The Monster in the Basement
By Carly, age 16, Ohio
"The monster in the basement", my brother begins his essay for English 9. The reader imagines that a frightening bedtime story is about to commence. However, this tale springs unfortunately from pure reality. No one could ever conjure a tale as distressful as this one. In our basement lives a most vile creature. Spawned for selfishness and self-righteousness, this monster beneath my feet is my stepsister.
The plague began the day my mother traded vows and became tied in holy matrimony. With a stepfather unknowingly came a stepsister. Incredibly pleased to be acquiring me and my family, she sought to ruin the wedding. With a tantrum that would boggle a toddler, the attention whore longed for the eyes of every wedding guest. Her plan called for mass disruption and a wedding going up in flames. With the plan failing, the event continued. My mom and stepdad picked up the pieces of the wedding and, using their love as glue, carried on, meaning that this was only the beginning.
As the horrors continued, life in our house mirrored the wedding and proved that there was much more in store for us. With a cruel black heart, a curse was placed upon my house. Call me Cinderella because we have an evil stepsister on our hands. The insincerity emanating from the basement makes me sick to my stomach. How can this be my home when I must walk on egg shells wherever I go? Blended families are tough adjustments, but they surely shouldn't be this hard. My family must waiver to the every need of the princess that lives below. We buy this and that, all for her to sit on her lazy butt. But all the attempts are in vain. She's eating us out of house and home. She's eating us out of soul and mind. From beneath you it devours; she is a monster under my feet.
