CHAPTER 1

"Mummy, mummy," I called out to my mom after school, I was very tired and famished, the sun was very hot and that made me sweat a lot. "My baby girl is back," my mom said as she came out to hug me, "See how you are sweating," she said as she reached out to peek me on my cheeks.

"How was school today," she asked

"School was fine," I replied with a smile on my face.

"You must be tired and hungry. Go inside and take your bath then come and eat. After that you will tell me about school today," she said.

I nodded my head and went inside to take my bath.

I was still bathing when I heard my step-mom voice calling my name, I woke up under the tree in front of our house, I realized that I had fallen asleep under the tree and had a dream about my Mom, I felt lonely, I realized that it was just a dream, I wish I could see my Mom again, I was still thinking about her when I heard another call from inside of the house.

I rushed inside wondering what I had done wrong this time. I went inside and my step-mom and her daughter were standing over a broken plate.

"So you broke my plate and went to hide outside? You couldn't even pack the pieces of the plate, you left it that way, possibly for me to pack it right? She said with an angry face, I could sense the anger in her voice. I couldn't help but start crying. "But...but I didn't break any plate," I said in shock,

"So who broke it? Did the plate break itself? My step-sister asked.

"I had warned you several times to stop lying to me, you keep on playing smart, so you thought living the broken plate here would save you the punishment right? I will teach you a lesson today, go out there and bring me the good cane. Unless you want me to use the knife on you or shred you to pieces with my hands,you will go out there and get me the good cane," my stepmom yelled as she walked to her room.

I felt like disappearing, but I knew it wasn't possible, I felt like running away but where could I go?, I knew my step-sister was the one that had broken that plate, I couldn't figure out why she was being wicked, with tears in my eyes, I went out to get a sticks which normally, had it's residing place in front of my house, I took it to my step mom but she said it was too small, she sent me back to get the one than the one I brought .I went and got it as she had asked.

When I brought it, she told me to pull off my clothes, which I did she had my hands tied behind my back before she started hitting me, she doubled the cane I brought to her and started whipping me with it, I screamed at the top of my voice, calling for help, but no help came in, after some time, We lived in a sound-proof house so the neighbors couldn't hear my screams even if they tried.Obviously, the door was locked from inside, incase my father came back at this odd hour which would have been unlike him.

My step-mom whipped me until she saw blood all over my body, I cried until no one could hear my voice even if they wanted to, I was breathing heavily, and at some point, I thought I had fainted, She eventually left me lying helplessly in the room and told me to clean up the mess, as there was blood all over the floor.

I knew I had to clean it, if not I would receive more beating, so I dragged myself to the tap outside the house to get the mop and a bucket of water, as I was cleaning the room, I heard a voice behind me.

"Next time I send you on errands, you will run as though something was chasing you," I knew that was my step-sister's voice, I didn't need to look at her, I stood there almost lifeless as tears rolled down my eyes, I remembered what happened the day she told me to go get something from the next street when I was cooking,I pleaded to be given some minutes so I could round off cooking before I go get it for her, I didn't know she picked offense in that.

I was still cleaning when my friend…Anita came in, I had been standing outside the house since morning,she consoled me as tears also dropped down her cheeks, "am so sorry you have to go through all this Ava, she said as she came closer to hug me, we cried together for a while and she decided to help me clean up, we went to her house where we ate and she helped me massage my body with hot water, we both remained silent for the whole time, she knew I was in so much pain so she didn't bother to ask me what had happen.

"Let me get going before I am locked outside," I said as I stood up to go home, She accompanied me only for us to reach home and the doors were locked, We tried opening the doors but it was locked, I called out to my step-sister but no one answered me, I started crying all over, I knew I had gotten myself into another problem, we both sat down in front of the house and kept knocking on the door continuously.

"Let's just go to my house, you can spend the night there,"Anita suggested, helplessly, I turned and shook my head,I knew that sleeping outside would make things worse.

"I would rather sleep here than go to your house, just go home so your parents don't go looking for you, " I said.

"No I can't leave you here, it's very cold out here and you are not that strong, I will sleep with you here if you insist," she said as she sat down close to me.