She Doesn't Have To Know

"Miss Nora, you have a visitor." A woman's head poked through my door. A smile across her face but a look of grimace scrunching on between her brows. I had my curtains closed, my lights off, the darkness felt so warm to me. There were pieces of trash scattered around my bed, I laid under the gray blanket I had with me since I was about eight, my mother gave it to me while she was away.

"They say that they won't be leaving until you leave with them, ma'am." She spoke gently, her head barely past the opening of the door. I let out a groan.

"Who is it?" Was all I could mutter out. I didn't want to leave.

"It's me, you dip." Another lady, about my age, walked through the door, pushing past the maid.

"Ira, what do you want?" I threw the blanket off of me and sat up.

"Listen, No." She sat on the edge of my bed, her leather jacket straining as she turned her body to me, "I understand what you're going through must be tough, but it's not doing you any good." Ira was one of the few people I had told, she's been my best friend since I was in kindergarten.

"Plus, you wanted to come to the Sanctuary today." Her lips did not move but her voice was as clear as day. The Sanctuary was one of the few places the High Commission knew about and the only place my mother didn't know existed. I've wanted to go ever since Ira mentioned it a year ago, but never could due to the bombardment of my mother.

"Then let's go!" I rushed out of bed and changed quickly, throwing off the nightgown I had been wearing for weeks and into a dark green jacket, blue jeans, and brown boots.

Ira and I left my room and out of the Testan House. Her car was parked at the end of the drive.

"I haven't been outside in almost forever." I looked around at the path lined with flowers of all colors, trees that marked the white wall that wrapped around the entire Testafaunti land. There were gardeners moving about and mending to the trees and bushes. The air was cold, not bitter cold, but it would give someone a cold if they were out too long.

We sat in Ira's car, the leather seats were slightly warm, she revved the engine and off we were.

5 Miles Until Destination

"Nora, look." She was taking several different routes. Through tunnels, woods, streets, and alleys.

"The Sanctuary isn't a day in the park. We pay attention to everything that happens. It's like the Government but without the rule of your mother and the High Commission."

"I know, I know. It's top secret."

"No, it's more than that. We're not some cult, we're not trying to ruin your mother's reign. Listen, everyone apart of the Sanctuary is either someone for or against your mother's reign, but her reign, but we don't focus on that."

Destination up ahead.

"Ira, this is a giant boat." Ahead of us was a large boat, it was rusty and falling apart and in big bold letters on the side it read "SS Bonnabelle."

"It's my great granddad's boat. Founder of the Sanctuary." She turned to me and winked.

"We just need to enter a code and that's it." She stopped the car and got out. She walked through an opening where a keypad illuminated at her presence.

"Testafaunti." She spoke gently and a whirring sound, followed by a buzz, then a clank and a clink. Smoke filled the area. I coughed and tried to bat my hand at the suffocating fog.

"Welcome, Nora, to the Sanctuary!" I heard Ira boast as the smoke cleared.

There were people walking throughout the area, their bodies like shadows drifting against walls and buildings, the little light that was present within the dark walls gave context to the people's faces and attitudes. The walls seemed to stretch high from the floor and to the ceiling, the darkness that swelled the corners and cracks gave an eery tone.

A slender and tall man spotted our presence and began walking towards us.

"Ira, you know the rules, no..." He glanced over at me, his eyes scanning me up and down as disdain crossed over his face.

"No outsiders allowed. Let alone the daughter of Serena Testa-fuck-up." His arms folded over his chest as he looked down at me, "why is she here?"

"I wanted to show her the Sanctuary. She has a right to it, you know." Ira mocked his wide stance and closed body language.

"Whatever. You better hope Orgav doesn't see her. He'll rip her in two." A smirk crossed over his face as he ended his sentence and left us be.

"Ignore, James, he's a douche. Let me introduce you to some ACTUALLY DECENT PEOPLE." Her voice rose at the end, yelling towards James, who simply kept walking.

We continued through the halls. The different faces who were shocked by my presence, others more revolted. I can see the hatred for my mother in their eyes. Their expressions say more than the words they could ever use. Throughout the 20-odd-some years of my mother's rule, there have been so many different people who have come in and immediately left my life. Because I am her daughter, there's a quick judgment on how I might come about, but only if it was true. Nora Testafaunti the predecessor of the benevolent Serena Testafaunti.

"Ira! Wassup, girl?" We had stopped in a room with several different people. A tall, pale man was the first to outburst with joy at Ira's presence, the others were all filled with glee as they approached her. A girl with long blonde hair and fair skin, a tattoo down her forearm of a rose. A boy with dark, dusty hair his skin an olive sheen practically glowing in the low lights. Another boy with tan skin and hair cut low, his body was built wider and muscular than the other two slender men.

"Who's this?" The girl asked, genuine appalment in her tone.

"It's Nora. Nora Testafaunti." The olive skinned boy's eyes flared, his lips scowled as he looked towards me.

They all paused. Confused, disgusted, or afraid.

"She's okay. She's nothing like her mother." Ira stated loud and clear, making it known to them, but it did little work.

"Who cares? She'll do the same as her mother." The olive skinned boy spoke once again.

"Kyle, please, she's not like her mother." Ira tried to explain.

"Yeah, sure. Her mother is awful." Kyle let out with a stern voice. His fists were clenched at his sides, his stance was wide.

"Kyle now's not the time..." The girl with blonde hair spoke, she tried to reassure him, nurture him in his distraught state, his eyes were welling with tears.

"Daun, fuck you! Don't tell me when it isn't the time!" His voice boomed, "this is my life and her damn mother made me a burden!" The tears were falling down his eyes.

"I should go," I whispered to Ira, attempting to leave but her hand had mine in a tight hold, she was squeezing me tight enough to almost break my hand.

"No, you need to stay..." Her voice was so soft and hushed I could barely hear her but how she acted: the tight hold on my hand, the quiet tone. She was scaring me. Me being here has obviously been a hard time for everyone.

"Kyle, can I-" I began but...

"Shut up! You don't get to talk!" Kyle snapped back at me as he turned his head from Daun's shoulder. His eyes red and puffy, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Fucking ruined my life," he sobbed as he stared at me. A lump was building in my throat.

"Please, I know something my mother did hurt you, but I'm not her. Please understand." I stepped forward, hoping to reassure him.

"She has a point, she ain't done nothing wrong." The pale skinned boy who has remained quiet for most of this spoke.

"Hell, she ain't even look like her mom. She got all these cheekbones and shit."

"Ronnie, please," Daun spoke back at him, holding Kyle tight in her arms.

"Well, m'I wrong? She hasn't done anything bad. She's just here to visit, why you gotta act like she killed your mom?" Ronnie spoke with a smile as he glanced at me and back at Daun and Kyle.

"Kyle, stop cryin' and tell the damn girl what the hell's wrong with you. Damn, so dramatic." Kyle's face began to glow a light shade of pink. He sniffled and wiped his face, listening to Ronnie and looking over to me.

"Your mother," he paused to take a deep breath. "I'm a Dusky." I furrowed my brows and shook my head slightly.

"What's a Dusky?" They all looked at each other in complete surprise, their breaths were heavy now, quick and deep.

I looked to Ira. her eyes were wide, her pupils were blown, her muscles looked tense and taught.

"Nora, take a seat..." Ira spoke gently as she pulled a chair open at a small wooden table.