MEDUSA

A drop of tears slid down her cheek as she stares at her swollen face in the mirror. Her heart wrenches in pain, and she feels her world crash down to her feet. Again, she has just received the beating of her life from her stepfather. This is what she goes through every day in the hands of the monster that got married to her mom ten years ago, and has been abusing her. Not that her mom is helping matters at all anyway. 

Unlike every other mother out there that deems it fit to make sure that their children are happy and doing well, her own mom doesn't care about her, as she sees everything her stepfather does to her, to be the right thing. Even when she sees that she's being maltreated. 

Ariel Williams is just nineteen years old, yet treated like a ten years old little girl. Yes, at times she thinks of running away, but where will she go from here? What will become her fate if she eventually runs away? And isn't it better to stay here and have a roof over her head while suffering, than end up in the street later, and maybe get molested by the street bad guys? Not that she has any option anyway. For a young girl that just finished her high school just a few months ago, what job can she possibly do to earn her money? 

She winces in pain as she touches her swollen face while wearing a grimace expression. Releasing a deep sigh, she slowly drags her legs to the edge of the bed, and lets her weight to the floor, leaning against her bed. This is the only pose that makes her comfortable, as all her body hurts so badly. 

Staring up at the ceiling, a drop of tears slid down the corner of her cheek as memories of her past come hitting at her. Just years ago before her mom ended up with this monster, they were living just fine even as the single mother that her mom was. It's still unclear to her where her father is, and what transpired between the two couples in the past, as her mom never talked about it. Each time she had asked about her dad before she got married, she would tell her that she doesn't want to talk about it, but after she got married to the monster, it was a different case. She didn't get to have a peaceful conversation with her mom again, she would get beaten at the slightest provocation, which always left her doubting if this woman is still her mom that she used to grow up with, or if some random woman has been disguising as her mom. 

The banging knock on her wooden door pulls her out of her deep thought, and although she hasn't checked out who is at the door, she already knows that it's her stepfather. To avoid getting the beatings of her life for the second time, she drags herself up to her feet, before reaching to the door. Pulling it open, as expected the annoying face of her stepfather welcomes her. 

"Come with me," His voice is as hard as always, and without waiting for another second, he turns around and walks away, while she trails behind him. As much as she wants to ask where he is taking her, realizing that the question may earn her a hot slap, she decides to shut her mouth and just obey him. 

After walking for two minutes, they finally arrive at the living room, and there she meets a young lady sitting patiently. 

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Here she is," The man smiles like never before as he sits on the wooden chair across from the young lady that looks like she's in her mid-twenties. As much as Ariel wants to conclude that he must be taking another wife, seeing the way the lady is dressed, she concludes that she couldn't have been so dumb to settle down with an old hag like her stepfather. 

"It's fine," The young lady speaks for the first time. 

"Ariel... This is your new owner," His words hits her hard, and for some seconds, she feels her breath stops. Waves of confusion spur through her. 

"Wh...what do you mean, dad?" Calling him 'dad' all her life has been one of the most difficult things that she has experienced. The pain she always feels whenever she calls him that. He doesn't deserve to be called that, but even her mom would turn against her for calling her husband by his name, so she never had an option. 

"Ariel, you'll be leaving with me. I have a job for you. Don't worry, your parents have given their consent, and you'll be fine with me," Although the young lady smiles at her innocently, something keeps screaming at her that this woman is not someone she can trust. She looks dangerous, and to think that she just said that she has a job for her, she can't help wondering what she meant by that. 

"I... I don't understand, dad. What's going on? Can you please explain to me?" Ariel shakes her head confusingly. 

"What part of the 'she now owns you' that you don't understand? She offered me and your mom some money in exchange for you, and we have decided to let you live with her..."

"No... You can't do that to me, dad. She...she's a stranger... We don't even know her before. Where did you even know her from?" Ariel stutters as she takes some steps back fearfully. Her heart beats rapidly against her chest as she stares at them. A drop of tears slid down her cheek as it dawns on her that her mom betrayed her. Is that how much she hates her? Giving her out because of money, is that how much she worth to her? 

"I know this is hard, but you'll be fine with me, OK? This is for your own good, and you should see this as an opportunity on a platter of gold," The young lady tries to convince her, but there's no way she's going to trust her. 

Ariel stares at her for a few seconds, before she finally nods her head slowly. Not that she has any choice anyway, so there's no need to try to convince him to let her stay back. 

A few minutes later outside the house... 

Ariel glances back at the house for the umpteenth time and more tears pour down her cheeks. She's saying her last goodbye to this house and going to live a new life which she has no idea what fate has in store for her. As much as she's happy that she's finally getting out of the torture of her stepfather, thinking about what the future has in store for her and where she's going, she can't help getting worried. 

The car finally zooms off  after she hops in...