~Layla~
Jackson’s hand moved up from my throat to cover my mouth. My screams bounced against his palms as my body contracted in pain and spasms.
My fingers rolled up and my nails pressed into my skin, blood trickling from my palms. Jackson pressed me back against his body, and his hand was covering any sound that tried to escape. The girl stepped back, the woman stood close with the candle tilted over my chest so that the wax poured down on my skin. Jackson pressed my head back further and I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. She moved the candle up on my throat. The scolding hot wax felt like acid burning against my skin, and when I opened my eyes and looked through the tears I saw that the wax was now moss-green. It shouldn’t have burnt like this; it was wax, nothing that should cause pain, but this was excruciating. Whatever that girl filled the candle with was causing the wax to take on another form and it was getting glued to my skin instead of stiffening like it should.
The woman moved back my hair and traveled the candle up under my jaw and below my ear as I squirmed to get free from Jackson’s hold.
Her fingers grabbed firmly around jaw, keeping me from looking at No one but her. Her eyes flickered under the flame and in the blue depths, I could see the same sick enjoyment that I had seen in Nathaniel. She enjoyed inflicting pain, just like her king.
My chest was heaved as I tried to breath but Jackson’s hand was still covering my mouth and pressing against my lips.
She gazed into my eyes, her lips pulled up and shadowed a smirk before they puckered and blew out the flame.
The girl walked over and turned on the lights and Jackson finally let me go. I felt my legs let go and I fell to my knees. The wax continued to dig its way deeper into my skin and I let out an agonized wail.
I lifted my head; sweat dripped down the side of my face, and my hands were shaking as they touched against the parts of my skin that felt like they were on fire.
“What have you done?” I breathed.
“Nothing for you to worry about. Just get ready,” Jackson said and stepped around me. He stopped by the door and turned halfway, his eyes found mine and he scanned me top to bottom.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” he said with a devilish smile and a conflicted gaze. My eyes followed the door as It closed, and he was gone.
The woman squatted down next to me, she grabbed my hand and I jerked it away.
“I don’t need your help,” I spat and stood up.
The small mirror they had brought showed the waistline of the dress, how it hugged my forms perfectly, and the layers that fell right on my chest. I bent my knees, slowly edging down in the mirror until my bare skin was visible and I gasped.
My skin was painted blue with green lines, it looked like fish scales and touching it caused my whole body to experience a pain unlike any other.
I stood straight with my arms hanging by my side and my breath caught in my throat; this wasn’t something done to make me look pretty; This was a way to keep me in control.
“Let’s do your hair,” she said with a wicked smile and her head tilting to the side.
I sat on the stool for an hour before the woman told me that it was done. She had been pulling, brushing, tweezing and frizzing my hair into what felt like a bird’s nest, so I wasn’t too excited to look in the mirror. I knew that whatever I was about to see in the reflection would just be horrible.
“What do you think?” She handed me the mirror, and I caught myself in the reflection. It was not at all what I imagined it would look like. She had been frizzing my hair so much that I thought it had to look like flea-infested fur, but no, it was voluminous and bouncy as the braids entwined themselves on the back of my head.
Two braids went around my head like a diadem and circled the loose bun in the back. Two money pieces hung in front of my face, framing its shape.
“Just one last touch,” the woman said and gestured for the young girl. “Tara, if you would,” Tara nodded her head and picked up a little golden container. She opened the lid and dipped her finger in; as she took it out, it looked like blood was covering the tip of her finger but it was thicker. She brought her finger close to my lips and I parted them as she painted my lips in that crimson red color.
I pressed my lips together and evened out the color, and then it was done. They stepped back and started gathering their things.
The door opened unexpectedly and Jackson stepped in. He positioned himself in the door frame with his hands locked behind his back, and his eyes hungrily undressing me from a distance.
“Ready?” He asked in a dark tone and carefully looked behind me. “She’s all yours.” The woman said and smiled.
All his?
’Where is this going?’
I don’t know, but I am feeling a little scared
’Well, stop that’
Geez, thanks
’I’m just saying that we can’t let them know we’re scared, you have to pretend like none of this is scary’
But I am scared, Clara, of everything…
’I’m not telling you to stop being scared; I’m telling you to pretend you’re brave because if we give in to the fear of everything that is happening, then we won’t be any good to anyone when it come to fixing this mess’
You’re right
’Oh i know’
Jackson turned around and gestured for me to follow him. We walked out of the room, and I looked over my shoulder to see Tara and the woman following behind. They handed over their things to three other girls who carried everything out through the back door. Then they followed behind and I looked at Jackson’s back, wondering where the hell he was leading me.
The doors to the house stood wide open, with two men on each side watching us as we walked out. Torches illuminated a path down past the houses and the town, all the way down to the river. We walked in the eerie silence past the quiet houses, and once we passed the hill, was when I noticed the people. They were lined up on each side like spectators, but for what? A path was cleared in between them as their eyes followed me when I walked down to the river.
They didn’t speak, not a single word or greeting, barely even a glance of acknowledgement. They were all dressed in red and black, dolled up to the tee, hair perfectly styled, decorated with jewelry and it looked like they were all ready for a party but they stood like soldiers waiting for an order, staring with lifeless eyes as you passed by.
Clara, i’m scared
’Me too, it’s like we’ve ended up in some freak show horror movie…do you think
they’re gonna eat us?’
What the fuck? Why would you say that?
’Well I was just wondering—‘
No! No more words out of you. Go sleep
Jackson stopped a few feet away from the riverbank. He bowed and turned to the side so that I was fully visible. Nathaniel stood there dressed in black chinos, a black long-sleeve turtleneck with the sleeves rolled up, and a golden watch adorning his wrist. His hair wasn’t slicked back like the others; it bounced in waves on his head, and the flames from the fire flickered against his family ring as he reached out his hand for me.
My eyes however were more drawn to his other hand—the one that hung by his side,or rather, what was in it.
’He has a knife’
I can see that
“Come,” he said, his hand still reaching out, waiting for me to grab it. I gently raised my hand and reluctantly placed my palm in his.
