Page 1 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
Liliana
The strong scent of horse dung and wood shavings overpowers everything else around me in the crowded cabin. It doesn’t seem to matter that my younger sister, Calantha, is no longer mucking out the stalls and instead preps for bed after a long day.
I desperately wish for the chance to help her get clean, but she isn’t afforded such luxury. Only those of us who serve the guests get to bathe properly, while the rest of my aunt and uncle’s foster children have to wash up in the creek beyond the house.
“I’ve got to go, Calla. Uncle insists I not be late for their special visitor again, but I promise you, we’re going to get out soon. Here. They don’t feed you enough.” I hand over the extra bread roll I stole from the kitchens earlier that day.
“You’re the best big sister anyone could ask for,” she says before taking a massive bite from the crusty bread. Luckily, the others in the cabin are preoccupied and don’t notice the extra food, or else I’m sure they’d get us in trouble. Living here beneath the heel of my uncle doesn’t allow for false beliefs aboutthe way people are. It doesn’t take long to realize just how far someone will go to earn favor. But they’ll find out soon enough that Aunt and Uncle don’t appreciate tattletales.
After one last hug, I head toward the door with every intention of doing my duty, when heavy footfalls sound on the steps outside. I freeze as the large wooden door bangs wide and my uncle steps into the cabin. He’s rarely found out here this late at night, and my insides curl with worry.
“I thought I told you not to be late, Liliana, yet here you are, wasting time.”
Despite every atom in my body begging me to cower under the weight of his stare, I stand tall. “Sorry, Uncle. I wanted to see my sister before she went to sleep. I was just about to leave.”
He tsks, roaming his eyes along the row of bunk beds until he finds Calantha. To my surprise, she’s hidden the hunk of bread and pasted a tired, weary look on her face.
“It’s true, Uncle. She was just leaving, and I’m all ready for bed,” Calla insists. Just like always, she backs up my stories, even though I’d rather she didn’t. I’m supposed to be the one protecting her, not the other way around.
“If I couldn’t tell from your looks that you were related, it’s clear from the lies that spew from your foolish mouth.” Uncle strides forward, gripping Calantha’s arm so tightly that she winces.
“No!” I shout, racing forward to pull him off her, but it has the opposite effect. He holds her more firmly until a whimper escapes her, and I stop dead in my tracks.
“You thought you could steal from me? Give away my offerings of food to someone else? That food is only available for those who earn it, but she hasn’t, has she, Liliana?” He pulls her toward the door, shoving past me until I’m knocked to the ground.
“It was my fault! She had nothing to do with this. Leave her alone!” I shout, desperate for him to turn his attention on me instead of my younger sister.
He stops on the porch, still holding on tight to Calantha as he turns to me. “She will earn back what you stole, and you will take her place in this cabin until I feel she’s paid it off.” His saggy old face shakes with his anger, but the gleam in his eyes tells me just how much he’s enjoying this. “I was more than willing to hold off on inviting her to work at the main house, but you’ve forced my hand. She’s doing this because of you. Remember that next time you try to pull one over on me.” Then he shuts the door and locks it from the outside.
“No, no, no,” I scream, pounding on the door with all my strength. The other kids watch, completely uncaring that my little sister is on her way to service one of their guests. And it’s all. My. Fault.
“Lily!” Calantha screams as I continue to thrash against the door.
“Lily! Lily! Lily!” On and on she shouts, begging for my help, for my protection, but it’s no use.
I’ve finally done it.
I’ve ruined her.
“Lily, wake up.”
I lurch awake, scrambling back as my eyes focus on the person in front of me. Calantha sits on the edge of the bed, looking at me with a worried expression on her usually joyful face.
“Oh, thank God,” I whisper before wrapping my arms tightly around my sister.
“The same nightmare?” she asks softly, and all I can do is nod, not ready to let her go. Her hands run gently over my dark hair and I focus on it. I’ve never been able to afford therapy, but from what I read online, it’s best to pinpoint something tangible.
I take deep breaths to calm my racing heart, reminding myself repeatedly that the events of my nightmare never happened. My sister was never forced to submit to any of my uncle’s deplorablefriends. We weren’t trapped with those vile people anymore. We escaped.
When the fear drains from my bones, I separate from my sister, and she hands me a hot mug of coffee. Despite everything we’ve gone through since our parents died, she’s still the sweet, thoughtful girl I remember growing up with. Luckily, we’d gotten out before they’d forced her to bend to the whims of others, and even now she doesn’t know all the things I’d had to do for their “guests”.
She was in her last year of college to become a veterinary technician. Our aunt and uncle might have forced us to be their unpaid farmhands, but at least one good thing had come from being in their care. My sister’s love of animals has grown into something remarkable. Our dark past never diminished that, and I was only too happy to help her claim her dream job.
I would never tell her just how much debt we’d collected over the years though. As the older sister, it was my job to protect her from the bullshit things in life and, just like I’d done at the farm, I would shield her from whatever I could in the real world.
“The good news is that you’ll soon have health benefits, and maybe a therapist will help you get past the trauma so you’ll no longer have those nightmares. Plus, once I’m finished with school in a few weeks, I’ll be able to get a job and help pay for things so you aren’t so stressed out all the time.” She gives me a genuine smile, full of hope. It’s one of the things I love so much about her. Optimistic to her core.
A knock sounds at the door of our tiny apartment, and I jump at the sound. Calantha only pats my hand before striding with confidence toward the door.
