Somehow soaked with what seemed like raindrops coming down from the sky almost a pitch black, she looked around as if to find for someone...but no one was there. The trees seemed peculiarly darker than expected as its hue seemed to have blended with the night sky from which the dark-blue clouds had appeared. It was clear that she was all alone in the forest. Nobody in sight, not even an animal present. Nothing at all, except the trees and the night sky. The surroundings were dark as well, she had felt hopeless, only wondering what on earth was she doing at such a dreadful place? She started to walk weakly as though she wanted to give up, but as soon as she felt like passing out, light shown from what seemed like a small house. She then walked toward it as if to think that her hopes have gone up again. As soon as she reached the house, she knocked on the door. In less than a second the front door had been opened by a woman maybe around her forty’s, wearing a plain white shirt and denim jeans and over her clothes wrapped a sunflower printed apron. She stood astonished for a while, staring at the woman who, she noticed had been staring back at her with the same astonishing expression. The woman finally started talking, "What do you think you're doing out in the forest late at night, Diana?!" the woman suddenly shouted apparently not caring at all if anyone heard because no one was there anyway. "Aunt Charlotte! I had no idea you lived in such a small house, with a slightly desolated surrounding." said Diana, in a very harsh tone.
Aunt Charlotte and Diana have always been very close with one another ever since Diana's parents left her in their house back in Canada when she was ten years old. Diana's parents had to leave due to work, and her family needs the extra money since they don't really have much savings. Therefore, they have been living in a similarly small house like Aunt Charlotte's here in Australia. Aunt Charlotte had been taking care of Diana, in request from her parents for four years now since her parents left, and they had been so kind and caring to one another until one day, on Christmas Eve...everything changed. Aunt Charlotte had just gone back home from the grocery store when she saw Diana kneeling on the bathroom floor, crying. To Aunt Charlotte's surprise, she saw Diana holding a knife to her wrist. She tried to snatch it out of Diana's hand but it was unsuccessful. She then heard Diana muttering words in which she understood only a few: "mommy", "daddy", "why did you leave me here?" Aunt Charlotte didn't know what to do but to tell Diana the news of her parents' death while on the plane supposedly on their way to New Zealand the day they had to leave Diana alone at home to continue working abroad. She had kept this from Diana for as long as they lived together until Christmas Eve. As soon as Diana left the bathroom, almost midway the corridor to her bedroom, Aunt Charlotte had no choice but to grab Diana's wrist and tell her everything. Even if she did apologize to Diana for telling her the truth (she lied saying that they had still been in New Zealand because of a lot of work and hadn't had time to answer her calls and mails because of which) Diana had been so furious with her aunt that she decided she won't talk to her again. Since then, they have been from family to enemies. Aunt Charlotte then left the small house in Canada leaving Diana alone. The only way for this to work, thought Aunt Charlotte was if she'd leave her alone for space and if she'd be as rude and ignorant as Diana had been for the past year. Diana remembered that day too well, and every time she even tried to forget, it would just come right back to her brain.
"You haven't answered my question, Diana." snapped Aunt Charlotte, now staring maliciously at her niece.
"What do you think you're doing all soaked up in rain and alone in the dark forest! You might have--"
"I came here thinking you'd welcome me to your small house instead of shouting at me like you're my mother!" Diana couldn't take any more of Aunt Charlotte's rants. When she started to turn away from her, "Step inside, young lady. You don't want to catch a cold now do you?" said Aunt Charlotte in a rather calming voice than earlier. Diana then went in the small house and looked around before putting her bag on top of the glass table in front of the television. "Some place you got here, Aunt Charlotte." sarcasm once again sounded in her voice. "Stop talking and eat some of these French toasts I made earlier today." replied Aunt Charlotte, who looked obviously furious at Diana's sarcastic tone. "Look, I know we've given each other space and that made us into enemies, but this is my house and you should be thankful I even let you in, brat." Aunt Charlotte suddenly snapped as Diana, who was staring absentmindedly at the picture frames, helped herself to some French toasts obviously wanting to shoot back at her Aunt. But instead, "I'm sorry Aunt Charlotte, but it's just been a long day. I am sure to be more cheerful tomorrow when I wake." Diana didn't know what else to say. Apparently, Aunt Charlotte's words had made her feel serious now.
The next day, Diana woke up to what sounded like plates, glasses and utensils being set up on the dining table. For a while she was confused as to where the sounds were coming from; all she knew was that she was alone in the forest with no one but then she remembered that she was in her Aunt Charlotte’s small house which actually looked like a hut made from sticks and hollow blocks. “Right, this is really happening. I’m in my Aunt’s stupid hut now.” Diana sighed, “But I guess I have to be thankful since she invited me to stay here last night. Alright, compose yourself Diana. Everything’s going to be fine, you’ll be out of this place soon.” As Diana got up from her mattress, which was all Aunt Charlotte had lent her to sleep in last night as she does not possess more than one bed, she decided to change her outfit as her clothes was still damped but then realized she didn’t have a luggage or anything of the sort so she couldn’t change her outfit. Diana then decided to give up and go downstairs to the kitchen where she finds Aunt Charlotte disposing the cooking pan in which she’d been cooking eggs and bacon on. “Oh, brat. Up early now are you?” Aunt Charlotte said, turning her head to look at her niece with disdain. “Well, good morning to you too, Aunt Charlotte.” Diana replied unwillingly. “I’ve prepared breakfast. Sit.” Aunt Charlotte pointed at the dining table just left from the kitchen, “Actually, I’m not exactly hungry. I’ve come down to ask something.” Diana thought it was the kindest way she could ask her imbecile of an aunt for clothes to wear for the day. “Hmm, and what might that be?” “Just clothes to wear. I haven’t any spare ones with me, sorry.” Diana thought it’d be clever to add an apology so that Aunt Charlotte would somehow go soft on her. “Clothes, you say? Why haven’t you got any? Why on earth would you be going off alone in a forest without any spare clothes or any of your possessions with you?” Aunt Charlotte snapped, not like Diana didn’t expect it, though. “Well, it isn’t my fault I missed my stop from the bus! The stupid driver suddenly went drunk and I ended up here! I’m sorry for being rude to you but seriously! Don’t you think I deserve to be treated well after you’ve kept the death of my parents for so long!? The least you could do is be nice to me!” Diana had enough of Aunt Charlotte’s nagging. All she wanted was to get out of the place and head back to her home in Canada. Diana stormed back upstairs to her room and cried on the floor with her hands on her face while Aunt Charlotte remained fixed standing upon the kitchen floor. “Oh, God. I’ve got no idea what to do with her. I’m doing everything I can to provide for her needs. I’m only being mean to her so she could learn how it feels to be mistreated. Looks like she hasn’t got the message yet.” Aunt Charlotte started crying with her hands on her face as well.494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25HFBdPjIS
