You're Rightfully Mine

She is slowly walking down the stairs; fearful extended steps she is taking. It’s in the middle of the night and she is expecting no one at all, but she is sure she heard something, as she went back to bed after she uses the bathroom.

Her apartment is not big; a bedroom, living room and an open kitchen. She is walking to the kitchen and to the counter, where she last left her phone. Her spaces are orderly for any odd drama and it's been quite today... well at list before the bumping sound she heard.

“It was here,” she whispers to herself, unsure if she really did left it there. Loading her chest with air she brushes her short hair back with her fingers, closing her eyes. “Calm down, and breathe,” she says to herself and takes a moment in silence.

She screams turning around in shock, to her phone that is ringing suddenly and from the coffee table in the living room. Pressing on her chest she closes her eyes to calm down but she speeds to it and pick it up. It was just an alarm, she don't remember setting it up, but she shrugs to it as she turns it off.

Wait, what’s that smell? She deepens her furrow lines as she tries to calm down. But that smell, it's getting too strong.

“Oh, shit!” she whispers looking up with her watery eyes, as it clicks her entirely terrible memory back.

***

Not fair, I was not ready for any drama. I thought I had enough of everything. I was starting over and everything was falling in lines. But that women again. She has to come into my life once again and with a messed-up news.

I thought I was the last of my blood line and type; crazy and complicated, but after I was adapted by my, very welcoming new family, I was calming down and everything was luminously clear. For the first time ever, I was starting to think about my future and every disturbing nightmare were once and for all dead quiet.

I was only seven when they take me in and it was easy for me to blend in, it didn’t take me that much. Sara is my older sister and she was understanding and fun to be around. Everything was just perfect and it didn’t take long when comfort took every worry away and I was able to fight and face my demons just like that.

Jane is the best mom in the whole world... and a psychologist as well... science loving person. She was everything for me and Papa was an anarchist pastor; every conversation has to end with the man up there and is a very respected person in our community.

I know, I know, I ask the same thing as well. Two peoples from different world coming together forms this amazing beautiful picture-perfect family. It’s not even for a show. It’s all real and I am always surprised that I am really part of them. Not saying that they never disagree but it's a pleasure to hear and see them at it. They understand each other, I guess that's love; to look past any differences and stay together no matter what.

“I think we should leave here,” Sara was smiling when she say her thought loudly, but I knew she didn’t mean it.

“Oh, shut it,” Mom hit her at the back of her head, slightly.

“It’s overwhelmingly big, very big,” I can tell when papa is taken in surprise.

We were standing in front of the mansion; the women from the government office brought us a will from my supposed family; inheritance will. I hated her so much that ever since she brought that letter, that led us to my family’s property, I was not feeling well. I felt it in me, when something is suddenly changed, I mean mentally.

Mom thought it’s for best to once and for all be able to shut that door; my past. She thought I should pay last visit.

The nightmares were too horrible, enough to wake me up throwing out. I would say it was more like a locked away memory, finally unleashed; her sunset blond hair weaving hard as she screams running down the stairs, her long red asymmetrical dress moving hard in response to her running, blood, blood everywhere. A baby girl covered in blood, crying, a man screaming... the walls bleeding, a strange woman laughing, crying, nude women, two heads on a shoulder... one... it’s not clear but stressing, the baby girl coughing blood and then spitting flies out... more like swarm of flies, like throwing them out. I would wakeup panting and throwing out. It felt real. I would wake up with what felt like something was in my throat, like the flies and disgusted I would feel.

I thought maybe mom was right, that we should revisit my past. Say my proper goodbyes to my parents. I hardly recall... I actually recall nothing about my life with them, it was like it never happened.

“I’m sure this will be good,” mom patted me on my back and I close my eyes spastic. “What is it?” she asked me deepening her furrow lines.

“Is it normal to simply recall everything?” I asked.

“Are you, already?”

“I think I recall running to the house. I just don’t know with who,” I shrugged my left shoulder.

“Happy feeling?” she asked and I shook my head perplexed.

“Are you going to stand there forever?” Sara giggled and ran back into the mansion and I realized that Papa is already in ahead of us.

“Who are you?” a voice turned our attention behind us and I frowned looking at the nun who was looking at us concerned. She looked too old and weak.

I can tell she was from the Catholic church, down the road, that’s in fair distance to the mansion. Her bandeau, veil, coif and guimpe looks too big for her too small face, the blackness of her habit skirt is too dark and clean that it boldly viewed her as her emerald eye colors stand out too bright.

“Oh, we’re...” mom licked her lower lips slightly. “Well, actually, my daughter inherited this land,” mom spoke as she fully turned facing her but the nun was more focused on me. Narrowing those eyes, she walked past mom to me.

“That hair, Samantha?” she held my wrists with both her hands and I gasped, not to her but to the flashback.

It was my mom, the women in my dreams. I recalled her smiling as she wove clear her long, very long blond hair as mine to her back. The moment the nun called that name I recalled every beautiful curves of her face and even the feeling I hosted towards her; it was peaceful and loving.

“Mom,” I whispered slightly licking my lower lip to the memory. “I’m sorry,” I said to my new mom, the one who raised me. “The name must...”

“That is her, your mom,” she took over the conversation for me, but the nun’s grip tightens on my wrist as her smile immediately got transformed into disappointment.

“Rose?” she called me. I suppose that was my name but we changed it to Avery, I loved it the moment dad called me. I remembered my face lighting up with smile and it was done.

“Aw, no, it’s Avery now. You’re hurting me,” I scream as mom tries to snatch my arms away.

“You can’t be here; you need to go... I said let her go.”

“Sister Maria,” another nun rushes to our direction and grab her hands from behind her and huddled her in her arms. “Please pardon her,” she smiled embarrassed to what she was doing to me. “She is lately feeling lost,” she added as she handed her over to another sisters. It seemed they were looking for her.

“She harmed my daughter, she need to be watched,” mom was rubbing my hurt wrists.

“I’m okay,” I whispered to mom.

“I’m sorry on her behalf,” the nun added as she looks down then up to the house. “The house bares bad memories to her,” she added.

“Was she close with the previous family?” mom asked. Suddenly drawn towards the topic.

“I wouldn’t say,” the nun answered. “Her relation to the family was rather complicated,” she added. “Are you moving in?” she asked.

“Oh, no,” mom was quick to answer. “My daughter inherited it,” she cleared, but the nun looked at her quizzically. “She’s adopted,” she added rather disturbed to say it out loud. That was the first time ever she ever said it loud. I think she was just being extra careful to show me that she is not interested on the property.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” the nun shook her head. “I should go,” she looked disturbed suddenly.

“I’m sorry but, what was her relation like, exactly?” I asked and she pressed her lips.

“It smelled metallic,” she pressed her lips sad. “She said it smelled metallic,” she repeated herself. “Don’t go into that place, go home,” she added and left just like that.

“That was weird,” mom said but we both walk to the house and went in to join my sister and Papa.

We had to stay the night; papa fall down the stairs that he twisted his foot. He thought the pain would pass.

The place was intact, but there was something about it. I can feel it, not around me but waking up in me. The next day I was starting the car and Sara refused to leave, like she was scared. Mom and I was by far the only person who was on their right mind, but I can’t blame papa, his feet was swollen terribly the pain was making him hate everything, including the God he always loved.

The third day we repeat the stay, I started seeing things, it was clear. I recalled everything; mom, dad... me and what happed because of that women. I recalled because I saw her agin. She didn't look that scary; long, wet, silky Lucifer black hair, tall women; that was how I saw her first. I remembered her seeing to my room, in distance, every mid-day by the lake to our back yard and I was just a child. From my room the view is just about right.

I remembered being scared of going there but one day it was my seventh year birth day and the party was thrown by the lake. I almost forgot about her for there was a lot going on. I was happy and there was no way for me to not forget her.

Then I saw her bear walking into the lake and I walked closer to her; I was just hoping to speak with her, ask her why she was bare and if she was okay, but it didn’t take that long. I remember being pulled into the water. It was bluer after that, I remember a man, priest I suppose; screaming, I remember waking up now and then. I remembered that I was in a very dark, dark place and I was running everywhere looking for the way out. Then there was nothing for a long while. Just me in that filthy dark place and huddled.

“Rose, I named you,” the women walked to me with a smile and she was in a black mosquito net fabric long dress. She was as good as naked and she didn’t care. She was barefoot and despite how dirty the place was, her skin was too clean and no matter how wet her hair was her skin was dry.

“I want to go home,” I remembered saying to her. I was so young and fragile then.

“You will go back, Rose,” I was able to recall the tingling feeling I felt then. I still do. “You are my right and when it’s time, you will come back to me, so I can get out,” she said and kissed me on my head but placing me on her lap she sits on the wet dirty floor, humming a song I can’t recognize.

On the third day, with my new family, in that place, I was locked in my old room with her. I was simply looking around for the first time.

Mom said to me that sometimes our brain hides things from us, memories that are too hard and our brain has its own way of protecting us, that must be why I have forgotten her till I saw her again.

“I told you when it’s time, you’ll be back,” she said smiling and I screamed hitting the door. I knew mom and dad were hitting it from the other side to open it. "Stay calm or I will slowly kill them all,” she threatened me and I slowly turn to see her. She was just standing; as if it was like yesterday since I saw her last. “You’re a woman now,” she said, but she is already near me. “Nineteen years I waited for you,” she said. “I love your hair,” she smiled as she creased the tip of it from my chest, but I snatched it. “Listen,” she said biting her lower lip.

Dad screamed too loud and then mom screamed Sara’s name.

“What are you doing baby?” her voice was muffled but I was able to hear her mighty clear.

“Now see,” the women said to me and I was already out the corridor, but no one was able to see me. Dad was on the floor with his right leg broken completely as Sara is standing over the banister ready to make her jump down. She didn’t seem herself; she was too quiet.

I really want to scream, say something but I couldn’t. it was like I have lost my voice just as I was not able to move an inch as well. All I was able to do was cry.

“Don’t bother,” she smiled turning her head to me but I saw another head splitting on her left as it smiled to Sara. “I’ll kiss her good bye for you,” she says as the other head blows her a kiss in the air and Sara has fallen down just like that.

“Sara,” mom was crying as she speeds down the stairs and dad was still screaming but I was not able to do anything at all. “I’m coming baby,” Mom was running as she was screaming, it was reminding me of that of my biological mother; running down the stairs.

The whole aria smelled like metal, that smell when a metallic object stayed in your grasp or that you rubbed your hands against it, but too strong.

“I was only telling you, but you chose to do eveything,” she said, turning fully towards me with two heads and I remembered everything; with my parents.

They thought I was finally okay but I was not; this woman was with me but I remember placing detergent material in my dad’s drink and I stabbed mom, and as she run down the stairs she fallen down and broke her neck.

“Give up what belongs to me, what I was promised and I shall leave this family for you,” both heads smiled to me.

“Take it all,” I permitted her and everything was quiet. I just hated myself for what happened then.

Sara can’t walk or talk, dad is limp and I couldn’t just walk back into their lives after what happened.

It took me a long while to wrap my thought around what happened in that house, but after three years in a psychiatric hospital, and with help from my mother, I was finally able to start over and in my own apartment.

But what for? Just when I thought it was all over the smell that just got in my nose brought back the entire memories.

Wait, where am I now, what is going on? This place, it’s too dark and I... I think I’ve been here before.

***

Avery looks down at her own hands surprisingly satisfied.

“Um,” she says quietly. “Once up on a time there was Enepsigos, a godess who undergoes changes, like the goddess she was called. but she was broken and then imprisoned by men,” she uttered as she scratches her head open for another head to her left. “By a king who lastly bounded her with triple-link chains, but thanks to her knowledge, she found another man with need,” the other head utters. “He offered his great grandchild in exchange for wealth,” the first head utters smiling as she rips out of her night dress. “It is now her time,” the second head takes the explaining looking to the one on the right. “Her time to rule and take,” the head on the right completes the sentence as wings like bat pierce her back and spreads and she screams in agony.

After a moment, she looks up with smile and her heads shakes roughly and become one as long wet hair falls straight all the way down to her loin. She walks to the window and bursts her way out, laughing as she flies away.