Chapter 1 page 2

The wooden stairs spiraled their way to the bottom floor, and her neck twisted to see the next floor, her feet make moved slowly, making no noise, her eyes wandering around as she breathe out slowly as if all the walls gonna wake up if she did so loud. Her hands gripped tightly on the handrail, so tight that all she heard was her whisper in her head.

As her feet touched the last piece of stairs, she took a last look around. Even the slightest shadows could shake up her fear, gripping her heart so tight. She took a few steps, testing the floor if it will make noise, if she will be the noise. The shadows became bigger as she approached the couch, passing by the dining table, the vase on it seems too tall for her good, and the candles seems to be mocking her by making those shadows.

The closer she was to the arch, the more her heart shake like a dead leaf. The curtain adorned the arch with a fake diamond connected to the seams threatened safety. She dropped down to the floor, crawling like a scared dog, her skirts help her cover her knees from the floor, saving her from having any little scrapes and pain. Her stomach grumbles as if her stomach twists and begs from inside for any food she can give.

Her back touched the beads of glass rounded diamond, making the curtain move a little but no sounds were made. She quickly gets up and ran to the refrigerator, grabbed the holder, and forced it open. Her eyes tried to find anything edible and spotted a cake, a cake that should be celebrated for her birthday, there were already a few pieces gone, and she knew her parents already have it. Though her heart wrenched in pain, she grabbed as much as her pale hand could reach and scavenged the cake as if she gonna die.

She plopped on the floor as she shove as many as she can into her mouth, she was hungry, and she was desperate to eat anything. Anything would do. When suddenly a hand slapped the tray, and the cake fall onto the floor with a faint thud. She was shocked to say, even the mouth stopped munching, not even any bit got to be swallowed. She was frozen in the dark when suddenly a hand grabbed her jaws and shove its fingers into their mouth, yelling at her to spit it out. All she can do was try to swallow some bit to quench her hungry, yet her hands couldn't find their way to push the hands off, some tears rolling down, she was hungry, begging to let her eat anything, all she drink was the water from the pipe, she didn't know how it feels to drink boiling water anymore.

Suddenly a hand slapped the sense out of her, the blurry vision become clear as she stared at the ground. A tear dropped down as her dried cracked lips stings out suddenly. The cake in her mouth spat out from the harsh slap.

"You never learned, do you? You are grounded!."

Hearing the shout, she scrambles to sit on her knees and tried to hold anything attached to someone in from of her, however, her heart broke at the glares the person gave, it was filled with hatred and anger, and something cracked inside of her, her heart can't bear any of this, never would.

"Mom…"

She called as her hands tried to grip her mother's skirt, but her hands were being slapped away, which only make her heart break even more. Since when her mother is like this? Yet she never gives up, she just wants some food in her stomach.

"Mom, please. It was my birthday, and I was h-hungry. Please, mom. I didn't find any-anything to eat f-for the past two d-days, m-mom. Please, let me eat some, mom."

She begged desperately as she tried to touch her mother's feet, but got kicked away from touching anywhere near her mother. A tear after tear, she couldn't hold them in, barely felt the hunger when her heart was breaking so much. Her mother suddenly squats down, matching her head level, as she smiles warmly. Her mother's eyes strolled on her face as she touch them softly. She melted at the warm touch, closing her eyes, she miss the touch so much.

"Are you hungry?."

Her mother inquired, and she nodded slowly. Suddenly she lost the warmth, and her eyes flipped open. Her mother grabbed as much as she could of the cake from the floor and suddenly slapped them on her face, rubbing it on her face harshly. She tried to squeeze out from the rubbing as she can't breathe, but she can't.

"ARE YOU THAT HUNGRY?!. EAT IT! EAT ALL OF IT! GO ON!."

Her mother shouted, she hits the refrigerator door as she was backing away from her mother. Even the refrigerator shook from the harsh movement, suddenly a used glass from the top of the refrigerator dropped down, hitting her head on the way down. After shoving the cake on her face, her mother got up with a heavy panting, while she was crying from the pain inside and out.

"I-i am s-sorr-ry. I-i am s-so sorry mom."

She burst into tears. A heavy thud was heard out of the kitchen, the figure of her father was seen there, standing tall and shocked. For a moment she thought her father would help her, however, she was horrified when her father pulled her hair, dragging her out of the kitchen without any word given. She was flailing to make the pain lessen. She doesn't know how far her father has dragged her when her back suddenly hit the stairs feet. Angered by this, her father let her hair go.

Her back was hurt, and she was not sure if her bone were fine. But, her back was genuinely hurt, especially her hip and her head was spinning not to mention her scalps were screaming in pain. She looks up, and her father's stare was devious, mad, furious, and unnerving.

She scrambles to run off but her father pulled her arm and continued dragging her up the stairs, she cried, screaming, begging for her father to let go, to at least let her father know that it was hurt, but he pretended her screams was nothing but a wind noise as he continued dragging her back over the stairs over and over to reached the top floor of the two-floor house.

Reaching her room, her father shoves her down and loc ks the door. The sound of clicking makes her scramble to her feet. Banging the door down, calling for anyone out there, though her hope slowly getting faded.

"Mom! Dad! Please let me out! Please, I am sorry, I was just hungry. It will never happen again, please. Please… Please…"