Sold

I wasn’t positive that I should talk. Even when he asked me questions. The only reason I acted up back at the ... erm. Back with my dad, was because I thought I was going to die shortly after. I figured he would be mad enough to kill me. Once again, wrong. I was in a deep thought, believe it or not. Why didn’t Justan make me carry my bags myself now? Does he consider me his property now? Why is he being so damn nice? How come he pulled me away from my dad before I even had the chance to say bye?

Thinking of my dad lit a fuse in the pit of my stomach. Boy, did I hate him or what. Such a bullshitter; A liar; An asshole. I could go on, but I’m good. Even though my thoughts of my dad were pushed away, I was still thinking, wondering when Justan’s “Nice guy” act would be up. Was it an act at all? And I still didn’t get why he wanted me. And for all that money ... What’s up with that?

“Lillith... are you okay?” Justan asked, knocking my thoughts away and making me focus on reality. I just nodded, but I also noticed he was holding my arms. “You don’t seem okay.” I heard him mutter as he began to walk away. I finally noticed we were in the large house. I had no idea where to go, or where I was. So I just followed Justan, keeping up the title of “Little lost puppy”.

We walked down a big hallway, empty; No rooms, doors, studies. Nada. Just a hallway. Then, as we got to it, I noticed a long, curving flight of stairs. They were dark .. reddish .. and a wood looking color. What color is that? I forgot all about the color as I was led up the winding steps. One by one. One, two, three, four, five.... I counted each stair in my head as we walked up them. I must have seemed very distracted (and I was) because Justan stopped, while we were on the stairs. Sadly, my being distracted led to me bumping into him. His butt!!! Ewwww!!! Ech! Bleh! Rub off the nasty!!! I was freaking out in my head, but my face stayed completely cool, calm, and collected.

I looked up, startled. “Are you sure that you’re okay? You seem ... different.” I didn’t dare say anything, but just nodded and gave a soft smile. Justan just sighed and began to walk up the stairs again. One, two, three, four, five, six ... I started over. I wasn’t upset that he interrupted my counting. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to start over.

I was staring intently at the steps, not one speck of attention anywhere but there. Still staring at the stairs, I felt someone staring at me, but I didn’t pay any more attention to it than just feeling it. I was probably being paranoid anyways. Then, I felt something scrape my shoulder lightly, scaring me. I jumped, causing me to loose my footing on the, what I now found to be slippery, stair. I began to fall, my butt hitting a step, then my head hitting the wall, then my hip hitting a step, my head hitting the wall, my head hitting a step, my foot hitting the wall, and it just kept going, me falling, tumbling, down the stairs.

I made sure not to let one tear even erupt in my eyes, and only let a yelp or two slip out. I hit the banister a sixth time; wondering how far up we actually got when I heard a thud. After about 2 minutes, I realized that thud was me, hitting the cold, hard, black marble floor. Finally. I didn’t cry, I just stood up, and wiped the dust that had clung to my sheet of a dress off. Crap, I was wearing a dress! I sighed as I began walking back up the stairs, ignoring the searing pain in my head, the sting in my legs, the jolt of my ribs, all the pain...everywhere.

“Lillith?” I heard Justan’s voice boom down the stairs, accompanied by rapid footfalls and a creak or two. Oh god, I hope I didn’t break any of his stairs. I just kept counting, kept walking, accomplishing my task of ignoring any pain very well; including my thumping temples. It was like a rhythm, *Thud* *Thump* *Thud, thud* *Thump* And that’s what I saw it as, a beat playing itself in my head. My quickened heartbeat in my ears helped my brain process it that way a bit. It hurt my lungs to breathe as if nothing had happened, but I just ignored that sting I felt under my chest, and controlled my breathing, making myself breathe steadily.

After my first ... 17 stairs, Justan was standing in front of me, blocking my way. I looked up from the neatly polished steps and into a pair of truly concerned eyes; Justan’s eyes. “Are you alright?!” His voice actually matched his expression. Wow, nice acting. I just nodded, and he sighed, picking me up. Hey! Hey, don’t do that! I kept my mouth shut, finding it best not to protest. But then I noticed my stuff was no longer in his hands. Who cares? I didn’t care about any of it anyways. But I had forgotten the only memory of my mother that I had kept safe from my rampaging father was with that stuff. I had forgotten the little silver locket that held her smiling face in it was in one of those bags. And as my eyes slowly fell shut, locking me in complete and utter blackness, I thought of her, but still not one thought of that precious locket passed through my mind.