Sweetness comes to those who are willing to wait.
Mother would repeat that line every single day, and she never missed it once. You'd think within the large span of time, she would forget at least once. But she never did. Every day, she would remember to state it directly to me and my siblings. The thing was, I would have to wait an eternity to get the sweetness I craved. My siblings need wait one day, one month. I had an entire life to spend craving something sweet. At least, that was what mother wished for me. Naturally, as a child such as myself, I disobeyed my mother.
Such a simple life I had then, awaiting the days in which I could leave my home. I needed the tools to get there, and I had little clue in how to find them. To begin, I had to boil the water. But how can one boil water without the water itself? Mother was guarding the water, so it would take a little more than standard skill to acquire it. The water was hidden deep within the basement, filled with monsters and killers alike. No one was allowed into the basement, mother forbade it.
I awoke one troubled night to the sound of light rain. The rain comforted me, so I lay there silently, listening until it went away. I could hear mother in the distance, listening for any sound of my siblings wandering out after the cover of night had fallen. A single child could be heard walking silently. Mother heard them, and began to chase them, both loudly stomping their feet in a race to the door. My sibling made it their first, but as he pulled at the knob, nothing happened. A loud bang was heard, and the sound of something hitting the ground echoed throughout the house. The whole house went silent. Mother began dragging the object behind her, treating it as if it was a sack of potatoes.
The entire house was still once more. But I wasn't still. I already knew everything I needed to know. There was little left to be done. The marshmallows were acquired, all I needed was the water. The water may have been guarded, but the basement wasn't far. Without me even knowing, I ended up at the door to the basement. A long spire detailed the doorway, with the cover of night masking what lay below. I let my body guide me, and began my descent down the spire.
As I descended down the spire under the cover of night, I heard mother in the distance. Mother was listening, seeing if any of my siblings were out during the night. I was cleverer than my siblings, and I knew how to be quiet. The night was my cover, and my first marshmallow distracted mother away. I only held four, and one was already used. Cautiousness was what was needed with marshmallows, they kept people away. To little, and you could get caught on your own. To much, and you may end up out of them before you reach your goal. The marshmallows I held close were acquired through centuries of labor, working my way up just to obtain four. I assumed three would be enough, but I stumbled across a fourth on accident. No matter the labor, the marshmallows were what I needed to escape this place.
It's time for me to leave my home. I have matured past the need for my mother.
The basement was quiet, not a single sound came out. There was sugar, there were spices, but I needed water. There were no monsters within the basement as mother had claimed, for these are my friends, and they are here to help me. My friends would never hurt me, they can only help me here.
Mother never visited the basement, she was to busy in the house to spend her time here. All these tools at my disposal, but I needed none of it. What I needed was a way to boil the water. The kitchen was open, but mother mustn't see me with the water. Everyone was still asleep, even mother chose to rest. The house was still.
I crept towards the kitchen, already having ascended the stairs of the basement whilst in thought. The house was so dreary, the grey bricks lining the walls did little to compliment it. The kitchen was open, and on the other side laid my freedom. The flames were gentle, so they wouldn't awaken mother. As I lit the stovetop and proceeded to boil the water, doubt laid throughout my body. What if I wasn't mature enough to leave my home yet? What if mother saw me and begged me to stay? These thoughts came creeping in, and they refused to go away.
Regardless, the water boiled whether or not I had these thoughts, and my tool was ready. Three marshmallows in my pocket and the water in my hand, I walked towards the front door. The floorboards must've creaked, because I heard mother begin to walk by. The boiled water loosened the door up, and it swung open. Out there was a misty haze, only broken up by the occasional passerby. I stared at it for a long moment, doubts flooding throughout my body. That's when mother emerged.
However, mother made no attempt to beg, she simply watched, knowing my fate was set.
The last words I said before I left.
I love you.