Her Shadows

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

AMELIA POV

I peer at my reflection and see a devil stare back.

My supple body is covered with the smooth silk of the black dress that conforms to my figure tightly until it reaches just above the knee. The boat neck bodice is detailed with laced designs and the sleeves fall gracefully to my shoulders.

I strap some velvet black heels to my feet, secure my platinum blonde bob and smooth every hair before grabbing the true crown of this outfit. The mask.

It features cat-like eyes that cause my new grey-coloured contacts to pop and shine, before forming the most intricate patterns across my cheekbones and forehead. Until finally, the top forms into two, small and elegant devil horns.

Finally, where the mask meets my nose and cheekbones, an opaque black silk covering flows to cover my other features. In this outfit, I become completely anonymous. Not a single patron, including the Parkers will ever recognise me.

Just as I'm reapplying my red lip, despite it being hidden under the opaque sheath, I hear a knock at my door.

Eugene and Aaron walk in, looking dashingly handsome as ever in their perfectly figured tuxes. It hurts to see that your two most hated people are blessed with such textbook perfect looks.

Eugene offers me his elbow and I take it, allowing him to lead me to his beloved Auction's doom.

~~~

We enter a lavish building, adorned with detailed pillars and stunning art. We are soon led into a large assembly room, tables upon tables spread across the space and in the centre, for all the spectators to see, is a large stage. Slightly raised and built on polished wood, it features onto a podium with a microphone to the side and nothing else.

The real show these freaks are looking for shall enter the stage later.

The rest of the flooring, aside from the stage, is decorated with black and white chequered tiles. Akin to a chess board. Hmm ironic.

The energy in the room, the sheer violence and malice, hasn't changed since my debut on that stage 15 years ago.

I can feel my past ghost along my bones like a second skin. For a moment, I am once again five years old, trapped in a cage, blind and stumbling in the shadows.

[5 years old]

The frost seeps into my bones and racks shivers that shake my malnourished body. Everything is so blurry. Why don't my eyes work? I can't see! It's so dark, why is it so dark?

Did Ms Lennon turn the lights off?

But I don't feel my lumpy bed beneath me. Instead it's the harsh rock of concrete and my bones hurt.

I start to weep, crying and screaming for Ms Lennon.

I don't know how long I've been here. Everything's so foggy. I can't think. I want to go home. I want to see Ms Lennon and my foster sister, Lucy.

I weep and screech because my body won't move. My skins scraping on the floor, but my muscles won't respond to me. My brain feels like a cotton ball.

My cries cease as I hear approaching footsteps.

No, no, NO.

The big scary man storms into my cell and roughly pulls on my leaden arms until I'm hanging on the tips of my toes.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

I just whimper and cry. WHERE IS MS LENNON?!

The scary man who hurts me and takes my food away every day pulls out a needle.

And before I can try to scream at my body to move away, it's already piercing my skin and I'm sent back to the darkness again.

[End of flashback]

I drag my eyes from the stage as I shake the memory away.

Never again.

This time, I do not enter this room as a defenceless animal, but a hunter.

And as I peer at the chequered floor, I reinforce my promise to my five-year-old self. I will hunt down and destroy every man or woman involved in this Auction.

I will move and manipulate every key player in this room to my will.

And I will win.

---

A bit more of a look at Amelia's past. Sheesh she went through a lot.

Wait and see what happens when she finally gets into a room with those who began this journey for her.

They don't place her as #1 for no reason...