“Who are you?” Hunter’s voice is low and soft. Demanding an answer from me. My heart does a strange double thump when he places his hands on my shoulders and turns me to face him. Keeping my eyes on the floor he places a hand under my chin and tilts my head up so I am forced to meet his gaze. “Who are you, Rosalia?” he repeats slowly.
“I don’t know, Master.” I reply in a shaky voice, feeling another sharp thrill of fear shoot through me.
Hunter sighs and fixes his piercing gaze on mine. Trapping me. “Is that the truth?” He whispers in my ear, causing my heart to stutter momentarily before returning to its irregular rhythm. He leans closer. “Because you know how I feel about liars, Rosalia.”
***
I am Rosalia Mallory, a girl left on the doorstep of our town's foster agency to find a new home. From there I went through three homes before at the age of 16, instead of having to live in the group home I secured enough money to buy an apartment. Alongside a job bartending and waitressing I had enough money to attend college and am currently studying Religion and Mythology, Creative writing and Art. Just a normal teenage girl with a normal life.
But at the same time, I'm not.
Who am I? Seems like the most cliché question a teenager can ask right? Except when you're missing months, if not years, of your life suddenly that seemingly simple question takes on a whole new meaning. After all, if you don't know your whole past how can you answer that for yourself?