Chapter 1 - Cherish every breath.

Chapter 1 - Cherish every breath.

The nights were cold and gloomy as I lay on the cold dirty floor. The ferocious winds screeched like banshees howling in the night, the cold air found its way in through the cracks in the windows and walls, biting into my tender pale skin.

I heard sounds of gunshots and blood curdling screams, along with laughter and screaming in the dark and dirty alleyways as I always have but no matter how much I tried I couldn't become used to it as they tormented my ears. I clasped both hands over my ears trying to drown them out, my body trembled violently as I tried to sleep in the cold damp basement. "Sniff…M-Mother…" I cried for the only warmth I had ever known that was taken from me 4 years ago. "Why didn't you take me with you…" I hugged myself to warm up but flinched when I felt the sudden sting across my forearms. I had accidentally broken a cup today so they whipped my arms until I bled. I stared at the lashes across my arms. I have only ever known pain and suffering. I have been Living like a slave at this shabby Inn since I can remember along with my Mother but 4 years ago when I was only 8 years old she passed from a terrible illness and had died painfully in this very room as I lay in her arms screaming out for her all night long until my voice went hoarse. I was happy that she was released from this horrifying fate, where we were beaten and starved daily by the Innkeeper and his wife and harassed by the tenants constantly, but the pain I felt and tears I shed for her death was not her passing but that she left me behind. I want so much to leave this wretched life and go with her but I couldn't give up. Mother always said that I'm breathing for a reason and to cherish every breath. She promised one day we will reunite and we will never feel such pain and suffering again. Everyday these past 4 years I repeat those words in my mind. Everytime the Innkeeper beats me with his belt. Everytime his wife starves me and works me to the bone. Everytime the innkeeper or the Tenants try to touch me with their cold slimy hands and each time I manage to barely escape their clutches, I remember those words so I can go on living this miserable life.

I woke up the next morning to the sounds of cars outside and the fumes of petrol seeping in through the cracked windows. My sore body ached from the hard labor I was forced to do the night before and the lashings I received from the Innkeeper. I couldn't bring myself to lift a muscle and just laid there. "Get up you dirty little leech!" I jumped up as a broom was thrown at me, every muscle in my body screamed painfully as it throbbed but I was too frightened to care. I stood up straight trying not to tremble and made sure to lower my eyes. The Innkeeper's wife stood before me, she was especially hateful towards me as she had always been jealous of my mothers beauty and the way her husband had lusted after her but Mother never let him touch her or me which is why he would constantly beat us when he wanted. I resemble my mother a lot and after her death all our suffering fell onto me alone as my mother wasn't here to try to protect me and hide me anymore. It was now my turn to burden all the pain just as she did for me. The Innkeeper's wife looked down at me in disgust as though I was a dirty sewer rat. "Wash the dishes! Don't forget to do the laundry, mopping and wipe down all the windows!" I listened to her quietly as she gave me my chores, she knew I cleaned every window last night but if i said anything I won't get to eat again tonight and it would be the fourth night this week and my stomach cried for food. "Make sure you polish all the shoes and clear out all the dirty rats we had an infestation last night thanks to that rotting body outside! Now get out of my sight you miserable child, that awful smell is gonna make me puke! You disgusting little slug!"

I left quickly as she said, tears welled up in my eyes and I choked them back afraid knowing it would anger her further . I felt all grimy and gritty and the pungent smell that rose from my body made me nauseous, but it wasn't my fault they wont let me have baths. I would only be able to wash slightly when it rained, and it hasn't rained for weeks. I spent the entire day doing my chores. My back aches and my limbs felt like jelly as I tried my hardest not to pass out from the pain as I tended to the guests. They all kicked me around and threw their drinks at me telling me I should be grateful as I smelled like the rotting corpse of a dog. As much as their words and actions stung me I still preferred this over the ones who tried to touch me and do other disgusting things. So far I have managed to avoid any danger of the sort and kept my guard up but my mother wasn't here to protect me anymore and it started to become harder to avoid them and I was terrified one of these days I won't be able to get away.

By the time the sunset I had done all my chores and my body felt as though it would snap from the slightest pressure. I dragged my heavy body towards the basement door but then someone called from behind. "Where do you think you're going, rotten child?" I trembled at the voice of the Innkeeper. I turned back to see him sitting at a table drinking as he always did constantly. I spoke with a small whimper. "I f-fin…finished the c-c-chores, s-sir…" he laughed and picked up the bottle of alcohol that sat at his table. He poured the entire contents onto the floor. "Looks like you missed a spot. Clean it." I hurried to grab a cloth and went over and quickly began wiping the floor cleaning. He laughed at my pitiful state and kicked me. "A-ahh!" I felt my tears roll down at the excruciating pain that resonated through my entire body. He watched me with amusement. "Each day you look more and more like your mother." I trembled at his voice and hugged my self protectively, he suddenly lifted my head up to look at him. I felt nauseated at the way his vulgar eyes leered at me. "How unfortunate that you had to inherit her disgustingly freakish eyes. Otherwise there's no denying that your beauty can't even compare to the royal concubines." My eyes were two different colors, one green and the other blue. Everyone was always disgusted at them as they didn't seem natural. I had inherited them from my mother, her name was Opal, and she was the only other person to have eyes just like mine. Nobody knew why her eyes were like this. It was completely unheard of. I didn't care what anyone thought or said, my eyes were a precious memento of my mother and I was happy to have such eyes.

The Innkeeper stroked my face. I tried to move back quickly but he grabbed my throat. I panicked "S-Sir, p-p-please…! L-Let me g-go!" He looked at me and spoke with a disgusting sneer. "You and your mother are just nothing but dirty sewer rats, what the bloody hell are you so proud of, huh? I had asked her to be my woman and I'll treat her lavishly but the bloody whore spat at my face and rejected me so I burned her back with a hot iron rod! You want the same, because it can be arranged!" he brought his disgusting face closer to mine, I felt bile rise in my throat as I could smell the retching scent of alcohol from his breath. "Or you could accept my offer and warm my bed instead." I felt completely paralyzed by his words. I was so scared I wasn't sure if he would let me go this time, but then I heard an angry voice of the Innkeeper's wife behind me. "How dare you! You disgusting child of a whore! You dare to take my place!" The Innkeeper clicks his tongue at this disturbance and lets me go. I fall back and scramble to get away but the Innkeeper's wife drags me back by the hair. I scream and cry in pain. "You're just like your mother! Nothing but a cheap whore!" she grabbed a cane and struck me with it using all her strength I screamed and writhed on the floor begging for forgiveness. "Ahh! Ahh! P-PLEASE! NO! Ahhh!" but she didn't stop, I cried as the cane dug deep into my skin, tearing it. I sobbed hard, my tears and snot covered my face as I writhed in pain at the tortures bites from the cane. Eventually my body went numb from the pain and the cane was bright red, stricken with my blood. Once the Innkeeper's wife was exhausted from beating me she threw the cane and stopped. She looked down at me as I trembled and whimpered pitifully, she spat on me and walked away.

The innkeeper had watched the entire time enjoying the sight of my suffering and pain as it fed his hurt ego and walked away, following after his wife to appease her again. I lay there for a while my body shaking violently. I slowly mustered whatever strength I had and crawled over to the basement. I walked down the stairs as carefully as I could on wobbly legs and once I made it to the bottom I collapsed on to the hard floor. I wanted to cry but I had no more tears left and I felt absolutely numb. I looked out of the small window at the night sky. I was always envious of the stars; they looked so beautiful and free. I reached out one hand weakly wishing to touch them but it was impossible just like my freedom away from this place. My eyes felt heavy as I slowly closed them and was not able to stay awake any longer as I felt the world go black I slipped into unconsciousness. After that day I was kept locked in the basement for what felt like days, I didn't understand why nobody wanted me out. They would throw some stale bread down once or twice and that was it. I had no idea what they could be thinking right now but I was glad I got to rest for a few days and this allowed my wounds to stop throbbing and bleeding before they decided to put me back to work. The next morning however I realized how stupid I had been to not catch on to exactly what they planned to do with me.