Three

I had yearned for the last two years of my freedom to move slow, but they went faster than I expected. They dragged away every bit of hope in me with time.

And sincerely they no longer held my freedom any more like I had thought before.

With time I soon realized that I was being held captive by my own father, he had denied me access to the outside of the house and handed me more work load.

I hadn't realized that this was also my father's way of keeping an eye on me, he thought that I would certainly escape before the wedding day.

But I had no such plans, I had already surrendered to this fate in fact where was I to go. I didn't have anyone outside that would help me and maybe because I had fear in me.

Am afraid that Arthur would kill me in case I try to escape and I was a coward.

I was also ashamed to stand in front of other human beings. I was afraid that they would judge me.

I had seen it happen, when I was visiting my mom at the cemetery, I noticed the middle aged women that stood a distance away from me. Their eyes were pinned me and they whispered to each other softly that I couldn't hear what they were saying but it wasn't hard to guess what they were talking about to.

And there was also another group that were pointing fingers and saying that I had intentionally seduced Arthur.

This made me feel so cold and numb after realising that the whole village knew, I felt my self unable to stand firmly with all eyes on me.

Maybe I had not seen it while going but on my way back I noticed the accusing eyes, it made me understand that I could never fit into any kind of society.

They would see through me and realize that I had lost my virtue at a young age, they would know that I was I tainted with dirty hands and some how it added to the low self esteem that I had.

I resulted to locking myself in the attic all day and cried my heart out, I felt the need to scratch away all the pain. I was getting tired of hurting and suffering for no reason that a suicide thought crossed my mind.

No, I shook my head. My mom, before she died she asked me to be strong and brave but am not sure how long I could hold on anymore.

Time came when I had no more tears to share but bitter memories and disturbing pictures firmly printed in my mind, the time I spent without Arthur interfering gave me a chance to figure out my own life.

I had always thought that without him things would change, but they become more tough. Still, the nightmares became worse, and I felt so suffocated by that past and those demons that always reached out there hands to grab me and suffocate me with fear.

My panic attacks were getting more worse and so was hurting myself. Soon I wasn't seeing any more reasons as to why I was alive.

I would stand in front of the mirror every morning thinking as to why it's me who is going through all this, I wasn't that beautiful. Was that the reason why I was suffering?

What had I done to have this kind of life, waking up everyday was starting to become a nightmare.

I was yearning desperately for that little way out though I was much aware that, that little way was already blocked.

Soon time moved and the wedding day had come, on my 18th birthday.

I always used to wait for my birthday anxiously with excitement, when my mom was around it was the most beautiful time in my life and even after she left I tried to celebrate it in my own way.

I could think of different ideas to make the day special even if it wasn't that extravagant but now I never wanted this day to come. It had become my nightmare, my end.

It was just like any other morning but today I was afraid to step out of the attic. I was so afraid of what I would see outside.

I kept wondering what would happen after today, my life was going to turn more dark and painful, I was so sure about that.

My emerald eyes turned glossy and my lips trembled. I knew that my life was going to turn upside down without a debate, I brought my knees to my chest and stared in to the empty space.

Why did it have to be me, though my weak soul had already surrendered to this kind of fate but deep inside my heart was yearning for me to fight.

Sincerely I didn't see any use in fighting this, he would find and punish me. I was so afraid of Arthur's wrath, he was the demon that wouldn't let me off even in my dreams.

My heart clenched in pain and my eyes fell close, I could see nothing but black am very sure this was the end for me.

My eyes moved to the brown rectangular box that laid in the corner of the attic and I inwardly winced, I heard a knock on the door and turned to it at the same time as it opened.

My stepsister Lana walked in with a small black box in her hand, I stood where I was and watched as she closed the door behind her.

"I will do your hair and make up " Lana whispered softly as if afraid that I would throw her out but I didn't have any intention to do that.

I lowered my gaze to the floor and nodded. It's not like I wasn't expecting this, my freedom was slowly slipping out of my grip as I watched on.

I pushed myself to the edge of my bed and waited for Lana to start her job.

A bitter smile laced my lips when I remembered that I also had a dream, I had wanted a big princess wedding but that was years back before my life turned like this. Now I was getting married to the man I will never love.

I remember those days when I heard dreamed of this day, how I would look in a beautiful white dress with a the groom I love waiting for me at the other end of the aisle but those dreams were snatched away right in front of my eyes and a black fog blocked my fantasies.

Now am being handed over to man I so was afraid of the most, the man that destroyed me. I wanted to look at my father's face as he drags me down the aisle and then hand me to a man that broke his little princess.

I wanted just this one time to be sure that I share the same blood with my father, I wanted to see him break every single promise he had made to my mother.

I wanted to look him in the eye and ask what Arthur had given him that he disregarded his own daughter.

I was so lost in thoughts to notice Lana's gaze on me, my eyes snapped at her and she had a little smile on her face.

It was now that I noticed, she had the same facial features as father. Lana brought a mirror to my face and I saw a delicate beautiful girl.

My makeup was made light and simple, outlining my oval face. My green eyes stood out, with nude red lipstick for my full lips.

If it was a wedding I would never regret then I sincerely looked beautiful but staring at myself now all I felt was emptiness.

It felt like my soul and heart were not here, this was just an empty shell of me and maybe that's the truth

Suddenly Lana appeared in front of me with the open rectangular box that was placed in a corner of the attic a while ago.

Staring at the white vest front of the wedding gown, it caught my attention making me realize that my life had truly just ended.

I immediately shuddered, and tears blurred my vision.

"Ella " I lifted my head up to Lana who was looking at me as if wanting to say something.

Lana placed the box on the bed and moved towards the door, she opened it and looked outside to make sure that no one was around before closing the door again and locking it, she moved towards me.

"Ella, listen to me carefully " Lana whispered squatting in front of me.

I stared at this stepsister of mine with confusion and curiosity, I didn't say anything as always and Lana seemed to be used to this side of me.

" I am getting you out of here..."

" Why ?" I immediately whispered when I heard what she had just said, I didn't mean to cut Lana off like that neither was I intending to say anything else.

" Can you trust me ?"

Now that was the problem, I didn't know how to trust anymore.

I had been hurt numerous times to trust anyone. This Lana can I trust her and what if Lana's plan fails what will happen to me.

Surely my father would definitely protect his precious daughter Lana but what about me.