Page 3 of Unsubmissive Omega
Since I protected myself as much as I could by locking myself in my room, I avoided as much trouble as possible, but mealtimes were quite literally the low light of my days.
I jumped as a softrat-a-tat-tatdisturbed my thoughts. I knew who it was from the softness of the knock. My family always announced their presence much more aggressively. It had to be Miranda, my uncle’s part-time housekeeper. Although she was the one person in this house who was kind to me, she rarely disturbed me except on the days she cleaned my room, which wasn’t today.
Spirits brightening at the prospect of seeing a friendly face, my feet padded hurriedly across the carpet, and I flung open the door.
“Hey!” I said, a little more brightly than I actually felt. I didn’t want to bring down the mood of the one person who was nice to me.
Had I forgotten to smile?
Miranda was standing there, little wrinkles around her brows which were drawn together in a look of concern.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked, eyes flicking to the corridor and then back into my room in case the problem was there.
“Good morning, Xander. How are you today?” she said hesitantly. Miranda was the only one who ever asked me that. There was nothing she could do regardless of my response, but I appreciated that she asked.
“Hi, Miranda, I’m fine, thanks for asking. I wasn’t expecting to see you today, though. Is there a problem?” I repeated my question.
“Um… not… that I know of. I’m not here to clean your room today, though I can do that if you want. Your uncle sent me to tell you he wants to meet with you in his office in twenty minutes.”
“Couldn’t come and tell me himself?” I snarked.Or talk to me here… but then…no, I wouldn’t want that. It would violate the privacy of my safe space.
Miranda shrugged. We both knew what my uncle was like.
“Sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault,” I told her, softening my tone. “I’ll go and see him. Thanks for passing on the message.”
“Do you want me to do your room while you’re meeting with him?”
I glanced behind me. Clothes were draped over the chair, and a couple of t-shirts, some underwear and socks were strewn across the fine carpet.
“No, it’s fine. Just untidy but that’s all. I’ll take care of it. Thanks anyway, Miranda.”
“You’re welcome, Xander. And… good luck.”
Her lips wobbled briefly into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, and she turned quickly away. I sucked in a deep breath. I didn’t want her pity or her sympathy, and I rested my head against the doorframe, watching as she walked down the corridor. It was only when she had disappeared from sight that I registered the discomfort of the hard wood against my forehead.
‘Good luck?Why would I need good luck?’ I wondered. I guessed I’d find out soon enough.
******
The pattern of dark whorls and grain lines in the timber seemed to taunt me. Nothing good ever waited for me behind this door.
Knock, knock, knock.
There was no response, though I thought I heard the rustling of paper from within.
Knock, knock, knock.
Still nothing. As tempting as it was to turn around and leave, I knew better than to do so. My uncle was punishing me for my small act of insubordination of arriving five minutes late, and if I didn’t wait, I’d pay a higher price later.
How long would it take? Five minutes to match my degree of rebellion? No, probably longer, to demonstrate his utter dominance over me.
I hated him.
The dark corridor was silent and still. My uncle’s office was tucked away in the furthest wing of this cold mansion, and I was grateful for that today. When I had first come here, seriously delusional that someone in this household might give a shit about me, I had bemoaned the fact that the office was so isolated. If the office had been closer to the living areas of the house, someone might have heard my screams as the belt flayed my bare back and ass. Maybe someone would have come to my assistance. Of course, I knew now that no such help would have ever been forthcoming, regardless of what agonized sounds I had made or however loud I made them.
Today, as I waited alone in the hallway, I was grateful my uncle’s office was out of the way and the likelihood of one of my cousins noticing me waiting out here was low.
