Prologue

          "At some point of time, the only person who can help you is..YOU."

After running and hiding for several hours, I finally reached here. My breathing was shallow, it really seemed difficult to move now. Fortunately, the train was running late, so I still had some time to rest. My eyes quickly searched for a seat, I found one, grabbed it and comforted myself.

People were looking at me as if they’ve seen a Zombie. Well, the condition I was in was no less than a Zombie. Not their fault, a bruised face with black and purple stain is quite a weird sight for anyone. Sadly, the bruises on my body were the same as stars scattered in the sky. The difference was that the sky full of stars looks beautiful but obviously not a body stained with bruises. What’s even worse was those horrible memories. I wish I could get rid of those memories one day.

I closed my eyes and a tear rolled down my cheek. I was so worn out that in no time I fell asleep.

Flashback starts

“Hey, Zariyah baby, see what I’ve got for you."

I turned around and saw a belt in his hand. I got so scared that I was shivering. 

He was moving towards me slowly with his disgusting yet horrible smile. 

“Now be a good girl and let me use this belt on you. Okay?” His stern and thick voice let me shudder more in panic and pain.

I was in no condition to stand properly. With my leftover strength, I crawled, dragging myself over the  ground, clawing my way forward in a hope to save myself somehow. But little did I know that like every time, I couldn't protect myself from him even now. From his torture.

He played his favourite music as it always gave him immense pleasure to play that while beating me. Really weird. That music was another kind of torture to my eardrums, a gloominess was attached to that song that negatively triggered my senses to feel depress and scared. Like everything is covered in the endless veil of  darkness without an ounce of light.

I plugged my ears with my fingers to block that gloomy music, but then he started beating me with the belt mercilessly.  Again he scribed the tale of his torture on my body. 

“Ahhhh... Please stop! Stop. It really hurts.” I pleaded only to see him get elated with those words.

“I’m begging you, stop it.” I continued begging him, which had become a habit now. 

Warm tears streamed from my eyes as I was screaming in excruciating pain. Like always my words fell on deaf ears. In no time I became numb as the immense pain engulfed my body. 

After some time I could no longer feel the sharp belt against my skin. The sound of that gloomy music, everything were silenced, maybe the torture had ended. I was lying on the floor, unable to move even an inch. My hopeless eyes were telling the tale of my miserable life. 

My condition coerced me to believe that I’ll never get the taste of happiness at least not in this life. 

What have I done to deserve this? Why am I so unfortunate? Why?

The sound of the train whistle dismounted me from the trance I was in and brought me back to reality. 

Luckily I managed to save some money in all these years. I can survive for a few days before getting a job. 

While boarding on the train I looked back at the place I was leaving forever, with mixed feelings. This was the place where I experienced love for the first time only to hate it later. 

I looked at the blue sky and prayed to God with my pouring eyes to bless me with new chapters of life where I could find happiness. At least from now, let me learn how to smile and cherish living. Is that too much to ask for?