Chapter 4

“Babe, who is she?”

The woman glanced at us back and forth. She looks at me disgustingly when she get to realized I was covered with bruises, wounds, and scars.

“I-I don’t know her, babe. She’s asking for my help and-”

“Don’t talk to her! She’s filthy!”

I slowly stood up from the ground, backing away. All my life I have been familiar with pain and aches but this time as if something had stabbed me right in the heart because I couldn’t breath properly.

“Babe! Don’t say something like that!”

While the two are busy arguing, I left the place in an instant.

“Miss! Wait!”

It was still raining when I reached the highway. I glanced from my shoulder and saw Adam was following me. There was a hint of concern in his eyes. He was raising his hand, trying to reach out for me but I vanished from his vision when a car drove passed between us.

I run away while tears are streaming down my cheeks. I was a fool! My heart is still heavy and loaded with void I have to shake it away to focus myself on the road when I tripped on something.

I ended up dropping on the ground with my face. My forehead hit something causing a blood to drip. However, I couldn’t feel anything as the rain poured dangerously and the wind slap against my body that can make any blew away from their stance.

“I-I’m a failure.” I whispered to myself. The sky blasted a roar and everything around me turned gray and life less all of a sudden.

I have no other choice but to go back from hell.

I picked up myself and slowly made my way back to where I live. I couldn’t help but to pray silently. I just hope my mother didn’t noticed I run away. I just hope I will return home safely.

However, my prayers weren’t answered because the moment I saw my house in a distant, I saw a silhouette of a woman running towards me. I couldn’t avoid the attack because everything happened so fast.

“You think you can run away from me, huh?!”

My mom pulled my hair and drag me inside the house. I didn’t protest this time. I was too drain and weak to even beg her to stop. I just accepted every kick, slap, and punch on my body while cursing my life.

“You can’t run away from me, young lady! I brought you into this world! Meaning, you are indebted to me! You should serve me because I am your mother!”

She pushed me and I was left groaning in torment. I heard someone laughed along with her and when I look up, it was her fling. They laughed and mocked me while looking down at me on the ground.

I feel so little while embracing myself. My mother kicked me on the stomach and that’s where I lost it.

My vision slowly blurred and everything was spinning like crazy.

“You’re useless.”

“You will never be save.”

“You deserve to die.”

Death.

Mother doesn’t have any idea how long I have been thinking of killing myself lately. I know I should value my life and there are still chances for me to survive from this horrific situation but sometimes, I just couldn’t handle it anymore.

I justs hope, everything will be over soon.

“LANI! YOU’RE GOING TO BE SAVE!”

I gasped and straighten myself when I heard something. I flinched when the thunder roared in the sky again. I slowly look around but notice it was dark and cold. I couldn’t remember what happened when I recalled what I heard earlier.

Was that a dream? But no one is here in the living room.

Or maybe, I am craving too much for freedom that I could hear noises in my head.

Since I couldn’t move my body or even stand up, I crawled my way towards my room. I was limping and every part of my joints and muscles were aching.

When I finally reached my room that a mice can also live by, I couldn’t help but to feel exhausted from everything.

“W-what should I do?”

I caressed my forehead while thinking of what to do. I can’t stay here much longer if I want to survive. My mother will surely kill me the next following days. I could feel it because for the first time in my life…

I tried to run away.

But ended up getting failed. I covered my face because I was losing hope. Did I talk with the wrong person? Was it just a coincidence I talk with a man named Adam and has the same description as the letter?

Did he got tired of waiting for me so he ended up really leaving the meeting place early?

Maybe there’s still a chance for me…

“AHH!”

I pulled my hair. I don’t know what to do. I have my money here that will help me from my transportation to get out of this hellish place and go to Adam, the real Adam’s, place. But then I remember I don’t know where he really lives. He said the letter I sent to a random place he just accidentally pick it up. Thus, he’s just going to the same place where I sent the letter every which way so we could exchange letters.

“Adam…”

I hugged myself and let my body dropped on the ground. Maybe, I should just accept my fate that I won’t be able to live a normal life.

I sighed and was about to close my eyes when something caught my attention.

My brows automatically furrowed into a straight line.

Why my windows are opened? The last thing I recalled they were closed.

My eyes suddenly lowered down on the ground. The thunder hit again and it created a light that helped me see what’s on the ground.

It’s a letter.

My mind couldn’t process anything when I suddenly remembered Adam.

My whole world has suddenly revolve again when I picked up the letter and tear it open to see what’s written.

And what I read made me lose my breath.

“Dear Lovely,

I know this isn’t the right time to confessed to you. But...I’m sorry for lying to you about everything. I just got out of prison and I am on my way to fetch you there. See you soon.

Regards,

A.”