Chapter 1

I lay in my bed wondering if I should finally get up and get ready for the day. I bet he has already left so he can’t hurt me, at least not right now. I just hope that she is still asleep; she doesn't need to see the bruises that he left on me this time. I always dislike looking into her eyes and seeing the hurt that’s there after he hurts me. She feels like it’s her fault, she tells her self that she could make all of this pain go away if only she had the strength to leave the poor b*****d.

“Sweetie, are you awake?” Ugh, why does she always punish herself by standing outside my door asking me the same question over and over again? I mean it's not like she comes in here every, she couldn't do that. She could never get herself to look in here and see the mess he leaves after throwing me around. That would just hurt her anyways, and I just can't handle hurting her anymore. She never would have found out if I hadn't screamed out after he hit me.

“Yes mom, I am awake. I will be out there in a few okay?” Why doesn’t she just go back to bed I would rather have her hide from all of this pain than see if over and over again. She knows that I hate having her wait outside my door so that she can inspect what he has broken. She always looks over the bruises and pushes on the bones to make sure that there is nothing broken. She meet him there at her job, he was her boss now they are the same. He thinks being a doctor he is protected from all the sins he has made, all the harm he has caused on others. I hope that I am there when his world comes crashing down around him and that fat ego of his.

Well at least when she has to inspect me I can at least inform her that it wasn't that bad this time, its kind of shocking since he is usually very mad when he has to work the night shift. I started looking over myself in the mirror pushing at my bones the same way that my mom often did. After poking everything I came to the conclusion that I had at least two fractured ribs, I might have a broken arm but it’s just my left, I don’t need that one for school. As long as no one at school finds out what is wrong with me than he won’t be mad at me. I will still go to school, and I will let mom know that it wasn’t that serious so she doesn’t need to worry about me.

“Hey mom, I told you that you shouldn’t do this anymore. Remember what happened when he saw you trying to fix my broken leg, we can’t let him see you doing that again.” I looked up into my mothers’ teal blue eyes, when I turned around from closing my door. Oh god she was crying for me and this is what I hate most watching her cry. “Mom you have to stop, you know that he is going to be back here any time now. He likes to see you being a proper wife setting the table up and having the food ready. So how about you go get that ready well I take a shower and get ready for school okay?” When she didn’t start to walk away I slowly helped her walk down the stairs and towards the kitchen and dining room.

“How do you do it Rose?” I slowly looked over at my mother, and just shook my head. “I knew it, you are doing it for me. That’s why he stopped hitting me isn’t it, did you ask him to leave me alone did you tell him that you could take it. Please tell me Rose… Please tell me that you are not doing this for my sake.” Well damn how was I supposed to answer that one, I didn’t really do it for her exactly I just didn’t want to be left alone with this freak. I couldn’t stand by and watch as he slowly killed the women who raised me and took care of me.

 “Look mom I couldn’t just stand there and watch as he slowly beat you to death. I had to do everything I could to get him to stop hurting you, so yeah I went to him and asked him to stop. I didn’t tell him that I could take it, he told me that if I could speak back to him then I deserved and so he left you alone and I became the new toy. I’m sorry mom I couldn’t watch that anymore, look can we please just leave it alone and get you down stairs please.” She just started crying again and shook her head at me.

I got her a glass of water and it looked like she started feeling a little better so I left her and went upstairs to take my shower and get ready to head to school. I think I am the only student at my school that is thankful for it. It is my safe haven; I am away from home for eight hours and each hour that passes well I am there brings a shred of fear to me. Those eight hours he cannot hurt me, during those hours I can be a teenage girl and act like I am actually a human being and not someone’s’ property. I can talk freely and I am not under the pressure that I have to act like a proper church child, I can swear and I can flirt all I want. I don’t have to worry about getting slapped if I wink at a guy, or smile at a friend that is walking by.

I heard the shouts before I even realized that he was back from where ever he goes in the morning. “ROSE! Where are you?!” Great he is angry, I am not sure why yet but I am sure I am about to find out. Maybe this time he will make it so I don’t have to wake up again, so I don’t have to lie to the people at school on why I am not moving or running as fast. Maybe this time will be the last time I have to look into his coal black eyes and be afraid of what he is going to do next.

“I am here father.” God I hate that word, he could never be a father if he was man I would feel bad for that kid, if he could treat a step child this way I wonder how he would act with his own kid. My own father died when I was about fifteen months old I am now seventeen. A year ago my mom remarried; to this a*****e. She didn’t know what she was getting into not at first anyways he hide who he truly was until about a few months after the wedding than he showed his true colors. When she tried to leave him he broke three of her ribs and told her that if she tried to leave again he would kill her. So she became the obedient wife and stood next to him through everything that he has done to her and to me. I ask myself the same question over and over again, do I blame her? No, I don’t I know that she is scared that if she tries to leave again he will follow through with his threat. So I do what I am told and when I can I am going to get us both the hell out of this place.

Without knocking he comes into my room, Rick or my little nick name for him Dick is a six foot seven, dark haired, and a very muscular man. He is used to getting his way; when he doesn’t you better get ready to face a storm. “Hello father, how was your time out to where ever you go?” I ask in the nicest voice that I could have with the man that has been beating me since the day that I confronted him. Mother didn’t know that the reason he had stopped hurting her was because of me, she didn’t even know that he was hurting me that is until she heard my scream on night and walked right into a terrible scene. I could tell by the spark in his eyes that he was not pleased; no that was the look of a very angry man. “Father what is wrong; have I done something that displeases you?” I try my hardest to hide that fact that I was shaking, not in fear nope I would never show this man that I feared him. I am however more than willing to show him that I hate him with every breath that is in my beaten down body of mine.

“What did you tell that woman downstairs cooking food?!” He asked, well more like yelled in my face. I look into his dark coal eyes and put on my innocent face. I know exactly what he is talking about, but I don’t really need to let him know that I spelled the beans about me being the reason he stopped beating mother.

“What? Father, I have not told her anything, and I have done everything that you have asked. I walked her down there and just calmed her that is all. She must have heard something brake last night, so she came to me this morning and was asking questions. However father I did not allow her to check me over, I know how much that displeases you.” I watched that right hand of his start to rise and I kept trying to tell my body not to move but there is so much you can do when your brain tells your body something it’s going to try to do it.  I was so focused on his right hand and trying not to back away I didn’t notice when he moved his left hand until it was too late. He had a hold of my right arm before I could even blink and the back handed slap came next.

“You are lying to me; children should never lie to their parents. If you start lying now than you will condemn yourself straight to hell you know that though, I have told you this many times.” With that he smacked me across the face once again this time letting go of my arm sending me flying right into my dresser. I heard rather than felt the fractured ribs turn into ones that were broken instead. I held back my scream by force of will, I have learned that with a scream comes a consequence and I am just not sure if I could handle anymore right before school right now. I did not glare at him I did not try to strike back at him; even though I would love to he is just way too strong for me right now. I slowly got up off the floor and looked at him with respect, just like I knew he would want from me after a beating like this one.

“I am sorry father; I will try harder to please you.” He always seems so pleased with me after hearing that phrase he always ends up pulling me into a hug.

Author's Note

Please just be honest and tell me what you think about this. I am still working on this first chapter and it is not completed yet, but I would really love to see what you guys thought of it.

Reviews

[RazzySkittles]

I think it's interesting, it has very complex characters, they all feel very cohesive together, and seem to understand one another. I find the mother most interesting and want to know more about why she acts the way she does. I also would like to know what happens to the main character later on. :) Does she end up stuck with this man as her father, or do her and her mother escape? Or does it all fall to ruin? o.O :P :) Good writing! :P :)

[BlackHeart]

Thank you very much and I hope that when I do finish this piece of writing that I am doing that you will like the ending as well.

[A. Amos]

This was one gripping tale and while reading my heart was sad for the main character, the story telling was brilliant and right from the very first line; you managed to hook your readers!

Waiting to know what happen next...?

[BlackHeart]

I am glad that I was able to capture you attention. Thank you for your review it means a lot to me. I will most likely fixing this chapter up a little bit and than adding the second one on here not to long.

[A. Amos]

You're most welcome my dear, looking forward to read more

[Mrs Meggins]

I was drawn into the story straight away. From my point of view it made me want to reach out and protect the main character. This chapters is packed full and I want to read on. The question I need to ask though is where in the story does the chapter belong. If you have planned the start, middle and end and you know this fits at that start then brilliant keep going. Using a Doctor in the role of abuser is obviously fundamental but also controversial. The way the Doctor character is portrayed is a very difficult balance. I would spend more time at the start of the story building up trust and respect for this character so that when the abuse starts your reader is shocked. It is the trust factor that you need to exploit. I hope my ramblings make sense.

[BlackHeart]

Thank you so much for your review honey, I do believe that your ramblings as you put it :) makes a lot of sense and I do believe that this first chapter does need a bit of work.

[Karmel]

An interesting and very powerful piece of writing, dealing with a very difficult subject. Well Done!
I really liked the conflicting nature of the central character and her mother, the constant battle of shifting blame from one set of shoulders to the next. Through the first and second paragraphs, I have to admit I am guilty of stereotyping, convinced the father was a deadbeat alcoholic with a long history. Instead I am pleasantly surprised to find he’s a Doctor, an impressive twist to the character. Looking forward to what happens in Chapter 2.

[BlackHeart]

Thank you so much I'm glad that you liked it :-)

[Karmel]

No Prob, keep up the good work :)