Chapter 11

Harden their hearts by breaking their souls…..

Jasmine's POV:

As I watch Mirai walk out the door I can't help but feel useless all over again.

Alas I'm the biggest idiot at the end of the day.The tables have turned.

Or was it that I never had the upper hand?

What now?

I turn to my window only to stare at the gates in hopelessness.

The door swings wide open and I turn my head slowly in the direction and I lock eyes with my mother then at Ashanti who is standing timidly behind my mother.

My mother grimaces as she walks into my room looking at all the corners as she does so.

She doesn't have to speak before I can get what's going on in her mind.

Filth,my room was full of it and my mother hates it but I couldn't care less.The thought of me irritating her causes a smirk to linger on my lips but I suppress it trying me best to keep a poker face.As she walks up to me I notice that she is dressed in her usual black.The colour of her heart.Once she gets to where I stand she halts facing me face to face.

"Ashanti here said some very interesting things today"she says as she gestures her to come from the door

She does so quickly and stands near my mother meekly not looking at my eyes

"Do you know what she said?"my mother asks coldly

"That she's been feeding you, isn't that right Ashanti?"she says looking at Ashanti before looking back at me

"Because apparently you can't feed yourself"she says almost shouting

I say nothing and just stare at her before I glance at Ashanti who is now looking at me.Her eyes full of apologies.I look back at my mother.I see as her face scrunched up in disgust and anger,till it relaxes into a smug smirk.

"Well"she says swiftly changing her mood as she stands up straight

"Since you just love to take care of my daughter,why not make a deal,from now on you'll be in charge of her.If she doesn't eat then you won't eat,her room needs to be cleaned at all time if not….let's just say it won't end well for both of you, especially you"she says now looking at Ashanti

I too look at Ashanti with disdain.This girl talks too much for her own good and now look at what she got herself into.Although I doubt she can actually handle me.

"What are you looking at me for? Start cleaning up this rat hole"my mother commands making Ashanti to immediately start scurrying around picking up clothes from the floor.

And with that my mother walks out of the room.

I look down at Ashanti picking up and cleaning out like her life depended on it.

"You're not very smart are you?"I ask whilst still looking down at her with disdain

She looks up at me with a pittiable look in her eyes.But somehow her look turns into one resembling anger and she drops the clothes on the floor.

"What did you want me to do then,allow you to starve yourself,is that what you wanted?"she asks almost shouting

"I'm trying to help you with what ever you're going through and this is the thanks I get?"

"I didn't ask you for your help Ashanti"I say in between gritted teeth

"If I were you I'd take my advice and leave while I'm still breathing,trust me you do not want to get involved with me"

"Why are you always threatening me?"

"I'm not threatening you"

"Yes you are,you never liked me since the day I set foot in this house and what I want to know is why"

I pull at my hair in frustration of having to tell her to leave for the hundredth time.

"You know what never mind stay here if you want"I say leaving the room.

As I walk through the hallway I feel the lurking eyes of some of the maids and Onyx watching my movements from afar

"Im not planning on running away so you should all go back to your chores"I yell as I turn to their direction making them scurry about going back to their jobs while some collide on each other along the line.

Onyx however maintains his poise posture and simply walks away as I eye him.

I walk out of the front door and into the garden, however my anger turns to sadness as I spot the gigantic gates that are locked with embellished padlocks.

Freedom has never felt so close yet so far away.

I walk into the garden and sit on the grass.

Some days I wonder if I'll ever make it outside alive at all.Not just from the gates,from all this…...this life.

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Ashanti's POV:

I feel like screaming out my lungs at Jasmine, but I don't at the end she's still broken.I just wonder what actually broke her.I look at the broken window and shake my head

I will never understand what goes on in her mind.

Nevertheless I get a broom and sweep up the glass on the floor,as I sweep it occurs to me that this is the first time of me entering her room.I glance around the room briefly before I continue sweeping.

It's rather big but then again, every room in this house is big but unlike the rest it feels….hollow,the room is so messy like as though a hurricane hit it

I can only groan but I'll have to do it any way,it's not like there's any one else here but me.

After what seems like an eternity Im finally done cleaning up,I look at the room with pride knowing that everything is at it's place whilst cleaning the sweat from my forehead.

Once I'm done I head down to the lower hall where the servants live as I walk down the halls I remain quite not bothering to talk to the fellow servants that walked passed me as they themselves did the same.They never talk to me.And they don't even try.But I'm used to it though,I had to normalize that after all they were all a bit older than me,what could we possibly talk about?

Once I reach my room I feel a hand tap my shoulder just before I even touch my door knob.I turn around on Impluse and see a middle aged woman-a fellow maid-i think her name is Lily or something like that,she seems like a very nice person but she never gives me the chance to talk to her.

I wonder why she wants to talk to me now.

"Madam Ada sent for you,she's at the dinning room"she says then walks away without even letting me speak.

Never the less I simply walk to the dinning room.

Once I enter the enormous dinning room I spot madam Ada standing near the window as she looks out of it.

"Ma'am you sent for me"I say as I stand near the door

"Ahh finally what took you so long?"she asks turning to me

"Sorry...it's just that the hallways are so long and the stairs and even longer I thought my feet were going to give up on me and I haven't still gotten used to the pl-"

"Please be quite"says Ada totally cutting me off unexpectedly as she eyes me

"That's not the reason I called you here"she says now turning back to the window

"Sit,now"she commands

I quickly take a seat,still feeling quite hurt by her sudden outburst

"As you've probably noticed my daughter has been going through some...things and she is not ok"she starts then pauses a little.Almost like the words has made a lump in her throat.

I hear her exhale but she still doesn't look at me,never the less I just sit there waiting for her to finish her words.

"And that is why I need your help"she finally says

"My help"I ask obviously surprised

"Yes your help"she says more softly

"For years my daughter has suffered an ailment that has almost risked her her life so many times,the doctors have said many times that she won't live very long and there's nothing they can do about it.

"Oh"is all I can utter

This explains a lot about her mental health but so little about everything else

"But even with that there is a ray of hope"she says now turning to my direction.As she does so I see so much sorrow in her eyes,the one I know only she can feel.

"With your help she might just be able to live"she says

Might?

"How?"I ask

"Your cells i-we can merge them with my daughter's and maybe, just maybe it might be a success"

"Might?"

"What happens if it's not successful, what happens to me?"I ask perplexed

"How did you find out this blending of cell thing,and why can't you use your own cells?"

"Can you just stop looking at the downside and just focus in the possibility of it being a success?"she shouts

I flinch a little from her expected attitude

"Ashanti"madam Ada gently calls me gently

"Yes ma'am"I reply without hesitation in fear she might actually lose her cool and scold me again

She doesn't look at me or even glances at me once as she now takes interest in the window again

"Am I cruel to you?"she asks

Her question is very unexpected but I really don't know how to answer that since she's been losing her top every second.

"N..no ma'am"I manage to say still confused about where this is going

"You don't want my daughter to die...do you?"

"No of course not"I reply

"Good"she replies whilst turning around to face me

"Then you understand everything I'm doing is for the good of my daughter..right?"she says slowly as if trying to make me understand.

"Yes ma'am"I say nodding my head

But I don't understand why me?

A smirk appears on her face

"Good then you're smart"she says now walking away

But she pauses at the door and turns her head to little to the side

"Oh and Ashanti, please consider what I told you"

"Yes ma'am"

How do you expect me to consider,it's too vague for me to understand.

Today I've seen a different side of Madam Ada.And I won't lie it scares me.

As I'm left in the gigantic dining room I feel a chill as things slowly begin to set in.

Something tells me that this isn't the first time she's done this…..

I no longer feel safe anymore on my own.

"Speed walk back to my room with many things running into my mind

The hallways are as dark,dry and gloomy as they can ever be.Some days I question the decor especially the portraits.The question of just why it has to be so…..emotionless pops up on my head every now and then.As I walk passed them it feels like the eyes on the portriats are watching me, studying my every move till I'm out of sight.

Cold chills run down my spine at that thought.

Once I enter my room I shut the door like as if my life depended on it.

My mind flashes to the drawings, Jasmine's odd behavior... could they all be connected?