No One Killed Venus Wilson

XIII. TREIZE

CHAPTER TWELVE

MALIA STARED INTO THE nothingness the house was surrounded with. The house and she were so similar in so many aspects, both empty, both blank and both yearning for the return of the youngest owner. Having not left her daughter's room in weeks had left her detached from reality.  However, she did not mind, for what good was a reality if her daughter was not alive and breathing. Instead, her mind, numb from thinking about her actions in the past decided it was best to shut down. She watched as her hand aimlessly floated in the air, with no response from the brain. It was as if everything had a delayed response in her body. Having skipped meals and neglecting water, or any form of betterment had locked her in a closet of constant guilt and shame.

"Ms. Wilson," someone called out, but she did not look up.

Her eyes were focused on the popcorn ceiling above her, wondering how Venus slept peacefully in the same spot she was in months ago. She waited for the tears to come but they never did. The smell of fresh toast and eggs had alerted her mind, and in an instant, her stomach grumbled aching for one bite of food. Malia wondered if she deserved food. What mother deserves to eat when they're the reason for their child's death? She heard the hushed commands from servant to servant, before the scent of the food her body craved disappeared the second the door shut.

Once again she was left alone, again and again, how many more times could she survive being left alone?

"I miss you," she whispered out, begging for the tears to come so that she could allow her shoulders to relax.

Ever since she buried her daughter it was as if she had stopped knowing how to breathe. Each time she inhaled it was never enough as if she were drowning in her own sins and shortcomings. Her gaze drifted from the ceiling to the wall where there were stains on the pure white wall. Her eyes shut instinctively trying to imagine the party, trying to imagine her daughter getting dressed for her annual Halloween party. At the thought of Venus dressing herself Malia's eyes jolted open, her hands clenched then unclenched the fabric on her body that seemed to be suffocating her rather than protecting her nude body. 

An ear-piercing scream rang throughout the room before reaching her ears once again forcing her to cover them with her cold and dainty hands. Her ragged breaths became more frequent as the unfamiliar stinging in her eyes failed to allow her to see clearly. Her eyes bounced from corner to corner as she got up on her knees looking around the blank wall, searching desperately for the one thing. To her dismay, there was nothing but blank walls, her past words ringing clear in her mind.

"Venus, you dare not put anything up on my walls, you get your own damn place and trash it however you like, but this is my house and you will follow my rules!"

"Why, why, why?" Malia's vocal cords were burned out at this point, her throat aching to the point where it was ready to fail her once she opened her mouth to talk.

Although, that did not stop her from letting out another frustrated scream. Her hands once again rose, but not to cover her ears from the sudden sound of her voice that had been absent for days on end, but to claw at the skin that seemed to confine her in a body she was suffocating in. Her sharp nails dug deep into her skin, forcing her to let out another scream except in response to the pain she was inflicting on herself. The pain she felt didn't alert her body to stop, you're hurting yourself, her body screamed but her mind finished the thought, good, a mother like you is a stain on motherhood.

"Ms. Wilson!" Multiple voices yelled in shock as unknown hands held her hands away from clawing out her own eyes that were forced to wake up to see yet another day where she couldn't see her daughter roll her eyes at her.