“I suggest you give yourself another wash, that blood will stink up the room.” Then, he snapped the door shut.
Well, there goes my day…
They caught me, someone grabbed my wrist and started dragging me away from my sisters. I shouted, unwilling to let them go, terrorised by the dread in their eyes.
They couldn’t be left alone, they knew no one.
We knew no one.
I couldn’t find mom and dad, I shouted for them, screamed their names but I couldn’t see them. More people started walking around me, gathering close while the pull on my wrist forced me away. It felt like people were chasing me, following in my steps as if they wanted to see more of me. Somehow, I had become the main attraction.
Maybe the party was for us, maybe they would bring out more cake and sing happy birthday like they did in the old movies. I started smiling, looking at the humans around me with newly found interest, waiting for them to start singing soon.
Only they didn’t.
They kept dragging me through an angry crowd, furrowed brows and wrinkled noses checking me as if I was some sort of bug, disgust lining their lips. They acted like I was dirty and left a stench behind me, which was odd because they forced us to shower and bathe when we arrived, they had to cut our hair and lather us in lotions that killed all bacteria.
I cried when they cut my mom’s long, beautiful hair, when they threw away our toys and clothing, but soon enough we had new ones.
I received a shirt that was a bit too big for me, but it was pink and fluffy, so different from the grey and brown dirty clothes we wore before.
But now they stripped away the shirt, leaving me naked in front of everyone.
I started crying. I was ashamed. Terrified. Lost.
And everyone started cheering all of a sudden, but I looked around and there was no cake.
Nothing to be happy or excited about.
My eyes blinked quickly to shed the tears and clear my eyes, to allow me to see better and I scrambled my gaze around to find the source of whatever it was that made these people so happy.
My friends! They were here.
Maybe this really was a birthday party because they even invited my friends. My mom and dad and my sisters were probably preparing the presents, just like in the movies!
I was happy, I was excited, I even started jumping up and down, following the cheer of the crowd.
But the words were strange, not like in the movies. No happy birthday wishes echoed through the air, no one sang happy songs or clapped with joy.
Instead, I heard words like ‘burn them’, ‘punish her,’ chanting like ‘pay, pay, pay’ or ‘kill, kill, kill.” I didn’t like it, so I stopped. I didn’t want to follow them anymore, I didn’t like those songs.
I couldn’t go near my friends because someone grabbed them too and pulled them away just like they did with me. I didn’t know their names, so I didn’t know what to say or what to shout to draw their attention.
But they found me somehow, in the commotion of the crowd. And I waved at them with a little smile, happy to see them. They waved back, only their eyes looked terrified.
They were crying too.
My friends were dragged on a big pile of sticks and wood, which was strange because it didn’t look like a table or chairs, it looked uncomfortable to sit in there.
Just then, mom and dad appeared, both of them crying and pleading. Dad was on his knees, his arms lifted in the air to pray.
Someone kicked me, I didn’t know who because I couldn’t turn, my arms were pulled tight against some straps that kept them wide open, forcing my naked back to expand. It pulled at my muscles. It hurt, and I didn’t like it. I must have started crying again because my face was cold and wet.
I couldn’t see my parents anymore, my face had been turned towards my friends, they too were strapped to more wood, they too were crying. They had started screaming even, but I didn’t know why.
Then I saw the flames. Rising like a hurricane into the night, eating at my friends’ legs and making them shout in agony. I started crying even harder, terrified of what was happening, trying to jiggle my arms free to run to them and set them free when the first blow came.
Swishing through skin and muscle, a deep cut made my back arch, my throat instantly howling in pain.
