1. Safe Hands!

Author's POV 

Arabella was wandering on the streets, not knowing where to go and what to do. Her bare feet were getting scratched by the merciless cold streets. 

Her old white frock was dirty with dust and her tears. She was lost in vulnerability. 

She wiped her tears and looked around, the town was small and silent. It was early morning, the sun was yet to rise but the sky was showing symptoms of its arrival. 

Her wet cheeks were feeling more cold than the rest of her body. 

Her helpless eyes were looking around for help. She was wandering on the main street when a few nuns noticed her. 

"Sister Matilda, who's this girl?"

One of them asked the older nun. 

Matilda was the older among them, kind and loving woman who helps people around her. 

She worriedly looked at the girl who was wandering on the cold streets barefoot in a thin dress which was dirty and nothing was there to protect her from the cold. 

Her eyes were glossy and red from the crying, she was looking lost and helpless. She was dirty but still it couldn't take away the beauty and innocence her face holds. 

She was young, youth resided at her feet. Her skin was just like a baby which had turned pink due to the cold. Her lips were innocently red and was trembling with crying. The blue ocean eyes were so pure that anyone could get spellbound. The bouncy cheeks were adding to her cuteness. 

Her soft brunette hair was messy and greasy still they looked soft and pure. 

She looked young to roam around on the street at that time and that too in the vulnerable state. 

"Child?"

Matilda called her. 

Arabella flinched when she heard her calling. She looked at her scared and stepped back. Matilda got alert and realised that something bad has happened to her and that's why she is so scared. 

"Don't be scared, I am not going to hurt you." 

She tried to comfort her but she was looking like a scared kitten. 

Arabella turned on her heels and started running away, thinking that they were there to hurt her. 

"Sister Matilda, I think that child is in some serious problem. We need to get her. God forbid if anything happens to this beautiful young girl."

Her colleague was worried. 

"I agree, we have to follow her."

Matilda agreed and started following Arabella who was finding it difficult to run with bare feet on cold rough streets. 

Her breathing was heavy due to fear. 

She had no idea where she was going but suddenly she saw the familiar face and froze in her place. Her eyes widened in horror. 

Nuns also stopped when they noticed her halting by the sight of the man. They went towards her and stood behind her, realising that the man was responsible for her state. 

"So you are here, little bitch!"

He slurred, indicating that he was drunk. 

Arabella screamed when he started matching towards her and hid behind Matilda while crying hard. She felt more safe behind her rather than standing in front of the man.

"Hey, why are you scaring her?"

Matilda scolded him and he stopped while looking at her offended. 

"Who the hell are you to ask me that? It's a family matter."

He scowled while wiping his face with her old ragged jacket.

Matilda scrunched her nose in disgust when he smelled like alcohol. 

"After looking at her, I don't feel you are her family."

She was stern. 

He made annoyed faces. 

"I am her uncle. One and only uncle, her only family."

He was struggling to stand on his wobbly legs. 

Matilda looked at Arabella and she sobbed but didn't deny it. 

"Then why is she running away from you?"

"Arabella."

He looked at her maniacally. 

"Why would you run away from the house, my love?... I just asked you to make my dinner... Let's go home, people are misunderstanding the situation... Be a good girl and come here."

He grabbed her hand and forcefully pulled her away from Matilda. Arabella started struggling and whining to set her wrist free from his hold. 

Matilda saw how the man was trying to hold her, his touch was not appropriate. He placed his hand on her small waist and she started crying harder making Matilda more worried. 

"I said, come home with me!"

The man raised his hand to slap her but Matilda grabbed it and pushed the man back while pulling Arabella behind her. 

"What's wrong with you, why are you abusing this innocent child."

She yelled at him. 

"It's our family matter."

He gritted. 

"Stay the fuck away from this... I am looking for this bitch for the whole night. I am her owner, I can do whatever I want with her."

Arabella grabbed on Matilda in fear, she realised that she has good intentions and is trying to protect her from her abusive uncle. 

"I don't want to go with him... He hurts me, I don't like his touch."

She pleaded to her. 

Matilda's heart broke after listening to her vulnerable weak voice. 

"She is not coming with you..."

"She is seventeen years old, I am her legal guardian. You can't stop me from taking her."

He challenged. 

"Then let's go to the police station... They will decide if an abusive uncle is capable of having her custody."

She challenged back. 

"I am calling the cops."

The man turned scared knowing that he will be in trouble if cops get involved in this because he is definitely abusing the girl. 

"Call anyone you want, I am not scared of anyone."

He started walking away on his wobbly legs. 

"I'll come back to take her... Just wait for it."

Matilda looked at Arabella and she sobbed. 

"He will hurt me."

"No, he won't... He is gone now. The man like him can't do anything other than just blabbering nonsense."

She wiped her cheeks. 

"Arabella, do you want to come with me... We run an orphanage, you can stay there with young girls like you... You don't have to suffer on the streets."

Arabella looked at her with glossy eyes and a confused look. 

"Will people hurt me there?"

She asked nervously. 

Matilda's heart broke after realising that she has gone through so much at a young age. 

"No one will hurt you my child. I'll take care of you."

Her innocence was breaking her heart even more. 

Arabella was hesitant and scared, she has no idea what turn her life will take if she chooses to go but again she thought that how difficult it would be to stay in an orphanage rather than living with an abusive uncle. At least no one will hurt her. 

After looking at Matilda's sweet motherly face, she decided to go with her and also because she had no other option. Matilda looked kind enough to step in for her. 

They walked towards the orphanage and Arabella froze in her place when everyone's eyes stopped on her, she was like a deer caught in the headlights. 

She doesn't like attention and the orphanage was looking exactly the opposite of what she was expecting.