Bad Habits: A Dark Anthology - Yolanda Olson Page 0,99

and I don’t have to put up with that attitude. I will be the first one laughing my ass off at you when you find out what the real world has in store for you.”

Smiling at her, blowing her a kiss, I tromped into the large dining area to grab some toast. There were some people there I had never seen. Interested, but not enough to ask, I sat down with a cup of coffee and dry white bread.

“Who are they?” I asked Tanya.

She was the one I was closest to. She had just turned eighteen, so she would be moving out soon.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t feel good about them.” She shrugged. “The woman keeps looking me up and down like I’m a piece of meat or something.” She shivered visibly, disgusted.

It did seem weird how they were focused on all the girls getting ready to move out.

“Stay with me. Let’s go to school.” We stood together, leaving the place.

That evening there was tension in the air as Rita tried to be extra nice to all of us. It was so out of character for her, we knew something was happening. I held the knife I had found on our walk home close inside my pants line.

“Wait until you see the new van I just bought girls! You will love it. My new business partners have given me quite an advance.” She walked around with a stupid grin on her face. “I’ve never had a new car before.” She said beaming.

Patty, usually a quiet girl, asked, “What kind of business, Mrs. Trumble?”

“They are going to give you girls respectable jobs when you turn of age. Isn’t that wonderful?” She smiled a fake smile.

Tanya and I looked at each other. If we were getting the job, then why was she getting an advance?

That night I was woken up by screams. I recognized Tanya’s voice, so I jumped out of bed. To my surprise, my door was locked, from the outside. I couldn’t get out. I yelled, kicked, tried everything I could, but to no avail. I tried to pick the lock with the pointed edge of my knife, but found out it wasn’t as easy as it was on TV.

The next morning, when I heard the lock click open on my door, I jumped through it, demanding answers.

Tanya, and four other girls who were aging out this year, were gone. Rita was humming a happy tune about they had a job out of the country to start right away.

Something was very wrong, but no matter who I went to, the teachers, the counselors, even my caseworker – they just thought I was over reacting. All I knew was, I’ve never seen or heard from Tanya or the others again.

Chapter 4

Purity

This was my favorite times of the day, when I was kneeling before the altar and confessing my sins. I had so many wrongdoings, I felt like I needed cleansing so badly. I would always look at myself as the one neck deep in maggots and filth, begging to be forgiven, begging for our Redeemer to save me, expunge my sins and help me understand my purpose.

My penance was really high all the time and I often wondered, was it because I was being tested? I had lived my entire life on my own, except for the brief time I had Tanya, yet my need for acceptance by the Mother Superior was fierce, but not as strong as the love I needed from the Lord. That was why, if I had to attend to all of the carnal sins in this building, then that was the least I could do. It was because I knew, in my heart of hearts, it could be so much worse.

I loved the zinging sensation I got when I got down to pray. It was like he was resonating through me to tell me what he would need. I would gladly deliver his message, be it loving or harsh, I would be as merciful as I could, although the troubling situations happening in his name, made me think his deliverance would be severe.

I always started off praying for Tanya and the other girls who just disappeared in the middle of that fateful night. After, I set to work on my sins for the day, then I simply sat and listened to what God wanted of me. It was the most peaceful thing; I couldn’t even describe it if I wanted to. It really was a