a Primal Pursuit

fifteen

My mother's voice slurred with drink. She was still hammered. Good. It meant I could get out of this.

Swallowing thickly through the tension, I felt my heart drop to my stomach when her brown eyes drifted over to me. The door was half open, allowing the little moonlight to filter into the room. I was certain she couldn't make out my features, being the light was behind me, but the way her eyes narrowed made me think otherwise.

"Who is that? Arabella? Is that you?" She wondered, rubbing her eyes again. "Wait... You're not Arabella..."

I felt my composure waver, and I moved to take a step backward when she shouted a threat at me.

"Hey! Stop! What are you doing here, thief?" Her words slurred as she tried to sit straighter. "Hey! Cat got your tongue? I'll chop it out for you, save you the hassle. Come here! You swine, pathetic piece of-

"Mother." I stated softly.

Her breath hitched, and I saw the way her eyes widened. She drunkenly swayed, crawling to the edge of the sofa bed. Her hands gripped a pillow, glaring in my direction. I wasn't sure if she was going to launch it at me or not, but at least it was just a pillow. I've had worse thrown at me, glass and plates included thanks to Darius.

"Ailia? Is that you?" She wondered, squinting.

I remained silent, opening the door some more. She had seen me, and my voice had shut her up. That was enough.

"Close your eyes and you will wake up sober." I sighed.

She scoffed. "It must be you! Always telling me what to do."

"You are dreaming." I mumbled.

"I must be, because you are dead." She sighed, moving away from the edge of the bed. "Such a shame what happened... That wolf..."

My eyebrows rose with curiosity, but when her mouth opened again, I almost growled like an animal.

"Your death was such a loss of money." She huffed. "Good job. I have another one to seal the deal."

My body snapped, my anger flaring like a shaken glow stick. It swirled across my body, filling in every crevice until I was certain I was blazing with indignation.

I kept my voice low and steady. "What did you say?"

"In a couple of years, I will be rich!" She giggled, waving her hands in the air. "Oh, Ailia dear, your sister is even prettier than you. I got an even better price. They said it was because of what happened, with the whole eaten by a wolf thing, but... She will be so happy with her new husband!"

My fists clenched as I approached her. "What have you done to her?"

Her eyes drifted to me as I now stood over her. They widened, shocked to see my face.

"Ailia? Is that really you?" She gasped.

"Mother. Where is Arabella?"

"Are you haunting me? Is it because you cannot get over your hatred for me?" She pouted.

"I will haunt you for the rest of your fucking life." I warned. "What have you done with Arabella?"

"Always full of questions. You know, growing up, you were lucky your father liked you so much because the amount you always wanted to know about things drove me insane." She huffed. "Always wanting to explore, go to the forest, swim in the lake and play with mud. Nothing a girl should ever do! Not the daughter I wanted. I wish I didn't have you to look after and just had Arabella."

I recoiled, my throat feeling constricted at her harsh words. I was a good kid. I never got into trouble and always came home on time. Even after I grew up, I pulled up my big-girl pants and gave up my entire teenage years and friends to get a job and help my family.