WARNING: This story contains material that might be triggering to some viewers! Adult content! Proceed with caution!
Chapter One - Pineapple Cake
Her dehydrated lips parted carefully as warm breath escaped like fog from between them. The noises of the city seemed to be muffled down to a nonsense ambiance in the back of her head. The concrete underneath her bare feet was cold, so cold that it felt like her soles and the tips of her toes were burning.
How did it get to this point? When did life begin to dull so? When did things go astray?
A pathetic smile etched its way on her face, causing the dry skin on her cheeks to crease like satin sheets.
Was it when the sound of his heart monitor became one long agonizing beep? No, that wasn't it...
Was it when the curls on his head melted off his scalp like cotton candy? Was it when the muscles on his arms became pudgey? When the skin tightened around his ribcage like wrapping paper? When did dark circles underneath his eyes and sunken cheeks become a permanent feature on his once bright face?
"He has cancer... We can begin treatments when-..."
Joan covered her ears with her bony palms as something hot ran down her cheeks.
He had promised not to leave her, and he had promised her to visit the sea together. To see a blue whale together. She thought that they would spend Christmas together. The pineapple cake that he loved so much became the janitor's responsibility as it slipped out of her grip. The shock of seeing the nurses walk out of his room with gloomy expressions was unbearable.
Joan started choking on her tears, her screams disappearing as she trembled on the edge of the building.
There is no limit to human misery, and if there was truly a god or deity... then they had abandoned man to his own devices.
Joan's knees buckled in on themselves as her hands fell to her sides. Her brown eyes looked duller than they ever had been before that moment. Duller than when her father had drunk a little too much and decided to let out some steam on her mother. Duller than when the hospital bills became a financial mountain on her shoulders.
She examined the city below her. It was dirty. Everything was filthy. The streets, the alleys, the taxi cabs stained with vomit, the spilled coffee on a window edge, the crumbs scattered all over the floor of a restaurant.
But... the filthiest thing about this world was its inhabitants.
Her chest moved slowly before she burst into a fit of absurd laughter.
"I am sorry, Kinon... I am so sorry. I promised you that I would keep my heart pure. I promised you that no matter what happened, I would keep on going for you... But I can't do it. You were the only thing in my life that mattered, and now I have lost you. You broke your promises too... so it's okay if I break this one, right?"
Joan grimly smiled before the weight of her body fell forward. The immediate drop caused her eardrums to pop and burst. The wind toyed with her body, pulling and pushing her limbs around. Her black eyes turned to the gray sky as droplets of snow fell on her twitching body.
Kinon.
A snowflake danced around her face and landed on the tip of her nose.
'What is this feeling?'
'I'm so cold'
A piercing shriek and a violent hit against her body forced her eyes to snap open. Her shoulders shook as she tried to breathe in as much oxygen as possible. Her ribs felt as if they were digging into her organs.
"FATHER! Stop, she's sorry, please stop!! Please, we won't do it again. Please, father-."
Stubby short arms wrapped around her head, pulling her body closer to someone's lap. The shaking and thrashing caused a thick velvet fabric to fall over her face, making Joan scrunch up her nose at the itchy and uncomfortable texture.
"Please, please, you know how clumsy she is, we're so sorry Fathe-?!"
Joan squeezed her eyes shut as the shrilly voice and the commotion around her dizzied her.
She didn't understand what was happening. Are nurses usually this physically intrusive?
An eerie silence followed as the sound of leather boots grew closer.
"Take this one back to her lessons, and as for that one... reeducate her." His voice was deep, each consonant sounding like a death sentence on his tongue. A few moments passed as if the man was letting them savor his words before the sound of leather drew further away.
The shrilly voice soon followed.
Pairs of hands dressed in pearl white gloves reached for her, grabbing onto her forearms and jerking her up like a rag doll. She thought of protesting, but her ribs were still in pain, and the thought of drawing in more oxygen than needed made her worry that she would choke.
"Open your eyes, pest."
Joan did not obey.
Bad things happen when you become aware of your surroundings. Ignorance was bliss after-
A sharp slap caused her head to spin to the side, cheeks stinging.
Never mind that advice.
Joan gritted her teeth before opening her eyes. She felt incredibly dizzy and thankful for the tight embrace in which she was held.
Was she dreaming? Is this what heaven- er hell looked like?
Richly stained mahogany dressers and bookshelves. Elaborately embroidered armchairs and sofas upholstered with a deep jade fabric. The faint scent of sage incense.
Everything looked like it was made for people twice the normal size.
Another slap landed on her other cheek. Now, they had shared the same pain.
"Are you ignoring me, pig?! You disgust me because of your behavior; my salary will be compromised! You probably did this on purpose to get back at me. Petty- You sly-."
Joan felt shrunken as she had to tilt her head all the way back to meet her assailant's gaze.
Deep wrinkles that caused skin to fold around her lips and eyelids, perfectly slicked back silver hair, and a menacing gaze. Her eyes scanned the woman's body, taking in her outfit. A gloomy black dress with an inconvenient number of buttons.
Who was this giantess, and why was she dressed like a Victorian widow?
A sharp gasp escaped her body as the older woman dug her fingers through her hair, nails digging into the flesh of her scalp.
Tears welled up in her eyes as the woman kept spitting out insults, droplets of saliva smearing against her cheeks and forehead.
"Reeducate her. I'll let you know when to let this mutt out of its cage. I'll keep her twin busy." Her voice was cruel as Joan was dragged away from the mahogany room.
What was going on?
Where was she?
Her head was spinning with wild theories before she caught sight of a mirrored reflection.
Joan felt sick as she stared at the human looking back at her. Thick black hair that dragged down to her knees, a deathly pale complexion, thin arms, short stature, and wide violet eyes.
Who... is this child? What is happening to her?
Author's Note:
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