When we arrived back at the house, I was feeling warmer than I had before, more drained and less ecstatic than a few hours.

"Get inside, Francine. It's much too col for you to accompany me any longer. Have a bath drawn for you before you try using the tubes."

I had no intentions to wait for anyone to open my door for me, so I did so by myself. Slamming it shut I flashed a quick smile to our driver and bowed my head before running past the grand entrance gate, putting more space between that horrible man and I. Simply being near him right now was enough to make my skin crawl.

Every time I took a breath, I could distinctly make out the sound of my whistling wheezes, every moment of it only serving as a bitter reminder to my ailment. Snow specs my blurring vision, the flakes melting against my cheeks as hot tears well in my eyes. The pain in my chest was excruciating, but the pain in my heart was ever the more unbearable. How in god's name could he have done this to another poor creature? Hasn't he done enough already? The entire county knew his name. They all respected him and practically kissed the ground he walked on. They admired the number of souls he had owned already and expected nothing else of him. When will it be enough? Will he ever have enough? Sometimes I wonder if he was always this way, will ever become as ruthless and selfish as he is?

The front yard passes by in seconds as the bottom of my shoes clack against the red-bricked pavement. Whizzing by in a display of frost covered grass and dormant flower beds, spiderwebs ancient and adorned with many dead bugs and rust-colored, rotting leaves snagged in their threads. They outlast where they have been for weeks; Twisted up in the corner of the porch beside Mom's old rocking chair. Our yard isn't very much, but I love it nonetheless. There is just the front of the house, and an old tire swing dangling from what's left of our unyielding oak tree. Branches had begun to splinter off by its boughs, and the trunk of the mighty oak is infested with pests that enjoy feasting on its insides. The place I live in isn't massive, but it is a very luxurious residence to live in until you eventually get used to it.

By the time I reach the steps of the porch, I find myself delirious and drowsy. My wheezing had come to its usual pace, and the weakness in my limbs had worsened to normal as well. The scars and marks covering my body began to sting and ached the more cold wind struck them. I couldn't stop from growing angry with myself.

I stood, staggering on the middle step, worried that if I walked more, I'd fall over, but knew that if I waited for help, it'd only anger me more. Taking the risk, I reached a hand out to the side railing and steadied myself before pressing on. Despite feeling the need to collapse, I made it to the door this time and instead fell into the coat rack beside the entryway.

From the family room, I could catch a book being thrown down. Bare footfalls sounded in the rooms and before I knew it a tall women came into view. Her auburn brown hair waved just beneath her ears, resulting in her charming ways of flattery. She wore a green laced dress, tightening around her bucksome hips and flowing down to her knees. Around her was a see-through yellow shawl-like over shirt, and around her neck was a man's stopwatch, probably from her last guest. Her hands on her waist, she glowers down at me with a slight grin.

"Didn't I tell you to take a coat along if you're ever up and about? Where the heck have you been?"

Meekly I state, "Nowhere I haven't been already, just downtown."

She sighed then caressed my cheek, lifting my head and massaging my bruised cheekbone. Charlotte's ruby eyes shone down on me, shimmering as she gave me a stern, "I told you so" look. With a grunt, she pulled me to my heels, helping me off the floor. She dusted off my bosom for me, straightened up my dress, then with the swift lick of her thumb she washed away a streak of dirt from my forehead. As foul as it was having her saliva on me after all the cheap places her mouth has been, it was just one spot. Besides, that's what sisters do.

"God bless it you're burning up!" Charlotte's face sours, her brows creased and her rosy cheeks tensing around her jaw. The smile that shone so vibrantly for me before has now been supplanted by her lips pursing. Charlotte forcefully grabs my wrist, yanking me with her as she charged into the dining room.

"Muffet! Muffet, come!" she orders, sounding just like him. I am suddenly resentful towards this sister of mine yet again, uncomfortable with the way she caught Muffet's attention. I try to yank myself from her grip but to no avail. She grips tighter, keeping me there with her and preventing me from running off. I raise my voice in protest, "No Muffet, stay where you are, please."

"I'm serious, Muffet! I need you to check her temperature!" She shouts over me, demanding for the spider to come at once.

I protest once more, snapping. "I'm fine, so please, continue about your business!"

Going against my plea, she comes rushing in, cradling a tin box in two of her arms, dread in her eyes when she sees us. My soul aches, and I feel cold all of a sudden. Muffet bows her head profusely in front of Charlotte, her other six arms folded behind her back. The collar around her slender neck was scuffed from several years of being worn without long-term removal.

Muffet continued to bow her head, raising it to speak "Forgive my late response, mistresses. I was on another end of the house."

"It's quite alright, Muffet. Really. But I need you to-"

"Check her fever. Yes, mistress." She nods obediently, planting one of her thin orchard hands to my forehead as Charlotte had. All eight eyes slimed sadly, small fangs poking out from of her frown. Two other arms take the books from my hands, prompting me to panic. Blood rushing into my cheeks I retaliate and snatch them back from Charlotte before she sees the title or had decided to flip through my journal.

"No touching."

With that she throws her hands up, gritting her teeth and glowering my way. I didn't care. I refuse to let anyone else read my private thoughts ever again. Especially not her. Not Charlotte. Not after what happened last time.

"Come now, dear. We should get you upstairs into a cold bath, it should bring that fever of yours down."

Muffet warily pets my head, running another hand through my shoulder-cut brunette hair. A soft smile woven to her face, I watch as her two deep purplish bottom eyes squint reasuringly while she guided me away from my older sister.

I give her a late response in the form of a nod, my breath quaking and my mind racing. The longer I stay mobile, the more troublesome it is to stay awake. It's been this way for a little while, really. Everything I could do before seemed unlikely now.

The world around me goes mute aside from the casual ringing in my ears. Even my vision had begun dulling out the coloring of the red walls that I fall into while going up the stairs. Rather than reaching the top, expectedly I stumble right back down to the floor.

 Almost exactly like yesterday; Everyone who heard came sprinting over while I only sighed, allowing my eyes close a second time. Except for this time, Charlotte wasn't packing her suitcase and was the one to rest my busted head in her lap. I don't guess she will be letting me out of bed any time soon for dinner? 

One thing I'm sure of though is that I will more than likely be needing the tubes as father said.