Escape From Hell
Crysolite stepped up to the well, bucket-in-hand. She tied it to the rope and let it fall to the water below. She reeled it back up, now filled with water. Her fingers untied the rope from the handle of the bucket, and, as she brought it to her side, she spit in it, and turned in the direction of the house and began her way back.
Crysolite walked a few times a day to the well, which was about a mile from the house, so obviously she got exercise out of it. But she didn't need exercise. She was a very skinny, young teen, and her ribs could easily be seen.
After about fifteen minutes, she once again made it back to the house. But she was greeted extra-rudely this time.
"What took you so long?" Tatl asked.
"I didn't feel like running, oh master," she said with a hateful voice.
He glared at her, and pushed her, causing her to lose grip of the handle and fall over. The bucket also fell to the ground, and all the water spilled out. "Looks like you'll need to get more," he said in response. "Oh, and when you come back, you can clean up this spill."
She got up with a grunt, picking up the bucket. She stared at him with disgust, before exiting out the back door again. Tatl also exited the room.
Tael, who had heard the whole conversation, walked into the room and watched Crysolite from the doorway. He noticed the bucket sitting next to the door, then looked back up at his sister.
She wasn't going in the direction of the well. She stopped and looked back at him. He began walking towards her, wondering what she was doing.
Tatl had been calling Tael, but when he didn't respond, Tatl went to the back door and saw both of them. He ran out the doorway.
Crysolite's face told Tael to turn around, but when he did, he was pushed to the side.
Crysolite began running, but since Tatl was older, he caught up to her. He grabbed one of her arms, stopping her. "Where do you think you're going?!?" he asked angrily.
"I'm not gonna be your slave anymore! You have no right to treat me like this!"
He backhanded her, and she fell to the ground, hard. "I'm the oldest! That's my right!" Tatl grabbed her by the wrist, forcing her to stand, and he brought her inside. Tael followed helplessly.
Crysolite was thrown into her disgrace-for-a-room. She heard the door lock, and Tatl stomp away.
Crysolite crawled to the corner of the empty room, tucked her knees under her chin, and wrapped her arms around them. She began crying. She didn't want to have self-pity on herself, but what could she do? No one could help her, and she could barely help herself. Maybe God would give her a miracle...Was there a God? It was hard for her to believe in one after all that has happened to her. But somehow, despite it all, there was a small light of hope within her.
Crysolite's tears of sadness soon turned to tears of anger. She then noticed the window boarded up with three pieces of wood. If Tatl thought she was so pathetic and didn't care about her, then she decided he wouldn't spend much time nailing up the window.
Crysolite waited for hours. It had been growing dark when she had brought the water back, and knew it would be late. She had also been listening carefully, and the noises outside her room had eventually stopped. They must be asleep, she thought. Now was her chance.
She quickly and quietly stood up and went to the three planks of wood. Carefully, she grabbed at one end of the first piece and pulled back, gently, but with strength at the same time. The nails gave, and the one side of the board was free. She pulled again, and the rest of the board came off. She set it down, and repeated with the other two.
When Crysolite was done, she pulled up on the window, but it was stuck. She knew she had to break it. She bent her elbow, and aimed it at her target. She thrust her arm at the window and it broke open. Picking up one of the boards, she scraped at the rest of the glass so she could fit through without touching the the jagged edges. She wiped the pieces away and set the board down again.
Crysolite climbed through and fell onto the ground outside. Standing up, she looked up at the moon. It was full and bright, and it would give her more than enough light to find her way through the woods.
She didn't stay a moment longer. Crysolite took off running, in no specific direction, just away from the hell she had been living in. She didn't look back once.