Dimitrescu's Daughter (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen: A Visit to Aunt Donna's House

If it's not for my mother, behaving really isn't part of my repertoire. Without Heisenberg around to threaten or impale me Miranda can get absolutely nowhere. As soon as she reaches to try and grab me or take a sample or something I grab her instead.

More than once in more than one way I've gotten a mouthful of feathers.

With hours of free time left to my own devices I also begin to analyze how Miranda controls everything around her, and how when there's nothing living or undead to control that she's much weaker. For another thing she makes Heisenberg deal with me. Apparently I'm uncontrollable for her.

At the same time, she created the four lords. Or holds some power over them which with common sense means she must be more powerful or stronger somehow. Surely I shouldn't be any trouble to her, a minor inconvenience at best. But apparently not.

Another thing that begins to occur is that while time is relative I haven't eaten anything solid in days. There's nothing to eat in my rocky cell either and I begin to wonder, and worry, if that's purposeful. At this rate everything begins to sound edible. Grass, mushrooms, even bugs.

Madness begins to creep in. A growing growl echoes from the maw at all times. I begin digging and scratching at the ground around the bars. At one point I even try chewing through them with the teeth in my chest. They bend, but don't snap. I don't have the strength. A few days ago I might've.

Eventually I lay on my side, trying to conserve energy until whatever day I may be fed again.

I've never been glad to hear Angie's incessant chattering, until now. Sitting up I take a deep breath and knock on the bars.

"Donna," My voice is a rasp still wrapped in the band of metal from Heisenberg, "Aunt Donna it's me."

Footsteps hurry over. Aunt Donna comes closer slowly, "What happened?"

"Miranda came in and kidnapped me out of my bed. Heisenberg. I- Trapped," I gasp out in a painful whisper.

Aunt Donna nods, "I'll get you out. Don't worry."

I have no memory of how Aunt Donna managed to free me. Waking up I'm laying in a small bed in a dim room. It's not very quiet, there's shuffling and groaning and clicking all around. This is not home.

When I sit up strings come tight around my arms and legs. I can pull a little, but the farther I get the harder it pulls. Resting both arms at my sides is painless but still causes strain.

The door opens a crack and Aunt Donna comes in. I only recognize her by her ink black dress, for once she's not wearing her veil. One half of her face is seraphic, if not painted in despair, and the other looks infected and malformed in the worst way. Her dark hair is drawn back and she smiles, carrying a tray of food.

"Hello Iulia. How are you feeling?"

"Why are my hands bound?"

"I made breakfast. Since you haven't eaten in so long I made some mash, something soft on your stomach."

"Aunt Donna I need solid food. I-I need something with flesh and blood," I growl, coughing.

Aunt Donna looks at the tray, "Well, I have some eggs. I'll make something else for dinner. Do you have a favorite?"

"Yes," I strain against the strings, "Waking up at home with a maid poking me in the cheek with a mop."

"You are home."

Oh hell.

I sigh and let my arms droop, "Aunt Donna, mother will be worried. My sisters will miss me-"

"You are mine," Aunt Donna growls in that dead tone, "This is your home and I am your mother and I will be making your favorite dinner."

Silence passes. I nod, "As soon as you know what it is."

"What is it?"

"Grilled chicken and mashed potatoes."

"Grilled," Aunt Donna murmurs, "I'll work on that. You just rest."

Once Aunt Donna is gone I pull the strings across my chest. They snap and tangle. Thrashing and biting with my normal teeth I manage to free myself and fall to the floor where I discover, once more, that I'm still more than half starved and crazed.

The window flies open and I almost tumble out. Aunt Donna grabs and hauls me back in by my hair.

"You-!"

"Aunt Donna!" There's an unsettling shriek that rattles the bones. Daniela flies in the window, "Aunt Donna you found her!"

Mother arrives not long after alone. Her eyes are blazing and puffy like she's been crying. She sways on her feet slightly as she pets my hair, "Look at you, you're a sight. And you're in even more desperate need of a bath."

I lean into her hand, "You were right, Heisenberg sucks."

Her fingers card through my hair and Daniela hugs me around the neck, nuzzling the blood on her face into mine too.

"Aunt Donna found her."

There is an absolute tension between the two. Mother growls, "How very kind of you, dear sister. Perhaps next time mother Miranda tells me one of my children is dead you'll be kind enough to tell me she's lying."