I opened my eyes when the sun hit my face, it was freaking blinding. I jerked the pillow from under  my head to cover my face, I am going to sleep. There was sudden commotion inside… my room?

I jolted up realizing I am not in my room just to fall back down, it was hazy. Everything seems to be spinning around and around in my head. Then a man in white lab coat tried to touch my hand, I immediately jerked my hand away.

“I am only going to take your pulse,” he said softly. I think he is a doctor. “Where am I?” the word barely got out of my mouth, my throat felt dry. The lady in white overall, who I think is the assisting nurse, handed me a glass of water. After calming down I let the doctor check my pulse.

I tried to recollect what happened yesterday. Erik, that bastard, he is the reason why I am here. Arghhh… the old man might actually kill me now. The room looks really big and all, so who is going to pay for all this? Dang, I might need to sell an organ or two. I will ask Erik for one of his kidney, an idiot like him only needs one anyway.

It took another week before I was allowed to leave the hospital. The only visit I got is from my step mother and Erik. I didn’t really expect the old man to come but when I heard that I was actually in a comma for over a year and a half I would have imagined he would have visited.

******************************

After a week, I was discharge from the hospital.

When I got home there was no one. My step mother said that Bridgette and Barbie are both busy with their schools, as if I care. I went up to my room and find that everything has been rearranged. There was exercising machine that was just set aside for a bed. It is not even my bed.

“I told Bridgette to put this in the garage!” my step mother said from behind me. I didn’t even realize that she followed me. My step mother rushed in to clean everything up. I just turned around. There is really no place for me here, I mumbled.

I walked out to head to the storage near the garage. I am hoping I can still call it as my own space. I was shocked to see a big lock on it dang it! They are taking everything away from me!

I was gritting my teeth with anger and stormed the house, “Why is my space locked?” I shouted on top of my lungs. My step mother ran down, “what happened?” she ask worriedly.

“My space!... why is it locked?” I asked accusingly. My step mother pats me by the head, turned around and walked away WTF?!

I stood there bewildered what the heck was that for? I was going to let it go when my step mother came back smiling holding a key to my face. I hesitated for a while.My step mother said to follow her in the storage. She opened it and “Whoa!” I exclaimed.

It seems just yesterday that it was just an empty space but my space looked totally grand. The entertainment showcase that the old man promised are there and the drums that I have been dreaming to have. “You father thought that you might hit a fuse if you wake up and he didn’t buy you what he promised,” my step mother told me. I was too pre-occupied to even care. The coolest space ever, I cannot wait to tell Erik about it.

Barbie came home in the afternoon demanding for something to eat, still as feisty as ever. I am not sure whether I have been asleep for too long but Barbie is starting to look as pretty as Bridgette, ulgh?! It’s almost unfair. My step mother bought some party hats and fire crackers to celebrate my return, she told me to call out my friends and that she has to go to a night job. Oh my god! How long is one year and a half, the queen is working now? What happened?

I was already resting in my room when I heard the old man came in. It was already past midnight. It is kind of weird, the old man and her queen are usually home for dinner, they make it a point to eat together at night. Everything seemed to have changed.

I woke up early morning with my stomach grumbling for provision. I walked to the kitchen and was startled to see a very old and thin looking man staring back at me. The old man looked so pale. I headed for the fridge as he sips his coffee. I scavenge through but there is nothing ready to eat. This is really weird. The fridge has always been full. Now, it’s empty like my stomach.

I wondered what is going on.

I turned around when I felt the old man stood up. Even his back looked really… pitiful, I thought as I watched him walked away. I suddenly wanted to call out to him.

I opened my mouth to call out to my father but the queen of hell barged in with some instant noodles.

 What is happening? I don’t want to ask Satan’s spawn but the words suddenly escaped from my mouth “Are we poor now?” I covered my mouth with both hands. I cannot believe I asked the demon a question. The demonic princess smirked as she opened the instant noodle. She poured some hot water into it “What you expect?” she snarled before turning around rummaging through the kitchen drawer.

I was still trying to solve her ‘riddled answer’ when she abruptly turned to face me with a kitchen knife in her hand, holding it like she’s going to stab me. WTF? I stepped back; I knew this is going to happen, her sharp eyes was full of killing intent “If you don’t have anything else to do here, can you please leave the kitchen!” she contemptuously told me.