Chapter 1 _ A Normal Day In My Messed Up Life

[Song recommended: Emily Hollow and Alan Walker- Lily]

A little girl walked gloomily out of the huge mansion of the Vanderson's, leaving everything she'd ever known and loved behind with it. As she gazed back at the mansion, all the memories connected to the mansion flashed through her eyes as a teardrop gracefully trickled down her cheek.

"It's just the us three now, I'll protect you... I promise", she said tenderly carrying her two year old sister and five year old brother in her arms walking aimlessly along the dreadfully silent street ahead.

Thinking back to the events of the previous months, she realised that everything she'd ever known was a lie. Her father's love and loyalty was all a facade curbing his vicious reality.

And that facade of a perfect family, finally came crumbling down the previous day.

_

"You're all useless now, the only thing that made you worth anything just had to leave your burdens on my already heavy shoulders! Out, you may go anywhere but make sure it is far away from my mansion. You are not worthy of these luxuries anymore!", Daniel Vanderson, Chelsea's father spat out venom as Chelsea quivered at a corner of the room holding her shivering brother and my oblivious sister.

"Please stop please stop this", Chelsea kept chanting in her head as the man continued to howl like a rabies infested dog.

"B... but wh... where will we g... go?", she managed out at the fear of roaming on the streets and begging for scraps. Was he really going to kick a ten year old, five year old and a two year old out?

"That's your problem, how does that have anything to do with me? I wonder which bastard you belong to?", he spoke nonchalantly without even an aiota of sympathy.

"You are the bastard we belong to!", the little girl yelled at the top of her lungs as the fear that tied her tongue earlier immediately dissipated as rage consumed her reasoning. It took her some time to realise that she had just insulted him.

He sharply shifted his gaze to her and before she could register what was about to happen, a tight slap made contact with her left cheek and she winched at the stinging pain that followed.

"You ungrateful bitch, how dare you speak to me in that tone. It seems like you're becoming as unruly as that whore, Marina. I'll teach you a good lesson, one you'll never forget!", he yelled angrily, glaring at her with malicious intent and the girl already had a clue of what was going to happen next.

He took out his wooden walking stick which was placed on the centre table and raised it high above his head. Chelsea closed her eyes awaiting the inevitable when she heard a huge thud beside her. Her eyes snapped open as she stared hopelessly at the little boy lying beside her, blood trickled down his forehead.

"Travis! Why did you hit him, you should have just hit me instead!", she yelled at the man who once called himself her father, hot tears pouring freely from her eyes.

"That's what you get for disobeying me, darn bitch!", he spoke victoriously, delight dancing in his eyes that made her cringe in disgust.

He turned to the stairs taking long strides over them but halted midway.

"I want you three gone by dusk tomorrow, else", he said coldly before ascending the remaining flight of stairs.

_

Chelsea let out a long sigh as she walked towards the only house I knew in this city, Aunty Maria. Maria Zimmerman is her late mother twin sister but slightly chubbier than her mother as per physique but other than that they looked exactly the same, hence she still calls her Mother Maria.

"I hope her husband lets us in", Chelsea said grimaced as she gazed at Travis who was coming down with something again.

She heaved a sigh of relief when she finally reaching the entrance to Mother Maria residence.

'🎶lovely lovely doves are flying, pretty pigeons in the sky🎶'. The usual door bell jingle rang out melodiously and it reminded her of her seventh birthday.

"Coming!", Maria's sweet, inviting voice called out from the other side of the wooden door.

The little girl gazed at the welcome mat and smiled beginning to imagine calling this place... home.

She heard approaching footsteps and soon the door swung open.

Mother Maria emerged from the other side, she was wearing a floral short sleeve dress with an apron tied to the front of the dress.

It was evident from her appearance that she was busy in the kitchen from her messy blonde hair to the stains on her face and apron.

"Chelsea, my darling. What are you doing here, where's your dad?!", she asked looking behind the siblings for any trace of their dad. But as expected, there was none.

Once she looked down at them. As she stared at Travis, her eyes widened in shock with indescribable shades of worry in them.

"Oh my goodness, Travis! What happened to him, why does he have a bandage wrapped around his head?!", she asked frantically picking Travis from Chelsea hand. She held that free arm tightly and pulled the girl inside the house.

"Layla, Layla!", Maria called for the maid who rushed into the living room with an anxious look on her face.

"Ma'am, he's hurt. Let me take him inside, I'll be able to take better care of him there." The maid who happened to be a trainee nurse said in genuine concern. She picked Travis from Maria's arms and immediately rushed into the the inner room leaving Chelsea, Maria and little Sophia in the room.

"Tell me darling, what happened. Did you run away from home because you were upset with your dad?", Maria asked with a soft and caring look in her eyes and Chelsea immediately bursted into tears, wrapping her little arms desperately around the woman.

"Please don't send me back there, dad's very bad. It makes me so scared to imagine myself returning to that house!", she cried out to Maria whose grip suddenly tightened after she was done speaking.

Maria and her mum were very close, so obviously the sudden revelation of her father's maltreatment would come as a shock to her. Never the less, she told her everything that happened in the six months of her mother's mourning.

"Who's yelling out there, some people need sleep in this house as well", Chelsea would recognise that slightly playful voice anywhere, but today she was a bit sceptical about wanting to see the man.

"Good evening, Uncle Sam", Chelsea said politely and the man's head shot up.

--To be continued...