Shattered reflection

Claudine's sleep was filled with wild dreams, tossing and turning like a ship in a storm.

In one dream, she wandered through a dark forest with Lumos, her loyal companion. It was nearly evening, but the thick trees blocked most of the sunlight. Suddenly, she heard a mysterious giggle.

"Hello?" she called out, but there was only silence, no rustling leaves or chirping birds.

As she walked on, the voice returned. Claudine saw a figure darting quickly to her right. Their eyes met, and the person's face lit up with mischief. She picked up her pace to follow.

Getting closer, she reached out to touch the person, but it was just a tree. Perplexed, she stood in front of it, finger pressed against the rough bark.

Then, a loud noise, like a door being slammed, jolted her awake.

"It was just a dream," she sighed. But the noise continued as if someone was trying to break in.

Claudine sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. She gently massaged her temples, the throbbing slowly fading.

Finally, the door creaked open, revealing her foster sister, Ariella, wearing a mean-spirited expression.

"Ariella," Claudine whispered.

"Hello, little sister," Arielle said a sly grin on her face.

"How's our morning looking?"

Claudine swallowed hard. She did not know what to expect from Arielle anymore.

The girl was impulsive, as she had learned, and would do anything to torture her, like locking her up in this deplorable room.

Ariella strolled into the room, her steps measured, but she looked completely confident. Her face was still puffy with sleep, and there was something about her demeanor that suggested that she had come to the outhouse right after waking up.

"You can't speak?" Ariella said. By now, she was so close to Claudine that Claudine could smell her morning breath, heavy and rank.

Claudine wished she would at least brush her teeth before coming to mess with her that morning. She didn't need the torture of bad breath to be added to whatever Arielle was planning.

"G-good morning," Claudine finally managed to say.

"Ahh, you can talk. That's interesting to know."

Just then, the cat gave a sound, and Arielle's head turned sharply to where it lay. There was horror in her eyes.

"What the fuck is this?" Ariella exclaimed, her voice high-pitched with disgust.

"A fucking cat. Ugh, I'm not too fond of cats. And this isn't just any cat; it's a fucking stray. Ugh."

Claudine watched as Ariella moved closer to her new friend and kicked it. Lumos shrieked in protest and jumped up.

"Don't hurt him," Claudine yelled.

"He's just my friend."

But Ariella would not listen. She kept kicking at the animal, missing every time as Lumos artfully dodged her leg.

When she finally hit the cat with a sharp blow to its flank, the cat hissed in anger and swiped at her with its claws. Arielle recoiled in fear, and Lumos darted out of the room.

"He wasn't hurting anyone," Claudine pleaded.

"He wasn't hurting anyone," Ariella mimicked, her voice whiny.

"Like it needs to hurt someone before it gets kicked out."

Tears streamed down Claudine's cheeks, her sobs gentle but constant. Ariella, seeing the tears, burst into cruel laughter. Ariella then lowered herself to Claudine's level, and she forcefully grabbed her chin, bringing their faces uncomfortably close.

"Listen here, my dearest little sister," Ariella sneered.

"You don't get to have friends, especially not while you're under my roof. From this moment on, remember one thing—your sole purpose is to cater to my desires. Do you understand? Your entire existence is to please me. And that won't happen if you're busy making friends. Got it?"

Claudine was speechless, partly due to Ariella's vice-like grip on her chin and somewhat because she was overwhelmed by Arielle's poisonous breath.

Ariella released her grip, standing tall.

"Now, this morning, there's work to be done," she declared.

"Actually, let me correct that. You have work to do. I'll just be observing. So get yourself up before I give you a good smack on the head."

Claudine swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. Arielle firmly gripped her arms, guiding her out of the house. Stepping outside, Claudine felt a rush of gratitude for escaping the oppressive air of the outhouse.

The fresh breeze greeted her, filling her lungs with revitalizing air.

Ariella led her towards the mansion but then abruptly halted as if struck by a sudden thought. Claudine couldn't help but wonder what was coming next.

"I almost forgot that I was supposed to deal with your lice-infested hair," Ariella announced.

"Oh, no," Claudine muttered quietly, hoping Arielle might have overlooked this task.

"I've got a pair of scissors in my room upstairs," Arielle continued, tugging Claudine along.

"We'll use those."

In reality, Ariella harbored a twinge of envy whenever she thought about Claudine's hair.

Deep down, she yearned for hair as dark and glossy as Claudine's. Arielle despised her blonde locks and cursed her genetics for it.

As they stepped into the house, Janey was engrossed in the television, cradling a steaming mug of coffee. She glanced over at the pair when Ariella brought Claudine inside.

"It looks like you two are having a blast," Janey remarked, her eyes flicking between them.

"Oh, absolutely, Mom," Ariella chimed in, feigning enthusiasm.

Claudine wanted to raise her voice in protest and say it was anything but fun. But she knew that Mrs. Zaynader would not do anything about it, so she kept mute and tried to keep up the pace as Ariella pulled her by her hair upstairs.

***

Claudine's hair had been a source of pride, a distinctive feature that set her apart back at the orphanage.

The other girls had envied her, but she paid them no mind. She'd devoted a significant portion of her bathroom time to its care, using generous amounts of the provided shampoo.

After each wash, she'd meticulously combed it, imagining she inherited it from her mother.

Some nights, in her dreams, she'd glimpse a woman with an indistinct face adorned with the same lush, black locks. Now, it was all being taken from her.

Tears streamed down her face as Arielle mercilessly cut away what had once been her pride and joy. Bent over the washbasin, all she could do was weep.

"There," Arielle declared with satisfaction.

"We're done. You're good to go."

Claudine slowly raised her head, keeping her eyes shut, afraid of what the mirror might reveal.

"Oh, come on," Arielle complained.

"Open your eyes and behold my masterpiece."

Reluctantly, Claudine opened her eyes, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. Her hair hadn't been entirely sheared, but now it hung in uneven, untidy clumps, making her unrecognizable.

Tears welled up, her body convulsing with sobs.

"You—you didn't have to do this," she choked out, still staring at the horrifying reflection she couldn't believe was hers. "There were no lice in my hair. I washed it every day."

"Save it, baby sister," Arielle scoffed.

"Now hurry up, go to the kitchen and do the dishes."

With a forceful push, Claudine staggered backward.

Tears continued to stream down her face as she made her way to the kitchen, where a mountain of dirty dishes awaited. Back at the orphanage, they'd taken turns, making the task quicker and easier.

Now, it was just her. It was going to take a long time.

She sniffled and turned on the faucet, determined to start the daunting task ahead, but first, she should wash her teary face so she could relish herself.

"Claudine!" a deep, unrecognizable voice said, startling her.