I'll Be the Sweetest Poison You've Ever Tasted

When I woke up there was a steady pulsing behind my eyes and an intense burn around my wrists where the handcuffs had chaffed against the sensitive skin there. The dense cloud of drowsiness cleared my brain and my eyes shot open only to find myself in a room that couldn't possibly be in Crane's warehouse.

"What the hell?" I hissed, standing up and slipping into a defensive position that felt like home.

Adrenaline raced through my veins as I took the time to scan the room cautiously. It was a small, small enough that it could pass as a bathroom and very dark. I was a generic twin mattress sitting on the floor with what used to be white sheets and no pillow and next to it there was a frayed areal rug with a broken train set spread out across it and in the far corner sat a small chest, like one a child would put toys in.

Despite the room not having any really distinguishing features I got an aching feeling in my chest, like I had been here before.

It was at that exact moment that I noticed the gaping hole in my mind where Poison could usually be found.

"Poison?" I whispered, eyes going wide as icy cold panic flooded my lungs.

There was no as I stepped cautiously off of the mattress and onto the ratty rug on the worn wood floor. The silence hung heavy in the air, pushing in on all sides. I felt like I was drowning in it.

"Crane if this is you're doing..." I trailed off threateningly, anger spiking and melting away some of the panic.

Once more there was no reply, making the hairs on my neck stand on end. I walked across the room slowly only just making out the edges of what I hoped was a door. I gripped the rusted door knob awkwardly with my cuffed hands and and pushed the door open and in that instant I knew why I was getting no responses: I was still unconscious

The room I had just entered was a mirror image of the one I had just left. This room was bright though, and the rug and mattress looked brand new. In the center of the small room sat a young girl playing with the cheap looking train set that had been broken in the last room.

Her head shot up to meet my eyes when my handcuffs knocked against the door knob gently. The small child's face made me gasp in recognition. Her eyes were a deep forest green that stood out against her pale freckled skin and her light brown hair was pulled back into a loose french braid that I had mastered at the age of nine.

"Claudia," I breathed softly my eyes going wide and my breath coming in quick bursts.

It had been so long since I had said my sister's name, let alone seen her so when the door to the room slammed open and a large Italian man charged in I didn't even flinch.

The man that called himself my father snatched Claudia up off the floor by her hair and slammed her into the wall on right across from me. I lurched into the room, a protest dying on my lips as ice gripped my lungs and stole my ability to speak.

"No," I gasped collapsing to the floor as my father loosened his belt with a grin. The sickest part was that Claudia, little sweet innocent Claudia, wasn't even fighting back.

"no,no,no,no,no!" I chanted curling into myself and refusing to watch as my baby sister was man handled and molested.

The truth was that no matter how tight I closed my eyes or covered my ears I could still hear what was going on, I still lived it.

This moment, this incident, is what plagues me in my sleep. Those screams echo in my ears every second of every single day driving my hatred and my madness; this single memory consumes me entirely.

The bone tight grip I have on my knees tightened as the banging of tiny fists started up on the door, shrieks and cries following soon after.

"LEAVE HER ALONE! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!!" A younger me shouted from the other side of the door, fat tears sliding down her ruddy cheeks.

I came back to attention when the sick slapping of skin against skin stopped and the door clicked as it was unlocked and then slammed as he left.

Left, he left.

Just left her there.

Left her all alone, broken and lifeless in a heap on the floor.

"Lillium."

Someone was calling me I just can't...

"Lilium"

Where are you? I can't find you...

"LILY!"

My eyes opened slowly and a scream tore from my throat as I locked eyes with my sister.

The sister that had been slumped over dead in a corner less than two minutes ago.

"Claudia?" I squeaked, my voice cracking as I scrambled to my feet.

"Hello sissy," She purred an unnaturally malicious smile curling on her kiss swollen lips, her neck bent at an awkward angle that no living persons neck could be bent in.

"but, you're-"

"Dead? well yes I am!" she declared cheerfully as she marched toward me and grabbed my hand in a grip far too tight to be that of a nine year old girl.

"Let's go for a walk," She suggested, pulling me up and leading me towards the door I had come through.

I've most definitely fallen down the proverbial rabbit hole and straight into my own personal twist on wonderland.