2 A New Life

Beeping sounds penetrated Lin Xiaoxiao's ears. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt heavy and was not able to open them. Flashes of images appeared in her mind causing her to have a headache. These images were not of Lin Xiaoxiao's life but of a life of a seventeen-year-old girl named Xi Xiaoxiao who was living a life of servitude. Xi Xiaoxiao's family forced her to do the job of the maids while the maids and her step sisters would beat her and call her names. Xi Xiaoxiao's father Xi Shen made no effort to stop any of the abuse.

Her mother had died of an illness when she was eleven years old and no more than two months had passed when her father had brought home a new wife with two daughters. One of the daughters Xi Yanfen was only one year younger than the Xi Xiaoxiao. The other daughter Xi Yanfan was only two years younger. Both daughters were biological kids of her father Xi Shen making them her half-sisters.

That was when it all started. From the day they moved in Xi Xiaoxiao started to be abused and forced to do household chores that should have been the job of the maids. All the things in her room were taken by her two stepsisters leaving her with nothing of value. All clothes, furniture, her mother keepsakes, and even her own bedroom was taken away from her as she was forced to live in a walk-in closet that was not in use at the far end of the mansion. She was only left with the clothes on her back and nothing else.

She suffered for four years only able to eat scraps that the rest of the family did not want after they were done eating. Some nights she got nothing at all. With forced labor and malnutrition, her body growth ended up stunted. At fifteen years old she still looked like she was only twelve. Not able to endure the hardships anymore, Xi Xiaoxiao ran away from home. Her escape was quickly noticed and people from the mansion were sent after her to bring her back.

As she was trying to escape her pursuers, one of them had caught up to her. This pursuer reached out trying to grab her while she was standing at the top of a flight of stairs leading down into a busy marketplace in D City. In an effort to dodge this pursuer's hand Xi Xiaoxiao stepped backward only to find air underfoot. This caused her to fall down the flight of stairs and out into the crowd. There were no more memories after that everything went blank.

Seeing such sad images in her mind Lin Xiaoxiao could only sigh in her heart. She now knew that Xi Xiaoxiao had passed away and that she somehow came to possess her body. She figured the little girl must have given up on life. She had nothing going for her except days of abuse and torment. Dying must have been her only release from her cruel life her only salvation. Lin Xiaoxiao decided right then and there that she would get revenge on that so-called family of Xi Xiaoxiao. As payment for allowing her to take this body and have a second chance at a new life. As Lin Xiaoxiao thought this she felt a heavy pressure release from her shoulders as if a great burden had been lifted off of them.

Finally with great difficulty Lin Xiaoxiao now Xi Xiaoxiao slowly opened her eyes. She squinted as the bright light from the ceiling shined down on her. Everything was blurry at first but gradually became clearer as time went on until finally, she had her eyes fully open.

White ceiling, white walls, the smell of medicine, could be seen and smelled. Lin Xiaoxiao could tell right away that she was in a hospital room. As her eyes adjusted she could see that she was hooked up to quite a few life support machines. She had three intravenous injections, in one in her arm and two in her hand. Lin Xiaoxiao frowned, it seemed that the bags of fluid had been dry for some time now.

The sun outside shined light down through the large window in the room. Lin Xiaoxiao was able to tell this room had not been touched in a long time there was even a thin layer of dust covering the stands and other furniture. Lin Xiaoxiao knew she had to get out of this hospital as soon as possible. Otherwise, she would be dragged back to that hell on earth. While Lin Xiaoxiao was pondering on how she should go about escaping a ruckus could be heard out side her hospital room door.

"I don't care what everyone else says. She is just a young girl, it is not right to treat her this way."

"If you go in there and clean up you will end up losing your job. You might not be able to get another job if her parents decide to retaliate. We got instructions from her mother to not do anything for the girl and just leave her to life to god. "

Lin Xiaoxiao face turned black upon hearing the words outside the door. 'Mother? Her mother was already dead. How was she giving instructions from beyond the grave?'

"Some mother that lady is. Tormenting a child who can't even defend herself. So what if I lose my job and I can't find another. I rather live on the streets then watch this poor girl get tormented. You were not here when she first came in. I was the one who bathed her every day. That poor girl had so many bruises on her body. If it was not for the head nurse blocking me back then. I would have already called the police. Since I can't do anything else, the least I can do is make sure her room is cleaned for her and her IV's are changed."

"Fine, it's up to you… Do not say that I did not warn you. If you get caught you are on your own. "

The door to the hospital room opened causing Lin Xiaoxiao to quickly close her eyes. She listened as the footsteps came closer to her bed before stopping at her bedside. She heard a sigh before a hand was felt on the top of her head. "You poor girl. Your family is so mean to you and just because they have money they can do as they please to you. All I can do for you is simple things. So hopefully when the day comes that you wake up. You can at least wake up in a clean room." The hand on her head moved away and moved down to the IV connections.

Lin Xiaoxiao opened her eyes and saw a nurse in her late twenties early thirties busy at work, replacing the IV's in her arms. Lin Xiaoxiao blinked a few times before opening her mouth and saying: "If you really want to help me. Help me escape from here." The sound of her voice made the nurse freeze her actions. She looked over in surprise and saw that had been laying in the bed in a coma was now awake!

"Y-Your awake!?"