Hell

I woke up to a gentle voice calling me, urging me to rise from my slumber.

"Time to wake up, my dear," the voice said softly.

Who could it be? Whose voice carried such tenderness?

As I opened my eyes, I discovered my mother seated beside me on the edge of my bed. Her face bore a tender expression, her long silky hair pulled back into a messy bun. Fatigue weighed heavily on her, evident in the dark circles under her normally caring green eyes. She wore a simple white shirt and jeans, trying to appear presentable despite her weariness. A smile formed on my face as I realized how much I had missed her.

She had just returned from work, exhausted and sleepy, yet her tenderness remained unfazed. If only she knew how her absence turned my life into a living nightmare.

"Good morning, my princess. It's time for you to get ready for school," she said softly, inching closer to me, planting a loving kiss on the top of my head. The reality of having to go to school hit me, and I wondered why life had to be so cruel. Why did I have to leave on my mother's one precious day off? Despite my thoughts, I smiled at her, grateful for her warm and comforting touch.

"Yes, mom?" I replied, acknowledging her presence.

"It's been so long since I last saw you," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. I averted my gaze, unable to meet her sorrowful stare. Taking a deep breath, I responded, "Yes, mom. It's been almost a month." If only she knew the magnitude of my suffering during that month, the endless tears and cries of helplessness, the overwhelming sadness and haunting nightmares.

"I'm sorry I've been so busy at the hospital," she confessed, her eyes cast down in shame. "It's alright, remember what dad always tells you when you say that," I offered, attempting to comfort her. "What matters is the number of lives you save," she responded, tears streaming down her face.

"Yes, so don't worry about me, mom," I reassured her, gently squeezing her hand. "If everything is truly okay, why do you seem so sad then?" she inquired. I closed my eyes, suppressing my own tears. "I just miss you, that's all," I lied. "I miss you even more, my dear," she said, embracing me tightly, as if trying to protect me from the untold secrets we both kept hidden.

"Now, you have an hour to get ready. I'll drive you to school," she said, releasing me from the embrace, wiping away her tears.

"Mom, can I stay with you today?" I pleaded, desperately hoping for a respite from the nightmares that awaited me. Wishing she could shield me from the torment that lurked around every corner.

"Honey, I wish you could. But you have school. I promise I'll make time to come home this weekend," she replied, her words filled with genuine sincerity. I cast my gaze downward, defeated, fully aware that she always made the same promise but often returned home after another month had passed.

"Now, get ready and come downstairs for breakfast. Ayman and I will be waiting for you," she said, mentioning his name. A shiver ran down my spine at the mere mention of Uncle Ayman.

He was my stepfather, a man my mother considered a hero, but to me, he embodied a living nightmare. He was the reason I longed for each day to end, dreading the darkness that descended upon me when he was near.

My mother flashed me one final smile before descending the stairs. Left trembling in her wake, I braced myself to confront the devil who awaited me, ready to inflict yet another day of suffering upon me.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++