Chapter 2. The Gift

Two months later

"Mother please..." She slapped me again.

"You ungrateful daughter! As long as you live under our roof and eat our food. You will do as we say. You know, you're not safe out there and they will come and get you. They will find you, and they will drain you in the most horrible way possible. You know this, you had tried to run away before."

She choked me, hard until I almost fainted. I couldn't fight her anymore, I was too weak. Then she kicked me again, this time she was aiming for my backside. It hurt me nonetheless. Then she let me go to slumped onto the floor of my bedroom.

I was still thankful that it was my mother and not my father. Because tonight was his poker night with his buddies. The bruises that he gave me were still there, from three weeks ago.

Then I heard her as she put my dinner in my food tray, which usually contains scraps of leftovers from whatever they've had for dinner earlier. I gulped dow