Introduction

A Chapter by H.D. Murphy

Introduction to My Muddled Mind - a story about the daughter of a man who can control other's with just his mind.

"Ana, I'm leaving for a few hours," my father's deep voice said, ringing against the walls of my bedroom. I put my paintbrush down, my painting momentarily forgotten. The easel showed random orange swirls I couldn’t remember creating. It was strange to hear him in my room. I couldn't remember the last time he had been in here. Well, I couldn't remember anything about him at all. I was about to ask him where he was going, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Safe travels, father," I said politely, staring into his dark gray eyes, a mirror of my own.

He nodded, with disgust in his grimace. He openly favored my twin, Daniella, while treating me closer to the way he treated my mother. As soon as I pictured his screaming face, it was forgotten. My father smiled at me happily.

"Come downstairs to say your farewells," he said soothingly. I glanced around my room hesitantly. The walls were a creamy white, bare. My bed was dark green and foreign. The room was spotless. Dark green shades covered the two high windows. There was a door in the corner of the room that I vaguely remembered lead to a bathroom. I looked up at my father and nodded in response, following him down into the library.

My mother and sister sat facing each other, both sitting on untouched white couches. The two were perfect replicas of each other. They looked more like twins than Daniella and I. Their long black hair came in waves down to their shoulders. Their faces were all angles, one of the genes I seemed to miss, that made them look graceful. No emotion showed on their faces and neither acknowledged my presence. I sat next to my mother and tried to copy the bleak expression but couldn't control my smile from showing. Her red gown was a nice contrast to the white of the couch and the darkened corners of the room.

There were glasses in front of my mother and I that were filled with a milky liquid. The crystal in the wine glasses reflected the candle light that was coming from the chandelier above us. I thought of playing with refractions in my paintings, but soon the thought was removed.

"Drink to my departure and to the desire of my safe return," my father said, gesturing to the glasses. I picked up the sparkling glass, cold to the touch. My mother and I drank obediently. Daniella nor my father had liquid of their own. The drink tasted murky and burned down my throat. I resisted the urge to cough. Suddenly the room became dizzy and foggy. I couldn't see straight. I met Daniella’s ocean blue eyes. Her expression looked bored, but I could see a trace of panic in the tightness of her lips. I started to faint, suddenly losing my grip on reality. I heard him leave the room, my mother and I easily forgotten.

I woke up in my bed and sat up groggily. It was the same feeling I had every time my father came around.It was almost as if I couldn't think for myself. I closed my eyes and tried to remember what had happened before, but all I could remember was a warm liquid going down my throat. I stood up, unstable, and held onto my bed post. I looked around the room, the surroundings unfamiliar. I moved towards the door and started down the hallway, relief flooding me. But I couldn't quite remember why.

I walked downstairs and into the library, where my mother was curled up with a book. I couldn't read the title, but she looked concentrated. I cleared my throat, hoping she could hear me. She looked up, startled. She looked marvelous as she stood slowly from her chair. She was thin like my sister and was more fragile. She took me into her arms and started to cry.

“Ana, Ana, Ana," she repeated, “Darling, I love you."

I began to cry too. Her grip was so fierce and, she sounded so afraid. When was the last times I heard those words? I couldn't remember. When was the last time she hugged me?

"Mom, I love you too," I said. The fog was starting to clear little by little, my mind becoming clearer.

"What happened?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know," She responded. She led me into a room off from the library. There was a pool and white, comfy chairs set around it. It was surrounded by windows. Everything in the room seemed to bring your eyes up to the skylight, the stars shining through the window and into the room. My breath caught at the beauty of the water. I imagined swimming in the stars and stopping to rest on the moon.

I looked down into the water and saw my reflection. I couldn’t be more than 13, but I couldn’t remember. My red hair was pulled back into a bun, making my already round face seem puffier. I looked dull compared to my mother’s beauty. I turned to see her on the floor in the center of the room. She removed a loose tile from the floor and pulled out a bottle. Her blue eyes were full of hope. She turned to me and held it carefully.

"I have a gift for you," My mother said, giving me the bottle. The bottle was slim at the top but circular at the bottom. It shone with a light of its own; alive. I could feel the heat through the leather wrapped around the neck of the bottle.

"What is it?" I asked, amazed. She shook her head again, this time looking afraid.

"Don't drink it until you want to remember. Okay? Don't let him find it."

I nodded in response. I held the bottle close to my chest, as if it would help me feel it's importance.

She looked at me seriously and said, "Don't tell Daniella." This confused me, but I nodded in agreement.

My mother went into the library again and picked back up the book. She held a pen and looked concentrated. I glanced at the title. I realized I couldn’t read, but what must have been letters were beautiful in a way I had never imagined. I held my hand out to touch the cover when she spoke.

“Ana, hurry. We don’t know when he’ll be home,” she said, not taking her eyes off the pages. I left the room and headed into the grand hall. I stopped in amazement. The marble floors were sparkling clean. The ceiling was painted with gods and children. They were sprouting wings of all colors. The grand staircases leading up to the second story had dark blue carpets. The candle light gave it a calming effect. I remembered my task and ran up to my room, not sure where I should hide the mysterious bottle.

I threw open the door to my bedroom and faced a stranger’s living place. I was once again amazed at how expensive the furniture was. The wood to my dresser and desk was dark and exotic. Oh, it’s merbau. I was shaken at the sudden insight. I reached for my dresser and started to throw open the drawers. To my relief there were clothes in the drawers. I felt one of the purple shirts gently. It was silky and soft. I opened the rest until I found something that resembled underwear. I stuffed it into the bottom, hoping my father never went through my panty drawer.

Right as I was pleased with my hiding job, I heard the front door close and heavy footsteps. I touched the bottle one last time before removing my hand. I felt the heaviness come back over my mind.

Why was my underwear drawer open?

next chapter

© 2015 H.D. Murphy

My Review

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Reviews

Lord of the Kings

whoa so much mystery and interest grabbing things. Its drawing me to know what's next. the best way of writing an introduction

Posted 9 Years Ago

1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

9 Years Ago

Thank you and thank you for reading! :)

Meat of Dog

I like your descriptions. Each sentence is short and to the point, so reading them almost felt like the subconscious thoughts you would actually have looking around a room and processing information. I got a really vivid mental image, especially with the dress and the couch. I really like contrasts, though. There was a mystique to this entire introduction; it felt so mysterious and enthralling. A LOT of questions were raised here, keeping me reading. Why can’t she remember stuff? Why can’t she read at 13? What was in that bottle? Why are certain rooms of her home a mystery or surprise to her? Why was her underwear drawer open? Haha, sorry that last one was for laughs. Anyways, I added this to my reading list, and I’m eager for more. Thanks for sharing!

Suggestions:

~ “I walked down the stairs and into the library, my mother curled up with a book” This sentence is awkward, or feels like something is missing from it. Maybe ‘I walked downstairs and into the library, where my mother was curled up with a book.’
~ “feel it's importance” Its.

Nitpicks:

~ “He nodded, disgust in his grimace” Maybe instead say: “He nodded, with disgust in his grimace.” Otherwise the sentence is a little awkward.
~ “I woke up in my bed and sat up groggily, the drink still affecting me.” This sort of makes it sounds way too relaxed, like she was expecting to get drugged or poisoned, or like this sort of thing happens all the time. Perhaps it should take her a little bit to realize the drink was the issue, or be a little more disturbed by the fact?
~ “Her grip was so fierce and she sounded so afraid” A comma after ‘and’.