Page 2 of Heart of the Villain

And then she did it a couple more times before scraping her gaze off the floor and forcing herself to meet her eyes in the mirror.

The lights above cast menacing shadows across her face. Her cheeks were hollow, and the bags under her eyes had grown shades darker since the last time she’d looked at herself.

Little Marlena shuddered at her reflection, blinking the image of herself away.

Marlena’s ability pulled at the edges of the duplicate in the mirror. Her shoulders disappeared, and then her torso followed. She gritted her teeth and pushed her blanket of invisibility, cloaking her mind. Her face grew red from holding her breath, and her heart thudded against her chest like the sound of a beating drum. Thump thump thump thump.

Marlena let go of the hold she had on her invisibility, and her full body reappeared in the mirror. Her lungs swelled with her inhale. The strain on her young powers weakened her from the lack of rest, food, and her overall mental state.

When she tried again, even less of her body disappeared. Eventually, Marlena was pushing and pulling at any little thread of her power she could feel, and nothing happened.

She went until her body gave out, until there was nothing left inside to give. Marlena collapsed and was asleep before her head cracked against the bare floor.

More water waited for her when she woke.

Marlena shook the cup when she finished drinking, hoping a few more drops would slip out.

Marlena hadn’t eaten in days and was starting to feel lethargic, her teeth clattering from lack of body heat. There was still no food being brought in, and she was given such small amounts of water that her body was too dehydrated to get rid of any that was given.

At least I no longer have to pee in the corner like a street mutt.

Marlena called out for her parents again, promising in between cries that she would work harder, that she would do better.

No one came.

No one would.

Marlena was on her own.

After she wept out all her tears, surely not helping with her dehydration, Marlena squared her shoulders and honed in on her invisibility. Several attempts later, and she was able to make the lower half of her body disappear.

It wasn’t good enough though. Do better.

She pushed herself until her body couldn’t take it, and she crumpled to the floor like she did after every failed attempt.

Whenever she woke up, there was always a small glass of water in the same spot by the door. Each time, Marlena gulped it down and then got back to pushing her abilities past their natural limit.

The loneliness started to fade, but Marlena still couldn’t look herself in the eyes. The hope was draining from them, and she couldn’t stand to see the new version of herself staring back.

Marlena spun in a slow circle and glanced down at her right hand, where three fingers were still visible.

Three fingers. That’s all I need, and I can get out of here!

She wrapped herself in her invisibility tighter, squeezing her eyes shut, and drove what little control she had left into the tips of her fingers.

Stars clouded her vision when her eyes popped open, and her body was clammy with sweat, but the three fingers were still as clear as day.

A scream tore through Marlena’s chest, and as the sound split her lips in two, her whole body reappeared.

I’m never going to get out of here was her last thought before she passed out from exhaustion.

Marlena’s stomach roared with hunger, waking her from a fitful sleep. Her eyes landed on her reflection in the mirror, curled up in a ball with her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes bounced from the girl staring back at her to the floor.

Hollow. Inside and out.

She stretched her muscles, wincing at the pain in her stomach. Marlena wanted to cry again, but what was the point? It wouldn’t get her anywhere.

It won’t get me out.