FLOW:

I woke up to find myself in this terrifying darkness. My body was tight and restricted in a confined space. Was this s-sand?! Panicking, I frantically attempted to flail my body about, but I couldn’t move. My mouth and eyes were frozen shut as well. The tiny hard grains densely restricted my every movement, making it harder and harder to breathe the more I fought. I-I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs! My chest was constricted, I couldn’t take a full breath. I felt like I would pass out from the crushing weight of this rapid suffocation, when the sand started to loosen. I wiggled my arms and legs free and started to slowly dig my way to the top.

I broke the surface, desperately gasping for air. What the fuck is this!?

I trembled as rough, gritty particles of sand fell from my hair and clothes onto the ground. It’s sand this time…? I clenched my fists as I sat up on my knees. I looked beside me, there was a small wooden doll that was obviously hand-painted and expertly crafted. The leg was broken, hanging on by a single braided thread at the hip joint. I picked it up with care and stood up to examine the damage–

Suddenly, the doll was ripped from my hands. I looked up in shock, meeting the jade-green eyes of a young Claudia, no more than 9 years of age. I looked around me, everything was a hazy swirl of color except for Claudia. I guess this is the most important part of this memory.

I watched in horror as she ripped the broken leg completely from the doll’s torso and threw it directly at my face. I flinched as the broken piece of wood collided with my cheek. I touched my face and looked down at my hand. My finger tips were covered thickly in blood. My face ached with a searing pain, but I was determined to bear it. I tried to speak, but no words came out. I was forced to just stare at the little cunt, my eyes narrowed.

She smirked and tossed the surviving body of the doll to the side like filthy trash with a violent flick of her wrist. She took an imposing step towards me, I wanted to step away, but found my body frozen in place.

“My mother said, this was all supposed to be mine anyway,” She said with a sneer, before bringing both her small hands up and pushing me hard in my chest.

I flew back, somehow reminded of when I originally died back in my own world. I felt myself land with a hard thud in the sandpit, the air knocked out of my small body. Before I could even register what was going on, I began to immediately sink into the grainy abyss. I let out a silent scream as my mouth and nostrils filled with sand. I could barely make out young Claudia’s shadowy silhouette as I sank deeper into the darkened space, suffocating.

EXPEL:

I struggled as the sand filled my every orifice. There I was in pitch black darkness, completely void of my senses, and life quickly fading from my body. The terror and helplessness set in as the weight of the sand grew and compacted tighter, squeezing any remaining air I had left within me. This is it, there is no escape. I’m going to die down here alone..

---------------

I shot up in bed, coughing. My body tried to expel the non-existent foreign particles from my lungs. As I tried to get out of bed, Maisy held her hand out to stop me. I swatted her away, standing up, only to immediately crumble to my knees and void the contents of my stomach all over the floor. I fell to the side, trembling. Wet tears stained my face. My throat burned with a scratchy itch I simply couldn’t touch.

Maisy sighed as she helped me to my feet. My morning went by in a daze. I couldn’t think of anything else other than having died yet again… and that bully. Claudia was an absolute monster. I can’t imagine how she tormented Isadora all these years.

I sat outside in silence under the shade of the pergola, diary in hand, wondering what to do with my newly acquired information on my stepsister. This whole time, I’d thought Maisy was bad. This girl was just excelling at being next-level trash, probably since she was born. I looked down at the diary in my lap and forced myself to read another entry.

Entry 1436

Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 418

After all these days, Narich finally visited. He took me to this beautiful moonlit cliff where fireflies danced in the air with a star-like glow. I had never seen anything like it in my life. He said it was an apology for being no closer to solving my ‘problem’.

(2 Weeks Before Last Entry)

Seriously, who the hell was this guy and where has he been since I’ve been here? Don’t tell me Isadora was actually dating this trash ass man? I sighed in frustration, looking up as Anita entered the garden with my lunch. I didn’t have much of an appetite.

I sat up straight, shocked as Claudia, though much older than the girl from my dream, casually strolled into the garden behind Anita. I felt my body go cold with fear, the urge to vomit slowly overtaking me. Then suddenly Sir Ashborne moved to stand behind me and I instantly felt more at ease, I felt like I had people here to protect me. Caring individuals, nothing at all like Claudia. I would not allow her to intimidate and bully me like she did Isadora all those years. As they approached my fear was being replaced with an unwavering rage that Claudia, I’m sure never knew Isadora held.

“Your lunch, My Lady,” Anita said awkwardly, setting down the covered tray on the table.

“Thank you, Anita. You may take it away,” I said, pretending to go back to reading.

“Yes, My Lady,” Anita said, removing the tray and retreating. I groaned inwardly as the smell of halibut grew further and further away from me, I might have actually been kind of starving.

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit ridiculous, Isadora. You’ve only just recovered and now you’re refusing to eat?” Claudia’s sharp voice cut through the air. I waited a moment before making eye contact with her.

Though I hated to admit it, Claudia was indeed a beautiful girl. Those luminous jade-green eyes stood out vividly against her pale complexion. Then there were those thick rich tangles of bright, fiery copper-red waves cascading wildly around her shoulders and down her back. To top it off she was dressed in a sleeveless gorgeous gown of the deepest amethyst color. Her pale shoulders shining almost blindingly bright against the beaming rays of the sun.

“While I understand your concern, Claudia, your face has simply made me lose my appetite,” I gracefully lied. Take that, bitch.

“I beg your pardon?” She asked, appalled at my response. This is probably the first time Isadora has ever talked back to her. She must be going through it internally.

“Perhaps if you’d left, I could stomach the meal. After all, that’s what a caring ‘step’ sister would do,” I antagonized further. I was going to push this cunt to her limits, a bit of justice for Isadora, so to speak.

“I do not believe you are in your right mind at this moment,” She said, backing down.

“Oh, I’ve never seen life through such a clear lens, Claud,” I insulted. 

“H-how dare you!?” Claudia stammered, her face starting to grow flushed. 

Haha, my god, now that I know I can get this sort of reaction, I’m calling her Claud for the rest of her life! She probably expected this conversation to go in a very different direction, but that won’t happen on my watch.

Placing the diary face down I stood up and walked over to Claudia, staring directly in her eyes. She didn’t know it, but this was the beginning of hell for her.

“If you don’t like it you can leave,” I taunted, with a coy smile.

“I’ll leave when I get what I came for,” Claudia said, darkly with a sneer. Her sisterly facade fading away piece by piece.

“Oh? And what have you come for dear sister?” I asked, folding my arms and tilting my head to the side. She hesitated, for a moment before speaking.

“Have you been made aware of any guests we’ll be expecting?” She asked, lowering her voice. Hm, what’s this? Who exactly is she looking for?

“That’s a question for the head butler, don’t you think? Or is he refusing to speak with you, because he finally sees what a rotten piece of fruit you are? Oh my goodness, you aren’t supposed to be here in the estate, are you?” I asked, with a laugh.

I figured it out! No matter how noble a woman she was, she still needed to ask permission from father. She wasn’t supposed to be in the countryside! If she doesn’t get out of my face I might just snitch.

“ I see, then there's no reason to continue this unpleasantly unproductive conversation.” She said, retreating. The look of realization was clear on her face.

“That’s the most sense you’ve made today,” I responded, gesturing towards the garden gate.

“You’ve become rather rude since you’ve been in the countryside. I hope you haven’t forgotten yourself,” She said, turning to leave.

My eyes caught the swift movement of Claudia grabbing her dress and raising her heel high. She was trying to smash the flowers! I quickly reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward me. She tried to pull away, but I held on tightly, my gaze fixed on her.

“Don’t you dare,” I said darkly. Letting her go with a light shove toward the exit. Without another word she hurried off, the train of her dress lightly swishing on the stone pathway.

Just like that, the garden gate slammed shut with a loud clank. I breathed a heavy sigh and suddenly collapsed to the ground. I looked up as Sir Ashborne hovered above me. I-I did it. I won. I won this battle, but it seemed to be at the cost of emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue. My eyes closed as I felt Sir Ashborne pick me up.

I don’t know why I grabbed her like that, I just remember a conversation I had with Henry. He told me  those little flowers with the sapphire blue petals were called Ophelia’s Tears, they were named after Isadora’s mother. Though they didn’t mean much to me, I couldn’t possibly let Claudia defile Isadora’s mothers memorial flowers in her own garden. That wretched cunt, I swear I’ll rip out all her hair.

I groaned deeply and inhaled the savory smell of meat. Blinking myself awake I came face to face with Maisy’s big brown eyes.

“It’s rather presumptuous to assume you’re the first thing I’d want to see upon waking. I’ll forgive you because you’ve brought me food,” I mumbled weakly, as she helped me sit up and over to the table.

I grabbed my fork and began to eat, before pausing and looking at Maisy’s unreadable expression. I hesitated before speaking, trying to figure out how to explain what happened earlier.

“In the garden, I–,” I started before Maisy raised her hand to stop me.

“Sir Ashborne has already informed me,” She said, pausing for a moment before continuing.

“You.. did well,” She said, getting up from the table and taking her usual seat in the corner of the room, small book in hand.

I looked down at my plate, not really seeing the food in front of me, but trying to process what I was feeling. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry because I was sad, or perhaps I was happy? Happy because this was the first time Maisy had praised me. I always kind of figured she didn’t even see me as a person, let alone an equal. Hell, she’s never even asked my name. I smiled lightly, bringing a bite of food to my mouth. Trying to desperately chew away the tears threatening to escape my eyes.

A while later, after I’d changed into my night clothes, Shelby arrived right on time with her sugared milk concoction. It was such a comforting beverage, I knew it’d put me right to sleep. I hurried and flipped through the diary, to get one more entry in.

Entry 1437

Saturday, Oct 7th, 418 

Over the years, the Duchess always made me drink this tea of ‘vitality’ when she would request my presence. She has now begun to have the medicinal tea brought to my bed chamber, forcing her agents to witness me swallow the vile substance. They claim it is the same tea I’ve always ingested. Although the taste has not changed, I know something else has been added. I do hope Narich can tell me the substance soon. That will be the evidence I need.

(10 Days Before Last Entry)

I closed the book softly and lay it on the bed beside me. Was Isadora’s step-mother poisoning her…? But, why? Why would she do such a thing? I pulled the blanket up to my nose in an attempt to feel the slightest bit secure, it didn’t work at all. I closed my eyes, my mind a jumbled mess of thoughts, before falling asleep. Maisy stood up from her chair, ready to set to work on the next memory.