Inner Demons

"Sammy, Sammy! you're daydreaming again, did you solve the problem?" Ms Glen shouted. Sammy was lost in thoughts, the sudden shout revoked her from daydream, "Yes! I mean no.. ah...oh yeah! Sorry Ms Glen "Sammy bowed her head down. "Look at your sister, she is a year younger to you, she tops in the class and other activities and look at you...! Ms. Glen kept on blabbering.

She asked Sammy to leave the class finally.

With a sigh Sammy walked towards the door,when the bell rang to end the class and the school for the day.

Sammy was sad,she felt very low,she was always demeaned......her sister was always a champ in studies,dance,music,sports and she was always given a consolation certificate which read,"Thanks for trying".

She felt a drop of tears in her eyes.

"Hey Sammy,wait....ah .....ah...hey...why didn't you not wait for me?" Rene her sister tried catching up with her with a gasp.

"Nothing just was thinking about something I left...."Sammy squeaked.

When they reached home their mother was ready with delicious food,"Mmmmh mom it smells delicious..."Rene went to the table straight.

Sammy looked at her mother and went inside her room pulling her bag in.

She settled herself on the bed,opened her note book and with a pencil started to scribble something.

There was a knock at the door,"Sam the food is set on the table dear,please come and have it".Sammy replied in a blank tone,"I'm not hungry mom."

Her mom knocked again but no response.

Their father came late in the evening, Rene had been practicing music, their father was mesmerized with the tune she was playing....

"Rene, you have always made me feel proud of you darling!"

Sammy came to the kitchen and prepared some soup for herself.... while her father kept on saying, "Sammy what have you been doing? Ms Glen wants to see me tomorrow at the office. This is so insulting atleast every week I get a complaint against you......"

Sammy's father kept on shouting,Sammy quietly went inside her room again,her mother seemed troubled,she requested her father to stop,but her dad was disgusted....

Sometime later Sammy's mother knocked at her door and when she didnot get any response,stealthily went in side.

Sammy was scribbling something in her notebook.....a sudden shock showed up on her face,"What have you been doing dear?"

Sammy quickly hid her notebook.....

"Sammy dear,I know you felt bad,but we love you dear"her mother came near Sammy and gently stroke her hair.

"I love you and Rene both,you guys are apples of my eyes."Sammy's mother explained.

Sammy hugged her mom and sobbed bitterly.

Her mother understood she had been feeling demeaned.

Rene was always praised,won the certificates and trophys and Sammy always got all the scoldings,she did not hate her sister though she felt bad about the behaviour that every one surrounding her showed to her.

It was only mom who knew both her children well.

Mom sent Sammy to sleep and then slowly took the hidden notebook and read what Sammy had scribbled.

"Rene scored the highest grade,I love my sister but dad doesnot love me he loves Rene more."

"Rene won the fancy dress competition,she looked dashing every one praised her I am proud of her."

"Dad scolded me for what was not my fault"

"Rene won the music competition,I got a certificate "Thanks for trying"

"I hate it,when every one praises her,mom seems to love Rene more......"

"Ms Glen always scolds me,she calls for my dad always"

"It was not my fault,still I got scolding....."

"I feel so lonely,no one is by my side"

"I am a waste,I am good for nothing...."

"Ms Glen and my friends doesnot like me"

"They like Rene"

"Rene's rack is filled with trophys"

"Mom loves Rene more..."

"I won't FORGIVE

"No one likes me....I am always to be blamed"

"I HATE RENE".

Drops of tears rolled down Sammy's mother's eyes, her daughter had been into depression, and no one ever tried to understand that.

The next evening Sammy stayed in her room after she got scolded for her bad performance in school from her father.

Repeatedly her father had been comparing her with Rene and this grew the inferiority complex within Sammy.

Next few days Sammy had been very ill,her mom was troubled,doctor checked on her and said this was a flu.

She was not allowed to move out of her room,she peeped outside the open window at the parks where children played,the gate through which her father,sister and doctor came in and went out.

She was sad, her mom knocked at the door and then came in with a bowl of soup.

Sammy sheepishly looked at her and turned away the face,she was in no mood to talk.

Her mom lovingly stood by her side trying to make her daughter gulp the soup, "No mom this is tasteless, I don't need it, I don't need the medicines either they are bitter"

Her mom understood, Sammy was not physically so sick as she was mentally, her confidence was depreciating.

She was staying aloof, loneliness was taking over her daughter, how could she as a mother see her daughter in such a condition. She needed to explain both her daughters were lovable for her.

She pulled Sammy to her arms and carrassed her hair."Dear,I know dad scolded you so you did not feel good,but what ever you are I am always with you,your mom will never leave you neither your sister or your father,you always try to do good,forget everything and try to give your best in whatever you do you will surely be able to suceed,even if you don't we still LOVE you.In whatever interests you do it,remember mom is with you..."Sammy said nothing

At night Sammy was scribbling again in her notebook when her mom came to put her to bed......

Sammy was angry, sad, frustrated...a mixed feeling she got scolding at school again, Rene won the match and scored high grade in school, dad was called to school to discuss on the performance of Sammy, "If this continues Mr.Whitney, then we are sorry to say we have to terminate Sammy from school, she has stopped doing her home works, she does not answer to any question asked, she does not participate in any thing, even if she does she looses, she is an ultimate looser..."

Her classmates had been making fun of her "Looser, looser, looser...!"they had been giggling and laughing at her....Sammy could not withstand their laugh, the ears seem to burst out when they bullied her, teased her.

At home she looked at the selves filled with trophys, medals, certificates......all Rene's, she hated it, hated Rene's trophys, she hated her success, she hated her friends...she hated dad, she HATED RENE!

Her hate was now not only prisoned in the notebook but the words seemed to come out as a monster as if to engulf Rene, her inner demons took a form to harm Rene......she saw Rene coming back home, she tried controlling her demons but they were already out of control........the demons took a shape.....it went towards the closed door...Rene was moving towards the entry door and put the hands on the doorknob, Sammy was trying with all her might to stop the demon to attack her sister.... Rene pulled the knob to enter.... the door opened, she stepped in...

Sammy closed her eyes..."No demon no ...she is my sister....I LOVE her...."

In a second a dark cloud was moved....the demon vanished ,Rene stood at the door surprised..

Sammy ran towards her and embrassed her.

Sammy opened her eyes beautiful sun rays had fallen upon her...showing a new start of the day...."Good morning Sis! I know you love me but never thought you did be claiming that in dreams!!!"

Sammy sighed; it was all a nightmare.... Rene was standing with a glass of milk and cookies...it was her favorite cookies and Rene would never share them with anyone but with her sister! Sammy smiled and hugged her, and the 2-sister laughed together after a long time, Mrs. Whitney, their mother stood at the door and watched her beautiful daughters with a beautiful bond of love and affection.