Sophie could hear the older girl calling her back, but she knew that her mother was in here somewhere. As she paused for a moment in the dim shadow, a hand suddenly yanked on her shoulder. "Mother?" Sophie whimpered, trying to escape the iron grip of the strange force. "Is that you?" A small cry of pain tore from her lips as the hand bore down and began to drag her away. "No, Mother, please! You're hurting me!"
The pain inflicted on her shoulder was nothing compared to the words that came next, though. "How could anyone love a stupid brat like you?" The phrase scalded her ears, burned straight to her heart, left her aflame with pure terror. Eyes wide with fright and confusion, Sophie took a sharp breath in. "Wha...? You... Why?"
A barrage of cold emotions stole through her body, taking all joy and life. She felt alone, afraid, abandoned. Hot tears of fear streamed down her face, each one bringing her back to the painful realities of what was happening. "No!" she screamed, wounded pride pounding through her veins. "No! I trusted you! I loved you! And I believed you when you said that you loved me!" She shook her head violently, sending the tears splattering into the hard pavement below. "No!" |