Chapter 1

I opened the front door to the house slowly, careful not to make any noise in case he was downstairs, in the living room. 

Nevertheless, the door creaked, ignorant to my silent pleas to the mighty one above to go unnoticed. I just hope that it wasn't too loud. I walked in, and slowly, ever so carefully, closed the door behind me. 

The TV in the living was turned on; I could hear the sound of an action movie playing on it, in a slightly low tone. He sat on the arm chair that faced the TV, and backed the door of the living room, that led into the hallway where the staircase was. 

Just as I was about to exhale deeply, thanking my stars that I had made it through this evening without getting hit, I heard his voice call my name, and my heart dropped to the floor. 

"Jeyla." 

I wished for the floor to open up and swallow me a whole, some sort of saviour to whisk me away from what I knew was about to come, and unfortunately out of my control. I didn't want to answer, I really didn't. 

I wished he'd just leave me alone, just for today. I was still sore from yesterday. I couldn't take another one today. My body would break down, I wouldn't be able to go to work...

"Jeyla!" He yelled this time. 

Shivers of fear ran down my spine.

I knew that I had no other choice than to answer his call, or else it was just going to make my situation worse. 

"Yes, father..." I answered him, trying my best to keep my voice from shaking. 

"Come here." He said, his voice slightly softer, less commanding, yet I knew better than to feel safe at that moment. 

I wanted to run upstairs, probably lock myself in my room, and trick myself into believing that he wouldn't be able to get to me, and I was safe. But then again, that would only make matters terrible for me. 

As I walked towards him slowly, every nerve, every inch of my body protested terribly against it. My mind screamed at me, to save myself, to run far away from him, but unfortunately I couldn't. 

Life didn't let me. 

He stretched out his hand, for me to take, as I came to a stop at his side. A moment of hesitation crossed my mind. Why did I have to walk into a trap that I knew was going to be my death?

But then I saw his face, and the terrible fire that threatened to burn my whole existence down in them, and I instantly put my hand in his. 

The fire toned down, but it didn't disappear totally. Raw fear coursed through my veins, as I kept on hopelessly hoping that today would be different, but I knew better. 

"Where have you been?" He asked me, his tone calm, yet an obvious air of danger surrounding it. 

I could tell from his groggy and blood shot eyes, that he was higher than a kite, and from the different alcohol bottles around, that he was more drunk than a sailor. 

This clearly spelt trouble in capital letters.

"I was at work." I replied, my face not betraying any emotion. 

"What work?" 

I didn't answer; I couldn't. Last time I had answered him, he ended up going to my work place at the small cafe down the street, and harrassing the poor owner. The man had no other choice than to fire me. I couldn't have that happening. This pizzeria had a higher wage, which meant that I could finally afford my own place, far, far away from here in a few months. 

I couldn't let him jeopardize it. 

So I stayed silent, diverting my eyes away from his face, and staring at the floor, as if it were the most interesting thing on Earth. 

I felt his large hand tighten around my small one, and I closed my eyes to keep myself from screaming. 

"Jeyla. I said, what work?" 

His voice was angry now, but I wasn't going to change my resolve. I knew that I was signing up for some trouble, the result of this wasn't going to be pretty, but there was nothing that I could do. 

I had too much to lose. 

His hand further tightened, and that was all it took for me to start struggling to free mine from his terrible grip. I could feel my hand going numb, from the lack of blood circulation, and it hurt terribly. 

"You bitch, I asked you a question, can't you fucking answer it? Or have you suddenly gone dumb?" 

His wrath was evident on his face. What I had been trying to avoid, was about to happen, and there was nothing that I could do about it. 

He rose from where he sat, and at that very moment, I pulled my hand away from his grip as hard as I could. The force that I had used, freed me from his hold on me, but also made him lose hi balance, and stagger back a few steps. 

I took that opportunity to try to run, with the hope that perhaps I could make it out of the door before he could regain his sense, but to no avail. 

He recovered quicker than I had predicted, and caught me by my hair. 

I whimpered and struggled, but that only aggravated him more. 

I felt a blow land on the middle of my back, making me cry loudly in pain. Before I could react, I was receiving multiple blows on several places of my body. 

The world seemed to fade away, and the only sense remaining seemed to be pain. Raw pain. 

I tried struggling, ignorant to all the insults he was raining on me. All I cared about was making it through today without being used as an unconsented sexual outlet today. 

It was nearly as if life laughed at all my hopes, as my dress was being ripped off of me, revealing my bare body. 

"No! Please, father!" I screamed in between sobs, begging him as I tried covering my body. 

But instead, I received a heavy slap.