A Day in Hell

Evaline:

"You useless, ungrateful brat!" Sera's voice thundered through the narrow corridor. Her eyes were blazing with fury as she towered over me.

I stood there, hands clasped in front of me, and my head bowed in silence. I remained silent, aware that arguing with her would only make things worse.

"I told you to clean the master floor, not cause trouble with the Alpha King!" she spat, her finger jabbing the air between us. "Do you have any idea the earful I got because of you? You are lucky he didn't toss you into the dungeon!"

Her words stung, not because I cared about her opinion, but because I knew she was blaming me for her mistake. She was the one who'd ordered me to clean the master floor, but trying to explain that would be pointless.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, my voice barely audible.

"Sorry?" Sera sneered. "You'll be sorry when you are scrubbing horse dung tomorrow morning. You are cleaning the stables from tomorrow onwards. And don't even think about stepping foot near the master floor again. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," I whispered, my hands trembling slightly.

Sera glared at me for a moment longer before storming off, leaving me standing there in silence and misery.

- - -

Dinner that night was a cruel joke.

A single piece of bread and a small bowl of chicken broth sat on the table in front of me. The other servants were eating hearty meals - stews with chunks of meat, fresh vegetables, and warm rolls. I could feel their eyes on me, some amused, others indifferent.

My stomach growled, but I forced myself to eat slowly, savoring every bite of the bland bread and thin broth. I knew better than to complain. Sera was watching, and any sign of dissatisfaction would only give her an excuse to make things worse.

That night, I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmares came. Visions of my father's rage, my stepmother's punishments, Ethan's betrayal, and... Damian's darkness.

I woke up gasping, covered in sweat. My heart was pounding as fear still held me captive even though I was now wide awake. The room was dark and silent, but the memories felt so real, as if I were still trapped in the past.

By the time morning came, I had given up on sleep entirely.

I rose earlier than the others. My body was heavy with exhaustion but my mind was unable to rest. In the servant's kitchen, I found two leftover pieces of bread from the night before and stuffed them into my pocket. It wasn't much, but it was all I had.

The day stretched on endlessly.

I cleaned the same rooms I had the day before, scrubbing floors until my knees ached and polishing windows until my arms felt like lead. The master floor was off-limits now, a small mercy I was grateful for.

By the time I finished, the sun was high in the sky, and my stomach growled loudly. When I finally made my way to the servant's kitchen, my heart sank.

The counters were bare, the pots and pans scrubbed clean, and the scent of food long gone. Everyone else had already eaten, leaving nothing for me.

I bit back the frustration bubbling in my chest. There was no time to dwell on my hunger. Sera's punishment was awaiting me.

- - -

The stables were worse than I had imagined.

The air reeked of manure and hay, and the task of shoveling filth felt like it would never end. By the time I reached the back garden, my hands were blistered, and my muscles screamed in protest.

That's when I saw her.

A little girl, no older than seven or eight, stood near the apple tree with a small basket in her hands. Her dark hair was tied back in a messy braid, and her green dress was smeared with dirt. She was plucking ripe apples from the lower branches, her tiny hands working with surprising precision.

She noticed me watching and paused, tilting her head curiously.

"Hello," she said softly, her voice as sweet as the apples in her basket.

"Hi," I replied, unsure of how to approach her. It had been so long since anyone had spoken to me without malice or disdain.

She walked over to me, her basket swinging at her side. "Are you new here? I haven't seen you before."

"I suppose I am," I said, offering a small smile. "What's your name?"

"Lila," she said, holding the basket up proudly. "I'm picking apples for the horses. They love them."

I glanced at the basket, my stomach growling again. She noticed and frowned slightly, her bright eyes full of concern.

"Are you hungry?"

I hesitated, embarrassed to admit the truth, but she didn't wait for an answer. Reaching into her basket, she pulled out the biggest apple she had and handed it to me.

"Here," she said, her small hand outstretched.

"I can't take that," I said quickly, shaking my head.

"It's okay," Lila insisted, her smile unwavering. "We have plenty."

Something in her kind gesture broke through the wall of bitterness and despair I had built around myself. My hands trembled as I took the apple, my throat tightening with emotion.

"Thank you, Lila," I whispered.

She grinned, her innocence and warmth a stark contrast to the cruelty I had endured. "You are welcome. Maybe I'll see you again tomorrow?"

"Maybe," I said, watching as she skipped away, her basket swinging happily by her side.

For the first time in what felt like forever, a sliver of warmth crept into my chest. In a world that had shown me nothing but hatred, Lila's kindness was a reminder that not everyone was out to hurt me.

And as I bit into the apple, its sweetness spreading across my tongue, I felt something I hadn't in a long time.

Hope.

But was there any left for me in this world?