj. She's sick and I couldn't leave her home alone."
"No worries. It's just a two-hour shift, right? I don't think the boss will mind."
"Yes, hopefully."
He did mind.
Mr. McQuinn's face contorted in disgust the second his eyes lay on me.
"Explain," he ordered my mother the moment she reached him.
Not even a greeting?
"Start with how come you've arrived five minutes late for your job and why you dragged another nuisance along, Miss Halima."
I loathed him on the instant.
I didn't like the way he looked at her, like there was something more going on than I perceived. Leave it to adults to constantly leave me in oblivion.
While he tried to make sense of my mother's apologies and explanations, I mindlessly skimmed all the corners of his throne-like living room. The place was ridiculously huge, reminding me of the Titanic. I wondered how much money it cost to build such a house. Their simple golden door knobs were probably enough to buy our entire trailer and everything inside of it.
After what felt like an eon of him bringing up old mistakes she did and complaining about them, Mr. McQuinn finally told my mother to retreat.
"It's Phoebe's birthday, you know. She was looking forward to see you."
Mama nodded at his words before making her way towards the stairs on the left side of the living room. I followed suit.
Mr. McQuinn watched us all the way until Mama stopped in front of a mahogany door and pulled it open.
"Oh, and Miss Halima," he suddenly spoke. "I don't want that kid in there. She can wait for you downstairs."
His words were a slap on my face. I held back a grimace. So much for coming up with a solid plan.
But before I could make another move, I caught sight of a beautiful young girl from the other side of the mahogany door. My breathing halted when electric blue eyes met mine.
A glittery pink dress, long blond hair, and a golden crown on top of her head. She was my dream barbie doll in the flesh. I wasn't sure who I was jealous of — her or the boy she was talking to.
Kids my age filled the decorated room, accompanied by music, food, and sounds of laughter. All looking like perfect young royals. I sure didn't belong in there.
"Sweetheart," Mama bent down and held my shoulders. "Sorry I can't take you with me in there, but you can wait for me downstairs, Okay?"
I still fixed my gaze on the girl, surprised that she was actually staring back at me like she knew me. The boy whispered something in her ear and she chuckled, then looked away.
"Okay." I nodded to my mother.
"Go sit down and wait for me. I'll be back in no time. Don't go anywhere, don't touch anything, don't talk to strangers, and don't accept any kind of food or drink from anyone, okay Avery?"
"Yes, mama."
"Promise?"
I finally looked my mother in the eyes.
"I promise. Scout's honor."
"Good," she smiled and pecked my forehead before disappearing through the door, closing it behind her.
One birthday party I wasn't invited to.
I slowly turned around, meeting eyes with no one but Mr. McQuinn.
I didn't hold back my grimace this time. Without a word, I stomped down the stairs to the living room and took a seat on the farthest couch.
I thought about school, my mother, and all the homework I didn't do. Anything not to acknowledge the man in the same room with me.
"I can definitely tell you're a naughty kid." he broke the ice, much to my dismay.
I fought the urge to scoff at his words.
Mr. McQuinn poured a weird colored drink into two champagne flutes and began walking towards me.
Here we go, talking to strangers.
"And I can definitely tell you're a horrid man," I unconsciously let out without realizing and only noticed when he laughed. Mr. McQuinn took his time to come and sit next to me. Was this why he didn't let me in to that stupid party? So that he could converse with me?
He looked like one of those men who sold kids for a living, and it disgusted me.
To my not-so-much surprise, he handed me the liquor. He was aware I was ten, right? Because I thought it was obvious.
I took the drink and smelled it, scrunching my nose afterward.
"Wine, ew. No, thanks"
The man laughed out loud.
"For a bratty kid like you, I thought you'd be clever and bold enough to take that."
"For a rich man like you, I thought you'd get me something better than cheap wine," I marked, holding the glass with both hands because I was afraid my clumsiness would seep out and break the thing.
One point Mr. McQuinn, two points for me. I was loving this game of nonconsensual conversation.
"Bratty bratty bratty", he sang those words slowly and my blood curdled at his gaze.
The same look he gave my mother when he was yelling at her. Like there was something he knew that I didn't.
A young maid appeared out of nowhere, informing him that he was needed at the party for a minute or two.
I had never felt so glad.
"Goodbye, bratty. A father got to tend to her daughter's needs now." He straightened his suit when he got up.
I was unsure what he meant by that, but I was happy he left. As soon as the coast was clear, I put the glass down and left for the other set of stairs. Sorry mama, two hours of waiting were far too long.
I climbed up two steps at a time, excited.
In the next hour, I was a tourist. Skipping from room to room, checking out magnificent views from the massive windows and gawking at the lavish closets.
I couldn't get enough of their fluffy beds and pillows and–God, those bathtubs were to die for!
Standing outside the countless doors, I wondered why the heavens weren't I born rich. I could be switching bedrooms every night. A paint room, Sauna, and an in-house movie theatre? It was all so magical. His daughter must be living like a princess.
She was living my dream life.
I was trying to count the wine racks in the basement when I found another door right behind a staircase that led into the winery.
A staircase that looked like fancy wood but was surprisingly creaky when stepped on.
The door wasn't easy to spot, and it was hard to tell if it was meant to be hidden or not.
I glanced behind me for a minute. Once I made sure the coast was clear, I declared it the perfect time to make mistakes. Bratty bratty bratty, here I come.
My body shivered the second I sneaked in. The sudden coldness that hung in the air had embraced me so immediately, like a dying demon yearning to possess. I was its new host, and it made me shiver nonstop.
The floor was tiled in a smoky darkish grey and the ceiling was the darkest of blue. But that wasn't what caught my attention most. It was the massive fish tanks and cages filling up the–room? Laboratory?
If the place was meant to be a secret, I didn't know, and I didn't care. I was awestruck and gaping at all the locked up weird creatures that were stuck in there. What can I say, It was a place of wonder.
All of them, jewels I've never seen before. A discovery too marvelous that I wasn't sure if they were real or if I was making it all up in my head.
In the end, I concluded it a secret zoo of animals I didn't know existed. Where the hell were they found and who trapped them inside here? They were all too good to be true and no matter how dangerous it felt, I couldn't stop looking. I ventured, creature after creature, table after table, and poked into every test tube there was.
It went on for a while until my eyes landed on a black box on top of a peculiar looking stand. Intrigued, I struggled with its lid. Taking the heavy metal box in my hands, I pulled it open.
A piercing hiss attacked my hearing . . . black scales, and an exotic reptile coiled itself to a standing position. My eyes widened in fear and I screamed, dropping the box to the floor.
I felt numb and an awkward sting coursed through my eyes from the frightening encounter. For a minute, I felt like I was being pulled out of my body and then back in it again. Maybe there really was a demon in this place.
The hissing sound went higher the harder I held onto my ears. A pain pierced weakened me down to my knees.
From afar, I could hear someone calling my name. At first it was part of the hiss, but after a while . . . it turned into my mother's voice.
My mouth opened to tell her I was here, but nothing came out. Something heavy settled within me and once I met with my reflection on one of the glass tanks, my eyes were entirely black. Like someone had poured ink in them.
Another scream left my throat at the sight of the hideous creature I had turned into, but one head spin after, it was like nothing happened.
Everything was back to normal.
My breathing pace went low and lower, fitting itself in its usual pace softly as if it didn't want me to notice it. My eyes were back to their normal shade, and I felt human again, like I had been something else.
My heart raced in fear at the thought of being something else.
That's when I heard it.
"Avery!"
Mama's voice. She was probably looking for me. Reality hit me hard, and I rushed out of the room like a bat out of the hell, forgetting about the black box.
I ran out, closing the secret door, stumbling into the winery, and rushed back up the stairs at the same time Mr. McQuinn and Mama were about to walk in.
So on time they would have caught me if I was one second late.
I let out a breath and fake smiled at both of them. Mr. McQuinn looked irritated while I struggled to find an explanation to save myself from Mama's fury.
"Avery, where the hell were you?!" There was so much disappointment in her voice, my heart clenched with guilt.
I guess I broke a promise.