Regal Obsession

My vision was all messed up, like looking through foggy glass. I kept rubbing my eyes, hoping it would help, but no luck. I could hear voices, especially Mom crying nearby. I wanted to go to her, but I couldn't see well enough.

Suddenly, someone yanked my hair hard, and I screamed. That's when I finally saw Mom and Jamal, my big brother, on the floor, with two scary-looking guys pinning them down. Dad was nowhere to be seen.

"Mom!" I cried out to Mom, scared out of my mind.

"Don't cry, my baby." She tried to comfort me, even though tears were streaming down her face too

"Mom, who are these guys and where's Dad?" I bawled, tears streaming down my face. I looked over at Jamal and saw blood.

"Daddy's not here, honey," Mom said, her voice shaky. The man holding her slapped her hard, making Jamal and me scream.

"Let me go!" I yelled at the man gripping me. He just laughed, his hold tightening.

"Tell us where he is!" the man demanded, glaring at Mom.

"I don't know!" Mom cried, her voice desperate.

"So you'd rather risk your kids' lives for him?" he sneered.

"I don't know, please don't hurt them," Mom begged.

"You brought this on yourself." My heart pounded as another guy pulled out a gun and shot Mom, then Jamal. I screamed in horror.

"Nooo!" I wailed. The man holding me turned me to face him, his expression chilling.

"You're next," he said. The last thing I noticed was the axe tattoo on his wrist.

I woke up shaking, like I do almost every day. The same nightmare keeps haunting me, but the faces in it blur out, making it even scarier.

I wonder if it's bad that I have these nightmares every night. Sometimes I can't even remember them, but I wake up feeling like something awful is still happening. The dreams are so real, I can feel every bit of them.

My nights are filled with these nightmares, and I dread falling asleep. I only manage to doze off when I'm completely exhausted, thanks to the stress caused by my Aunt and Uncle.

Whenever I have one of these nightmares, I end up waking up late, which means I'm probably in for it now. The witch is probably going to show up any minute.

"Three, two, one!" I whispered to myself, knowing my aunt's going to burst in any moment now, ready to bark orders.

"Why the hell are you still in bed at this hour, you lazy bum?" Aunt Tanika yelled at me.

"I had a nightmare," I replied, staring at her.

"And why should I give a damn about that?" she snapped.

"I honestly don't know," I said with a sigh.

I'm not sure why I bothered telling her. I guess I hoped she might show some concern, but that was wishful thinking. This woman in front of me doesn't have an ounce of compassion, and she couldn't care less about me. Her only concern is for her lazy daughter, Keisha.

"I'm getting up now," I declared, stretching deliberately to get under her skin.

"Do it quickly and then get to the chores," she ordered, giving me a stern look.

"Can't Keisha do them? She's here, isn't she?" I retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aunt Tanika advanced towards me, looking furious.

"I'm not your servant. Can't Keisha do chores too?" I yelled back.

I felt a sharp pain on my cheeks, and when I looked up, I saw her glaring at me with pure hatred. "As long as you're living under my roof, you'll do what I say. Got it?" she spat.

I shook my head. "Sometimes, I wonder if you're even my Aunt."

"I regret ever bringing you home from that orphanage. We should've just left you to rot there," she sneered.

"Then why did you even bother bringing me if you were going to treat me like this?" I cried out.

"To make you pay. Because of you, my brother isn't here. You and your worthless mother ruined his life," she spat.

"Don't you dare insult my mother! Mom loved Dad," I defended her.

"Sure, your mother was only with my brother for his money!" she yelled.

"Enough! Don't speak about her like that," I demanded.

"Why? Can't handle the truth?" she taunted.

"It doesn't bother me because I know you're lying," I shot back.

"It's the truth, Aaliyah. Your mom was only with my brother for his money. I can't fathom how she managed to stick around for so long," she spat out, her voice dripping with hatred.

"You're just consumed by your hatred for Mom. Why are you so obsessed with her?" I asked, bewildered by her intense animosity towards my mom. I'll never understand why she despises Mom so much.

"I can't stand the sight of you. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded that he died because of you," she scowled at me.

I nodded, feeling the weight of guilt crushing me. I hate myself too. I'll never forgive myself for Dad's death. It's like a dark cloud hanging over me since it happened. I can't even remember the last time I felt genuinely happy knowing that everyone I loved is gone.

"You should've left me at the orphanage. It would've saved you the trouble of constantly reminding me of what I did. Just focus on your own family," I spat with contempt, pushing her away and slamming my bedroom door shut.

I despise her for dredging up painful memories. Why does she have to keep reminding me?

I should've left this place a long time ago, but something keeps me here.

This is my reality, and I've got to deal with it. I probably deserve everything that's happening to me, but Aunt Tanika's behavior really gets on my nerves. I've already lost everyone I ever cared about during that time, and I don't need her adding to my pain.

I wiped my eyes and stood up. I hate showing my weakness to anyone, and no matter what Aunt Tanika does or says from now on, I'll never cry in front of her again. Never.

After getting ready, I decided I'm not doing any stupid house chores today. Luckily, I didn't run into anyone when I stepped outside. However, I noticed a black car with tinted windows parked on the other side of the house.

I tilted my head, wondering if the person inside was watching me or if it was just a coincidence. I shook it off and headed to the café where I work part-time. When I got there, I saw Kaylee and Kevin, my coworkers, and I knew I was right on time.

"Hey, Aaliyah!" Kaylee greeted me cheerfully when I arrived. Kaylee and Kevin were both older than me, but they were cool to hang out with.

"Hey, Kaylee. Where's Kevin?" I glanced around.

"Right behind you," Kevin said, carrying a box. "Wow, looking great as always. You're really rocking that outfit today," he complimented, grinning.

"Seriously?" I asked, a bit surprised.

"Yep, he's right. I'm loving the all-black look," Kaylee chimed in with a smile. I was wearing black pants, a black shirt, a black jacket, and black boots.

"You look like a badass. Maybe I should take some style tips from you," Kaylee joked.

"You're fine just the way you are," Kevin reassured her, then he headed to the store room with the box.

"Are you feeling alright?" Kaylee asked me, noticing something off.

"What?" I was confused.

"You look a bit pale," she said, gently stroking my hair.

"I'm totally fine, don't worry," I reassured Kaylee, then quickly moved behind the counter. I kept myself busy with random tasks, hoping she'd leave me alone.

"Alright, if you say so. Customers are coming in now, so make sure to serve them well," Kaylee said, giving me a pat on the back.

"Sure," I murmured, trying to focus on my work.

I got lost in my tasks and only took a break later in the evening when Kevin insisted. I went to the store room to rest, wanting to avoid Aunt Tanika, so I decided to stay at work late.

I found solace in playing with the butterfly pendant Mom gave me on my ninth birthday. It's the only thing I have left from her. I miss my family terribly, and it hurts knowing I'm the only one who survived while they all died.

Aunt Tanika's words keep echoing in my mind. Dad sacrificed himself to save me, and sometimes I wish I had been the one to die that day. The pain of losing them is overwhelming, and I miss them terribly.

Living with dissociative disorder only adds to the confusion and pain. I struggle to remember faces from the past, and my doctor says it's because my mind is trying to shield me from my painful memories.

But there's one thing I do remember vividly: the man who destroyed my family had an Axe tattoo on his right wrist.

I'm determined to find him and make him pay for what he did. He can't live a good life after causing me so much suffering. I'll make sure of that. It's a promise.