Chapter 1: CRUELTY

"Watch where you are going!!!" The driver honked hard at me as I had crossed the road without looking or thinking twice.

But I did not take a swcond look at him or try to apologize; there was only one thing on my mind as I continued running, to get home on time so I could avoid the harsh treatment that my father and stepmother would not hesistate to melt out to me if I get to the house late.

As many times as I slipped and fell, I could not stop running. No one in his right senses would want to move about in the heavy downpour of that night but I had no choice. My knees were bruised and it stings so bad but I don't have to care for myself right now; I needed no one to tell me what would become of me if I did not make it home on time.

The beatings and starvation I received the last time I was a few minutes late was not something I would want to experience again.

I barely held up as I got closer to my father's office, breathing rapidly because I had ran all the way. I was going to walk past the door when I heard a voice from behind the closed door; it was mystepmother.

“....she has given us enough trouble, Morgan. Getting her to leave this way is the best way to get rid of her." I was quick to know that they were taking about no other person than me; she has a certain disgust in her voice whenever she was referring to me anytime.

But I was still yet to figure out what she was talikng about.

It will not be in my favor if I was to be caught eavesdropping and I knew I should leave but what I heard had drawn my attention and I wanted to hear about what they were discussing further.

“Once he comes to take her, the money will be ours, is that all we need?" She continued.

I could not believe what I just heard and I almost dropped to my knees. Obviously, she can not be talking about what I thought she was, right?!!

“Boom!" I suddenly heard someone said behind me and I turned swiftly around, shocked to the marrow. It was Axel, my stepbrother, and I could see the usual mischievous look in his face.

"It is high time you come home. I guess you have not learned to arrive early, have you?" He was staring hard at me as he talked which made me really uncomfortable, giving that my I was wet from head to toe and my clothes stuck to me body tight.

He took a few steps towards me and I moved back from him; I had no idea what he might do next and I was not ready to find out. Since my father married his mother and they moved into our house, he has shown a lustful desire towards me, making various attempts to get down with me but I stayed away from him as many times and as far as I could which surely pissed him off and he retalited by dragging me into troubole with his mother and my father when he was sure that I will surely get punished by them; I guess it pleases him to get back at me that way. His actions would have gotten worse but Valerie, my stepmother, intervened and cautioned him to stay away; although not out of good will, she could not afford to lose the only source of the family's upkeep.

The creaking of the door meant only one thing, the people inside were coming out and Iknew that I was done for that night. A look at Axel and the satisfactory look on his face for getting me into trouble made me want to send a few of his teeth flying from his mouth.

Without being asked anything, Axel spoke in a proud manner, "I present to you the spy of this house.I caught her listening in to your conversation."

"Come here." My father's voice thundered in my ears and sent shivers down my spine. I could tell from the look on his face that he had had enough to drink that night and I immediately knew that whatever action he was going to take at me in that moment was going to be horrible. Each step I take toward him was aided by fear.

I was expecting Valerie to add fuel to the already burning fire as she always does,she was unexpectedly quiet but she did not take her eyes off me for a second.

My father stretched his hands forth and I knew what he wanted. I quickly pulled my tattered wallet out and handed it over to him. He pulled the money out of it and his face tightened immeditely, I feared trouble was at bay.

"What happened? Why is there not enough money in here?" He bellowed at me.

My voice suddenly left me for a brief second but I quickly found my voice to answer the question he had asked if I do not want to be punished for not answering him.

"That.. that.. is all I could raise today. I could only do a few job today."

The next minute, I felt sparks flying out of my eyes and I hit the wall hard before crumbling to the groiund. He stood over me and I immediately put my hands up in defense because I knew he was about to unleash loads of blows on me. I was pleading as the blows landed hard on me but my pleadings only came out in whispers; I had no strength to speak out loud.

Valerie stood by and let the beating go on for a few minutes and when she saw that I was at the edge of passing out, she walked up to my father and held his arm to prevent him from further dealing any blows to me.

"Morgan." She called him softly, "That is enough. She will not be of much use to us if you should damage the features he is looking for in her."

Of course, he listened to her and stopped. I crawled to sit against the wall, nursing my bruises. At least, Valerie saved me this time and I am sure she only did that because she had something to gain from it. She had had an instant dislike for me from the moment she came into the house and did not hide it. The joy of having someone to fill in the gap of mother in my life instantly left my life and I have learned to live with it; one thing I could not figure out was how she wrapped my father around her fingers so tightly that he would do whatever she wants without thinking about it twice.

She came to where I was sitting against the wall, stopped to my level and proceeded to check the level of damages my father's blows had done to my face.

"I would take it you have heard somethings when you were listening by the door, right?"

I was not ready for another round of beating by my father so I shook my head negatively. She smirked, stood up and said.

"Ok. If you heard nothing, I will tell you the situation of things again."

My heart was racing hard, although the night was already a bad one, I silently prayed that whatever she wanted to say was not goiong to make it any worse...