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Patience came storming into my room the morning she decided enough was enough. "Get up," she snarled at me, yanking the covers off me. "I've had it with your defiance!"
I barely had time to get up before Patience grabbed me by the arm and dragged me down the stairs. Outside, the sun was just starting to peek over the trees, but I had no time to admire the early morning beauty - Patience tossed me into the pool, and my yelp became a gurgle as the water closed over my head.
I sank swiftly, bubbles filling my vision, but when I surfaced, Patience grabbed my head and shoved me under again, and though I twisted to get free of her vicelike grip, she was too strong, and I thrashed, desperately trying to pull clear so I could surface and breathe, my starved lungs screaming for air. I'd had no chance to take a deep breath before Patience had pushed my under, and what little air I'd had was already depleting. Bubbles filled my vision in increasing spurts as the contractions almost bent me in two, and for a wild moment, I thought I was going to drown.
After what seemed like an eternity, Patience pulled me up, and I coughed out the healthy dose of pool water I'd swallowed. "You think you can hide?" she screamed at me, her eyes glowing golden. "You think being underwater is safe? Well it's not!"
This time, I managed to grab a decent breath before she pushed my head under again, and though I was still scared, I was calmer, despite knowing it'd be forever before Patience would let me up for air. She didn't bother forcing positive emotions on me this time, and as I floated, inches from the surface, I realised she'd been the first to cotton on to my secret refuge - and had probably known for months. Hence why she was trying to use it against me, to scare me into giving up the last little core of myself to her and my other sisters, so they could take me over completely.
Air burst from me in a great cloud of bubbles, interrupting my reverie, and when I tried putting a hand over my mouth to hold my remaining air in, someone seized my arms and pinned them behind my back. Another great cloud of air burst from my nose and mouth in a thick cloud, and I felt true horror seize me when I felt the arms around me, cruelly squeezing the air from my lungs. I kicked desperately as I felt the first stages of panic hit me, but another pair of hands grabbed my legs, preventing me from doing any harm. I thrashed, fighting as the arms around me squeezed the precious air from my lungs, but nature was having her way, and I felt the urge to breathe grow stronger with every passing moment. I had almost no air left, and one more good squeeze would take what little I did have, leaving me vulnerable to drowning. My diaphragm was contracting so strongly I felt ready to snap in two, my lungs on fire as the last air slowly depleted, the pain and pressure so strong I saw stars, and I knew I was seconds from drowning.91Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCgz4zwVlc
Then came the last, fatal squeeze, and bubbles burst free, bringing with an overpowering desire to breathe. Instead of air, though, I breathed in water, and choked, convulsing as I started to drown. But the relentless grip on me never let up, and as I began losing consciousness, I wondered if perhaps this had been my sisters' goal all along.
It didn't take long for me to black out, and as I passed completely, I hoped Dad, Mum and Angela would visit all sorts of vile revenge on my sisters for their unconscionable murder.
