2. The Gift

Two months later

"Mother please..." She slapped me again.

"You ungrateful daughter! As long as you live under our roof and eat our food. You will do as we say. You know, you're not safe out there, they will come and get you. They will find you, and they will drained you in the most horrible way possible. You know this, you had tried to runaway before."

She chocked me, hard until I was almost fainted. I couldn't fight her anymore, I was too weak. Then she kicked me again, this time she was aiming for my backside. It hurt me none the less. Then she let me go to slumped onto floor of my bedroom.

I was still thankful that it was mother, and not my father. Because tonight was his poker night with his buddies. The bruises that he gave me was still there, from three weeks ago.

Then I heard her as she put my dinner in my food tray, that usually contain scraps of whatever they had for dinner earlier. I gulped down my drinking water. I was always parched since the room had no windows, and I was always sweating, from the little fan that they let me have.

"Do the dishes once you're finish. I'm going to bed. Just leave the back door open, your dad will be home late tonight." She told me as she walked lazily to their bedroom.

Being twenty one years old, I should be able to support myself and leave my parents already. But they always get me back everytime I tried to runaway, and the punishment was harder each attempt.

My time was wasted doing work for them. Being a clairvoyant was my gift, I could see glimpses of one's future. I never wanted it, but I have it, and it made me a slave for my parents, as they put me to work since my early childhood days.

I heard my late aunt said to my mom that the gift might skip a generation. I was playing hide and seek with my cousins, and I was hiding under one of the kitchen counter. I didn't intend to eavesdrop but then I was already intrigued.

I still remembered when my late aunt told mother, about my other cousin that had the gift, how he made lots of money for himself in Vegas until he died from his drug habit. She said that the ability made him delirious, to the point that he took his own life and overdose on drugs.

The visions started after I almost drown in the pool, when I was eight years old. My foot was pulled down by a hand, I was trying to see under the pool, but all I could see was blackness. My mind didn't know how to process it, because I was swimming at a public pool, in one meter pool for kids, and there were lots of people but no one seemed to hear my cry for help. I was finally pulled by a hand, I couldn't see the face as my eyes were blurry from my tears, up to now I never knew who saved me.

Mother didn't believe me, as she told me to shower and get change. And that was when I saw him under the pool. I was on my way back to our seat where my parents were waiting for me. He was looking at me standing up facing my direction at the bottom of the pool, I was pacing my step quicker, almost running towards my parents. I know as a kid that no body swim with a dark cloak, even his hoodie was covering his facial features. All I knew was that he looked really tall, and it looked like he was standing so deep under the one meter pool as the darkness surrounds him.

Couple of days after that I started seeing more monsters, I couldn't get to sleep, then I overheard mother talking to father in the living room.

"My sister told me that these were the signs, Jared love she can make us a lot of money, and with your business prospects. We can really use the extra income." She was telling my father as he was taking in her every words.

One week later it was coming true, as I started knowing things before it even happen. Mother was excited as she started gathering information from her sister, and together with father they start to set up shop.

From then on I was working from home, the would put a veil on my face and put me in costumes and tell people their future. I never knew how much money they're making until I was older. That was when I started my attempts to runaway, and that was when the beatings started.

I was quietly doing the dishes, when father barge in the back door. He brought his friend home, he had never done this before, but I decided not to ask questions, and retreated back to my room. But his friend followed me, I had a bad feeling about why he was here.

Then he grabbed my hand, and pulled my body to his and whispered disgustingly in my ear.

"You father can't pay his lost, so I asked for you instead and he agreed. Lets get out of here, I want you screaming my name and I don't want to wake your sexy mom. She's also delicious by the way, I'm hoping you are too." He started licking my neck and groping my breasts.

I looked at my father, with tears streaming down my eyes. He just looked at me, and shrugged then continue on walking to his room.

This is it, I'm going to end this, even if I died from trying. I'm running away for the last time.

The funny thing about me being a clairvoyant, was that I couldn't predict my own future. If had known about this night, I would surely make a run for it days before.

His friend dragged me to his car, and took me to a motel. He was stripping himself, as he pushed me down to the bed and started touching me, all over my body. I was crying and fighting him, but he was too strong for me.

"Please don't do this...I'm a virgin, please..."

"Damn, you shouldn't say such things fuck! I'm fucking having you. I never had one before." He slapped me, and pinned me to the bed roughly.

Shit!

My hands was looking for something...anything...then I found it, an in-house phone. He was busy stripping me, as I hit his head with the all of my strength, until he fell to the floor. I quickly got up and found his car keys, I was going to try my luck in driving. I never knew how, but I used to watch my parents intensively, just in case one day I might have the opportunity. I was hoping, it would be as easy as it look.

I was about to reached the door, when his hand grabbed my waist, and slapped me hard in the face until I taste blood.

"You stupid bitch, your dad told me not to punch you in the face." He said to me as he stood up wobbly, and punched my stomach, I cried in pain but the adrenaline was definitely flowing. When I saw an opening, while his footing was still wobbly. I took the cheap motel chair, and hit his head again. Then he fell down, he didn't move, so I quickly checked his keys in my pocket then went to his car.

My hands were shaking, but my adrenaline was still pumping as I turned on the ignition couple of times, until I could awkwardly start the car. Luckily I managed to drive it slowly on and off for few blocks, until I saw the hospital. I parked at the lobby as the EMT guy was calling me out not to park there.

But I got out of the car and he hurriedly run to me, as he saw my battered state. He was calling out his team, and more was coming from inside the emergency unit of the hospital.

I fainted as I saw the tall hooded guy in the swimming pool when I was eight years old. He was watching me from far corner of my eyes.