In love with the Devil

chapter 1





Maria's P.OV.

"Why?" I whisper into the dark. The iron  chains dig into my  bare arms, my red gold hair is loose and tangled, hanging in straggly strands over my dirt covered face. "I don't understand." I bite my lip so hard I draw blood, I refuse to cry, I am brave, I am proud, I am not a baby. My bright blue eyes cloud over, and I remember it all.



FLASHBACK

"You are unwanted, you are a urchin, a disgusting little wretch." He spits in my face. I only finish sweeping the floor wearily, I am 12 now and I have been doing this since I can remember. Sweeping, working, toiling, being hit, being yelled at, being told I'm not good enough. I'm used to it now, used to this torture. It could be worse, besides I deserve it, I AM a urchin, I AM a disgusting wretch, I AM nothing. For I have been taught to believe that this is all true.

END FLASHBACK



As long as I can remember I have lived in this castle, we live in a castle a little ways from London. My 'father' took me in when I was 2 from what he has told me. He told me he found me on the side of the busy streets of London. My Father's name is Richard De Noir. He hates me with a passion, he uses me for washing floors and cleaning the large castle from top to bottom. I have never seen the outside world, only heard of it. He never allows me outside, he says that only good people are allowed out.



The dirty truth is, is that I believed him. Till now, I am 13. On my 13th birthday he woke me up with a bucket of cold water on my face. "Get up Princess." He sneered. I remember being perplexed, it was my birthday, but that didn't change anything did it? It just meant more chores. But then he grabbed me by my arm and me still in my sleeveless nightgown dragged my down the stairs, into the dark, into the dungeon.



"And here is where you will live from now on." He laughed cruelly.

"Why?" I screamed. "What have I done wrong?"

"You're 13 now." He said as if that explained everything.



And here I am. Lying here in chains, I no longer believe him, his lies, his words, his insults, I don't believe them anymore. I tell myself each night, that no matter what. I AM pretty, I AM a good person, that HE is the bad person, I have done nothing wrong, that I should be brave. When he brings me dry bread I spit in his face defiantly, he always rewards me with a slap in the face.



My face is bruised now. But I will be strong! I will prevail in the face of evil. Not that I really know the difference between good and evil.



I am beginning to fall asleep, engulfed in the waves of my memories when I hear a door slam. A yell, heavy breathing, a heavy thud. Footsteps running down the stone stairs leading to my small dungeon, a key fumbling in the lock.



Then the door bursts open.