Chapter 1

  I have cried so much I can't cry anymore even though I want to. I laid on the pavement shivering in the cold night. I can't believe I finally left that hell after several months of physical, verbal and worst of all sexual assault. Oh, mummy and daddy how I wish you didn't die and you were here with me.

  The lights from cars kept bouncing off the roads into my eyes that were shut and moist with tears that are yet to dry. The cardboard under me was so flat and dirty but it was either that or I sleep on the bare ground that people spit on and dogs empty their bowels on.

   Flashes of every little thing my uncle did to me came to mind. The endless beating I will get for little to no reason at all, the insults that degraded me as a person and loosing my virginty in the most dreadful way no one would want for their biggest enemies. I hate him to the core. He will surely pay one way or another.

    I have spent three days on the streets after I had enough of the maltreatment from my uncle. The only food I have eaten is the ones in the garbage cans of restaurants nearby. I sometimes beg the employees of some of those restaurants to give me something to eat. Some are kind enough to cook for me without their bosses knowledge, others treat me like a street dog and chase me away. This is way better than getting raped by my Uncle and some of my neighbours who pay my stupid Uncle to make them sleep with me.

   As I laid down, sulking in my misery with eyes closed, my ears picked up the sound of a car parking at the side of the road just infront of me. Maybe the person is going into the shop behind me, how will I know. I heard the footsteps of someone probably approaching me and then stopped when the footsteps sounded like the person was just above me. I feared that if I opened my eyes, I will be killed or something.

     I flicked my eyes opened and looked at the face of a man. I don't know why I keep hearing voices of myself screaming anytime my eyes met his. My heart started to beat so fast that I thought I was going to get a heart attack. 'Please don't hurt me', I used my hand to block my head in anticipation of what the strange man would do.

    He bent down and used his hand to rub my arm. 'Don't be afraid, I am not going to hurt you'. I still didn't trust him. When my parents were alive, my uncle was one of the most trustworthy men I knew but look what he has done to me. He has ruined my life. So no, I don't trust this stranger.

    'Please just leave me alone', I pleaded. 'Look at me', he said. His tone was gentle and calm. The bass in his voice made me quiver in fear. I lifted my head and stared at him. 'I want to help you'.

     'I want to help you. I want to help you'.

     The voice echoed in my head. I remember my uncle telling me that when he was given custody of me after my parents died and I was still a minor. It was either that or I am taken to an orphanage. After what I have experience with that old jerk, I would have preferred to be in the orphanage.

     'I don't want any help', I quickly rose up to my feet and run as fast as I could away from the man. The cold wind of the night kept hitting my face as I run so fast. I stopped at some point to catch my breath. When I looked behind and realized the coast was clear I sat on the ground and started calming my racing heart.