Prologue

Normal life—that's what I only wish for my life to be—where I can walk out of my house freely and hang out with my friends—that's what I've wished for all through my life. I wonder when will that day come.

I felt someone grabbing me by my hair and dragging me down the stairs, and as I opened my eyes, I saw a bunch of men in the living room almost breaking everything in the house, and mom was standing there at the corner trying to get away from the hands of those two men who were holding her by her arms. I looked in front of me, and I was shocked to see a man with a knife. He approached me and began to brush it through my arms, piercing them. Blood was dripping from my arms. I cried out in pain, as Mama was crying and begging them to leave me, but the man with the knife continued his torture, and just as he was about to stab the knife deep into my arm, my uncle John ,who is a cop, came in.

"How dare you hurt my family? Dad shouted angrily.

Mom was able to free herself and came running towards me, pushing the man who stabbed me and holding me tight.

"You all are under arrest; you can't escape now, Uncle John said.

"So you think you can put us all in lockup, but don't you think the police station will be a bit too much for the whole society, and even if you put us in, we will eventually come out one day, and when that day comes, we will do the worst until we kill and tear her into pieces," he threatened. "And Erica, remember, we will torture you until you are dead, he said with a smirk.

Upon hearing that I cry harder under mom's neck, she hugged me tightly, rubbing my back and comforting me.

"Enough of your bullshit, and don't you dare ever try to lay a hand on my daughter. I am warning you all," dad said angrily before he put his hand on my back.

After that, Uncle John and his team took them away. Even if they took them away,I still kept sobbing, thinking about what had happened, what the man said, and whether they would come back or not. Those thoughts kept me scared, and after sobbing for more than an hour, I fell asleep.

********

When I opened my eyes, mom and dad were sitting there looking after me, and just as they laid their eyes on me,mom approached me and cupped my face with her right hand. Sweety, are you alright? she asked worryingly, to which I just nodded.

"Are you hungry, sweety?" dad asked.

I shook my head, though I am hungry like hell. I was too scared to even eat or drink water.

"Sweety, at least have these fruits; you haven't eaten or drunk anything, please, she said pleadingly.

But again, I just shook my head.

"Sweety, please drink this for your mom and my sake, please, he said with a sad smile.

When it comes to my parents sake, I can't say anything, and so I took the glass, and before drinking, I asked, "will they come back again to kill me?"

"No, sweety, they won't. I will never ever let them touch you ever again,I promise, he said.

I nodded and began to drink the milk.