Emily took a deep breath and lifted her gaze towards her mother's leering eyes. Instinctively her gaze returned to the floor, unable to meet her mother's gaze directly for fear of the repressed rage her eyes would unleash. Her chest began to expand and contract as her hands shook, her mind going racing as she tried to decide what to do.
"Well? I'm waiting! You're not still considering leaving, are you? But, if you step one toe through that door, you better be prepared to spend the night out there because I'm not letting you back into this house until tomorrow. We'll see how a night in the cold changes your mind about spending time with the family. You'll be grateful for the warm house we provide and the hot food we make for you."
Emily could feel her body shaking as the beast's influence became stronger and stronger. It was so close, so tempting. Emily's legs began to shake, begging for Emily to stand up and be on her way. Her palms were sweaty and sticky, and her stomach let out a low growl, mimicking the howl of the beast inside her mind.
Michael was waiting for her at 'Fat Italy,' an Italian buffet he seemed to love taking her to, and the beast longed for her to go with him. Which was precisely why she'd dreaded going in the first place. However, Emily's will to resist the beast was already weakened and being eroded by her mother's harsh words and harsh tone.
"I asked you a question, Emily! If you're not going to answer me, then you're as good as gone. I will not be ignored. You best learn that lesson quickly." Her mother's voice was abrasive, cold, and condescending.
The beast howled in her mind, and suddenly Emily pushed past her mother, striding towards the front door without looking back. She reached forward and turned the knob, the door quickly swinging open. Emily glanced back and almost smiled at the shocked look on her mother's face. Her mom definitely wasn't used to people standing up to her, even if it was something as simple as leaving the house without a word.
The cold wind slammed into her, sending a chill racing up her spine. It was refreshing, attention-grabbing, and called for Emily to rejoice in its freedom. But, instead, Emily took a few steady breaths and shut the door behind her with a soft click. A moment later, Emily felt her heart drop as the sound of the deadbolt locking the door shut seemed to echo through her. Emily escaped her mother, stood her ground, and took a stand, but now she was trapped outside in the cold.
Emily shivered as the wind cut through her thin jacket, the leaves rustling noisily on the trees that lined the street. Spots of yellow and orange were barely visible as they shaded the green leaves. Their vibrant color stood in stark contrast to the roiling gray sky above. Off in the distance, Emily could hear children laughing and playing at the nearby park, unaware of the chaos going on inside the home Emily had just left.
"Fuck."
The word sounded out of place just outside the pristine walls of Emily's family home. Still, the realization of what she'd just done left her mind reeling for any other word to describe how she felt.
Emily felt a warm tear slide down her cheek, leaving an icy trail in its wake as the wind licked at her face. A torrent of emotions seemed to rush through her tiny body, everything from pride to sorrow. She shivered, her teeth chattering, but not from the cold, and a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her senses.
This wouldn't be her first night away from home, but it would be the first time returning wasn't an option. Emily was used to her mother's childish and non-constructive rantings when she came home late or did anything to displease her mother. However, this was something different. In a moment of weakness, the beast had driven her to defy her mother completely.
Taking a few steadying breaths, Emily stepped out onto the sidewalk that ran to the driveway, then on to the more incredible world beyond. Emily felt a soft breeze blow past her and was grateful for the relief the wind offered, even if it was just an illusion.
"Great," she mumbled to herself and shook her head, trying to regain stability in her mind and body.
Emily's mind was in turmoil, uncertain as to why she'd left her home in the first place. The thought of her mother's anger and disappointment had driven her to seek freedom from her mother's wrath. But, usually, it kept her rooted in place- compliant to her mother's whims. Now she was left without a change of clothes for school, no backpack, no textbooks, and nowhere to stay.
"Well, at least I know where I'm going to have dinner." Emily mumbled, kicking at a pebble as her feet slowly carried her in the direction of 'Fat Italy.'
The beast had won this round. Emily was too weary to resist it. She knew she'd end up bingeing at the restaurant to drown her troubled mind. This was the reason the beast hadn't disappeared long ago. Just when she thought she would be rid of it, something would happen that would result in her giving in to its demands, nourishing it just long enough to make it to the subsequent trial. However, it felt like ever since she'd started dating Michael, the temptation to give in to its demands was coming more and more frequently. He took her out repeatedly, constantly forcing her to contend with the beast's endless hunger almost daily. Honestly, it was really starting to wear on her.
Every day seemed more challenging to resist giving in to her baser urges. Every meal was a taste of forbidden fruit. It felt like each one led to the end of her self-control and the actual return of the beast. But, deep down, Emily knew she needed to fight back and fight harder against the beast. If not for herself, then for the sake of keeping Michael.
Emily stopped at the end of the block, pulling out her phone and glancing at the time. Michael would probably already be waiting at the restaurant. Still, part of her wanted to figure out where she would stay before she got there. Emily knew that Sam worked late tonight, but maybe she could head there after dinner with Michael. Speaking of Michael, Emily was sure he wouldn't mind letting her crash at his apartment. Yet, part of her felt like that would be taking their relationship to a place she wasn't sure she wanted to go yet. The last option was to try to sneak back into her room through the basement window and hope her mother didn't discover her there. That would give her access to a change of clothes and school supplies but definitely posed the highest risk of angering her mother even more. Unless her mother discovered her spending the night at Michaels. Then, Emily wasn't sure she'd ever be allowed home again.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author