We bury ourselves in each other ,scream,shudder,
shatter." - Radha Narayan

ADUL
I sat there, limbs spread out like fallen branches as the tears cascaded freely.
How could this happen to me? This isn't the way I thought I'd live my life.

There were three small knocks on the door that I didn't dare to answer, afraid that'll be him. Irving entered with Marisol following behind.

"Hey we heard the noise, " Marisol spoke her white nightgown flowed down her cinnamon skin. "Taehyung can be strict sometimes," she tried to comfort me, sitting down beside me as she moved the wet strands of hair that stuck to my cheeks.

"Oh dear, " Irving whispered, walking to the dresser to grab a tissue out of the tissue box. "He hit you didn't he?" she pouted.

"He was just—aggressive but if he could I swear he would hit me, " I sighed.

Her crimson hair was in a bun; she was wearing a similar white dress as Marisol's. Gently patting my eyes with the soft tissue her pink lips opened to speak. "You're coming down for dinner Taehyung would be upset if you still had tears on your face, " she stated as Marisol searched through my drawers pulling out a similar nightgown.

"Please get ready, he gets seriously upset when we're not presentable," she spoke handing me the frilly gown.

"It's only dinner, " I whispered grabbing the fabric as I began to put it on.

"Yeah but ... he takes things very seriously one time we had dinner and his friends came over without notice!" Irving laughed as Marisol nodded.

"Are you guys happy here?" I blurted out as I pondered about their laughter and acts of freedom when they are surely trapped.

"We don't really have a choice but to be, I mean my life wasn't as good before, " Marisol whispered "If I left, I wouldn't have anyone to go home to, Taehyung took me when I was alone," she spoke.

"But do you ever miss it? Do you ever miss the freedom?" I cried as I begged for someone to see my perspective.

"Of course, I miss having a choice," she laughed dolefully.

"I miss everything, " Irving mused "I miss my old life so much, I hated it then, but oh how it wants it now," she murmured with a glum expression.

"I can't stay here; I need to leave, " I wept as I neared them "please you must help me leave there's something you have to do." I implored.

"We can't, " they spoke in unison.

"It's way too risky, " Marisol spoke.

"It's not a good choice," Irving agreed.

"Well, why the fuck not!" I shouted from my lungs in disbelief.

"Oh my god she's just like Hannah," Marisol responded, laughing from her gut as Irving giggled.

"Who's she?" I questioned as they both shook their heads.

"Hannah was the last doll who tried to escape, Taehyung was absolutely in love with her, we thought she loved him too but." Marisol ended as there was a loud knock on the door.

"Dolls its dinner time, " Darla exclaimed as their eyes grew wide.

"We have to go come on, " Irving grabbed my wrist and lead me down the staircase. My bare feet hitting each glass step as we rushed down.

"But wait-please tell me about Hannah please," I spoke trying to be discreet as she hushed me pulling me to the side.

"Don't mention her name ever around Taehyung okay?" she scolded as I drew back in fear.

"Where is she? What did he do?" I pleaded.

"We don't know, once she was caught she was confined and wasn't fed for days, she was replaced by Athena, " she disregarded as she proceeded to walk to the dinner table. Irving's passiveness enraged me, how could you not care about what ensued?

I walked behind, the cold tile sending chills throughout my body, the girls all sat at the extended dinner table, Taehyung at the end with a dinner napkin over him.

"Darla darling, you never cease to amaze me, " he smiled as she sat the plate of tilapia in front of him. I frowned at his attitude how could his demeanor change in under thirty minutes? Cause he's a complete sociopath.

"Would it be tilapia or salmon love?" I was knocked from my thoughts by Darla's voice the entire kitchen became quiet as Taehyung glared at me.

"I'll take salmon..." I whispered.

"Here come sit next to me, " Irving interrupted as she pulled out a chair at the very end of the table, furthest from Taehyung. I nodded as I made my way only to hear his complaints.

"That's ridiculous, Athena, sit next to Irving Adul, sit here, " he bickered.

"But daddy, I always sit next to you," she cried as her bright blue eyes widened.

"Well, that has to change sit next to Irving now!" He shouted as he stared her timid body down. She sat up out of the chair and made her way to the seat next to Irving.

I sighed, really not desiring to sit next to him for the rest of dinner. As I made my way to sit beside him he entangled my hand in his. I despised his behavior, his hands always had to touch me.

Darla sat the plate of salmon in front of me, it was freshly cooked with a side of vegetables, tea that was in a wine glass completed the meal. I began to eat my salmon as Taehyung cleared his throat and started to speak.

"Dolls, a new season calls for new customers your early morning shift starts tomorrow at 10 am, I want you bright and pretty," he spoke as he took our entangled palms from underneath the table to now sitting above.

"Who's gonna show her the ropes, " Genevieve whispered while looking at me.

"Everyone will participate in escorting except for Adul, I have better things for her to do, " I almost gagged on the salmon that was in my mouth. Better things? Is he still on about trying to attract me?

"Daddy, I don't think it's fair at all really," Athena spoke, the girls all gasped as though she made the mistake of her life. "She just got here and she gets to skip out on our duties!" she shouted as I felt Taehyung untangled our hands.

"Athena, you must understand that some things will not always be fair," he spoke quietly but we could all tell he was pissed.

"I think fairness is always important," she continued as Taehyung looked up from his half-finished plate.

"Athena enough!" he glared.

"You treat her like she's a prize but she isn't better than any of us— she doesn't even want to be here!" she continued ranting while completely throwing me under the bus.

The room was silent as he took his dinner napkin and properly wiped the sides of his mouth.

"I believe dinner is done for now, " he grinned like a maniac, his white teeth forming a perfect box. "Darla help clean, Dolls proceed to your rooms, except for you Athena, you come with me." he asserted.

All the girls hurried as Irving motioned for me to follow "what's, going on ?!" I half shouted as Irving once again took my wrist.

"If you don't like screaming I suggest you'd lock yourself in your room, " she spoke as all six of us made our way upstairs, the few of us remaining hidden next to the staircase. The view was empty but the screams were evident.

"What have I told you about talking back?!"

"I'm sorry daddy I'm sorry," Athena cried her voice was choking on the tears that she was letting out. The loud sound of stinging skin against skin and a thump across the floor was heard.

"Did he hit her!?" I half shouted as Gladyce wrapped her hand around my mouth.

"Please don't speak..." she whispered as another hit took place. Athena's wails were apparent as she accepted the sanction that he gave.

Genevieve stood up tired of the horror as her bright green eyes glared at me. "He's doing this for you, you know!" she spat as she stalked to her room.

For me? There's no way he could be beating Athena up for me! If so I must stop it. I rose up making my way down the staircase when Irving grabbed me.

"Don't do this, it'll make it worse,"
I sighed still hearing Athena's screams like a child without its mother.

Irving motioned me back to my room. Upon walking in, a sad Marisol sat on the edge of my bed. Just as distraught as all of us she opened her mouth to speak.

"My mom always told me to pray when I'm worried," she spoke as she sobbed softly. She rose from my bed and knelt down on her knees beside it.

Irving and I followed her movement. I was never the one to speak to God, but if there was a time I needed to, it's now. My bare bony knees wobbled on the cold floor as my hands pressed together and I shut my eyes tightly.

"Our father," she began

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A/N: Hey :) like + comment 🍃
any questions?

Edited