Morticia

CHAPTER FOUR

Damien Thorne Mortem, the second son of Empress Serina, my second half brother...

... And someone whose craziness shouldn't be messed with.

__________________

After the breakfast gathering yesterday, I hadn't had much to do so I only stayed in my room for the rest of the day until I fell into a dreamless sleep and woke up feeling terrible pain in my wrist. A stinging pain surged through my whole arm at the slightest movement I made. Needle marks...? I endured the pain to closely look at the nearly invisible wounds. It hurts... My whole arm is covered with needle pricks...

I gulped as I tried to steady my hitched breathing and ease the pain in my chest. I wanted to cry but I can't. The pricks are so painful I don't even have time to let my tears out. Heaving deep breaths, I forced myself to grab the healing ointment in my drawers. I applied enough to cover my whole arm. It's a good thing I still have this...

I didn't know he's still this childish. I thought he finally grew up being petty. I sighed. I was so preoccupied thinking of my twin. I had previously thought he already stopped being petty as he hadn't done this in a long while, especially when he got back from boarding school... Turns out I'm wrong...

Second brother... He has always hated me... No, I should say 'disgusted by me'. Ever since I  could remember he has always looked at me as if I was the filthiest person he had ever laid his eyes on. Maybe it's because I'm born with a different mother that he's like that. This empire is ruled by polygamy so my father had married multiple women. The Empress, My mother, and the Second Queen. The Empress doesn't seem too keen on the idea since she's from a monogamous kingdom. As a result, she and her children would often look at me as if I was the filthiest being in the whole wide world.

My second brother, in particular, would do anything to hurt me. He... loves my pain... He would often say he loves to see my crying face. He said he loved seeing my disgusting face distort, that it gives him satisfaction, a thrill that he never had before... What was I thinking when I thought he had changed? I shouldn't have come to that conclusion because of some mere days he hasn't done anything to hurt me. Remember the things he did.   Second brother, the one who caused this many scars all over my body, the one who would creepily say he loves my pain, the one who would treat me as a pest...

I shouldn't forget the look he gave me that time...

...

The day after my mother's death, I sat behind a huge oak tree in our garden. Leaves fluttered in the wind as I cried and cried at the death of my mother. I already knew what happened to my mother before anyone told me but it still hurts so much hearing it directly from somebody. Tears kept flowing from my eyes and my breathing became ragged. I sobbed there without a care. Not thinking if someone might come.

I didn't even notice the footsteps coming my way as I only cried my heart out.

"Condolence!" A voice of a young boy can be heard behind me. He offered me his condolences but something seems off... His tone... Why does he sound happy saying that..? I turned around and saw beautiful sea-green orbs and jet black hair smiling excitedly at me. Second brother... Huh? Why is he smiling?

"I'm very sorry for your loss!" The boy said giggling as my blood drained from my face. He's... Happy?

"Why...? Why are you laughing...?" I croaked, fear engulfing me at the creepy glint his eyes are showing. He laughed, hysterically. He laughed like there's no tomorrow clutching his belly while rolling on the ground. I can't understand what's so funny... Why are you laughing? His laughter disappeared suddenly. He caught his breath and treaded slowly towards me grabbing both my shoulders as he looked at me with his glowing eyes and dread washed over me.

" Don't you know?" he asked playfully as he gripped my shoulders tighter. Digging into my flesh.
" You're so disgusting that your anguish became my happiness!" With his eyes gleaming with craziness staring at me, chills ran down my spine. My hands and feet turned cold. My eyes shook violently as fear swallowed me whole at that moment. I am frozen in place because of fear. All I did was watch him laugh hysterically until he went away...

I don't how I got back to the palace, but I  somehow did. I just found myself in my room staring at my pale self in the mirror...

...

I shuddered as I remembered that memory. How naïve of me to have thought he had changed... A few years of boarding school couldn't wash away the craziness he already had since he's but a child. I should put something on my arms for the time being. Who knows what he'll do. I need to prepare... I just need to hold on. Just until I can get out of here...

...I shouldn't worry.