MADELINE POV

I sat on the cold floor at the corner of the room. My heart was beating fast and I was trembling in fear. I tried to contain my body from shaking and realized I was shivering at this point. My knees were against my chest and I used my small hands to cover my ears. Although I could still hear the dreadful screams of my dear mother downstairs.

My eyes were closed tightly as I sat there. This was a very common occurrence in our home. The man who called himself my father would always come home late at night and surprise my mother with yet again another beating. Although it wasn’t much of a surprise for us, as soon as the sun went down and my mother put me in bed the monster came out. 

He was like the bogeyman that lived under your bed and would come out at night to inflict pain and ignite fear. My mother and I were very familiar with this monster. I knew him as “daddy” while my mother called him her husband.

There was a loud banging on the walls and I wondered if my father had punched a hole in the wall again. Crashing noises were heard all around and I knew my father was throwing everything in his reach at this moment. 

I began to sing a lullaby my momma taught me. She said it could help ease any pain and calm anyone who heard it. Of course with her angelic voice, she made anything sound pleasing.

No matter how hard I tried to block the loud noise downstairs I could still hear everything. It wasn’t until I heard a terrible and agonizing scream from my momma that I stood up and decided I would go out. With trembling hands, I opened the doorknob and began to descend the stairs. 

My momma continued to scream and as soon as I reached the living room downstairs I saw with my very eyes the things this monster did to her. He continued to beat her on the floor as he laid on top of her small frame. 

All I could see where my momma's black shoes as she laid there. She was no longer screaming in agony, she was allowing him to hurt her and beat her weak body as much as he wanted. It seemed as if she had finally given up. 

Immense anger and rage built within me. It was so strong I felt a tightness in my belly that made my stomach hurt. It was this feeling that gave me the courage I didn’t know I had to scream at him.

“Get away from her you monster!” I yelled at the top of my lungs so he could hear me. Maybe if I said it loud enough then he would stop.

He immediately stopped and got up. His body turned towards me and for the first time, I was able to face my father. He was tall, almost like a giant. His eyes were a deep green like mine and his hair was a dark brown. It angered me to see how many features I had gotten from my father. 

His hands were dripping with blood. He had heavily beaten my momma this time. 

“You little bitch, you’re just like your mother. It seems she didn’t teach you any manners. It’s my turn to discipline you.” His voice was deep and menacing. The way he sounded expressed irritation and anger. It was the complete opposite of my mother's tone.

The sudden burst of bravery I had completely vanished and I stood there in fear. I couldn’t move my legs, it was as if I had been glued to that spot. 

He finally reached me and grabbed my hair. I began to cry from the pain of his strong grip.

“It hurts!” I yelled.

“Shut up you brat! You need to wash that dirty mouth of yours.” He yelled in return.

We walked inside the bathroom and he raised the toilet seat up. Then he pushed me down to sit on the floor and dunk my head inside the toilet. I tried to get my head out and even used my arms to push away, but the more I struggled the stronger he held onto me.

I felt his large hand on my small head as he pushed me down. I began to panic as I tried to reach out for air. It was getting harder to hold my breath and I worried I would remain there until the end. 

Suddenly I heard a loud banging noise and it was then that I felt my fathers strong hold over me release. 

As soon as I was taken out I realized my mother had saved me from the monster. I began to cough non stop as I gasped for air.

“I am so sorry baby.” My momma said as she cried. 

When I finally regained a natural breathing pattern I reached over to my mom and hugged her. A small gasp came out of her mouth. I moved back and took in her terribly beaten face. Her face was dripping of blood and her left eye was a deep purple, almost a black color. I wondered how she even had the strength to embrace me back.

“We need to go baby, but we need to move fast.” She said.
 
I stood up first and helped my mother stand the best that I could. We then walked over to the kitchen to grab the car keys. As soon as my mother retrieved them we ran out. 

I went to the back and sat on my car seat. My mother sat in the front and immediately turned on the engine. She drove out of the driveway and soon we left the neighborhood.

I looked back and noticed the house grow smaller and smaller. Finally, my mother and I were free, the monster would no longer hurt us anymore. 
 
The trip was long and soon I fell asleep.  It wasn't until I heard my mother's gentle voice that I woke up. 

"Madeline, wake up my princess. We have arrived." She said in her soft voice.

I got out and held her hand. We stood outside an enormous mansion and as we neared the home we stopped at the large front door. My mother rang the doorbell and soon a nice couple opened the door.

"Oh my god! Clara what happened!" The pretty lady screamed. It was at that moment that my mother collapsed.

1 WEEK LATER……………………

"How are you feeling momma?" I asked. 

I was glad I was finally allowed to see my momma. Ever since the first day we arrived and my mother collapsed, I wasn't allowed to see her. 

The nice lady told me that momma needed to rest. I waited for a long time before I could see her in order to give momma time to heal. Now I was finally able to meet with her.

"Come here my princess." I heard her say.

I walked towards her and sat on the ground with my head on the bed. I grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"I will be ok baby. We are safe now. No one will ever hurt us anymore." She said to me.

 I felt happy that we were safe now but I still worried for momma and her health. 

"I was so scared momma." I said. It was then that I broke down in tears. Throughout the time that we lived with my father, we were filled with constant fear. Now as I layed in my mother's arms I finally felt that peace and freedom I so desperately craved. 

"It's ok baby, you’re safe now." She began to say.

She lovingly brushed my hair and began to sing that calming lullaby to me. I was able to calm down and eventually fall asleep.

1 MONTHS LATER……………………

"Madeline, I need you to behave while I am gone. Help Grace out with anything she needs. She and her family will take care of you for a while." 

I began to silently cry. Momma said she would leave for a bit to take care of some business. I didn't know what she meant by that but I would behave like momma said.

"Promise you will come back." I said to her in between sobs.
 
"Of course I will baby." She said as she embraced me.

"Pinky promise?" I said as I put my pinky out.

"Pinky promise" She said in return as she intertwined her pinky with mine.

"I love you momma." I said to her as I gave her one last hug.

"I love you more baby." Was the last thing I heard her say before she left.

1 WEEK LATER………………………..

"This is Madeline. She will be staying with us for a while so please treat her well boys." Grace was introducing me to her only children.

She had two boys she had talked to me a lot about. Apparently, they had been gone for the summer to visit other relatives in England. One was named Grayson who was 6 like me. The other boy was Jack who was 9 years old.

"Nice to meet you Madeline. My name is Jack." The older boy said in a friendly tone. He held out his hand for me to shake.

I took his hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you too." I answered in a low voice.

The other boy just stood there staring at me with his arms crossed. 

"Come on, introduce yourself." I heard Jack whisper to the other boy as he nudged his shoulder.

The boy looked annoyed.

"Why are you staying with us? I don't want you here!" He yelled with red cheeks. He then ran out of the large living room.

"I am so sorry about Grayson and his behavior Maddie. He doesn't usually behave this way." Grace seemed somewhat embarrassed and upset about what had just happened.

I didn't think much of this. Maybe he was just shy. But this would only be the beginning of a torturous childhood.

5 YEARS LATER……………..

I sat in my desk as I stared at the clock impatiently. Class would end soon and lunch time would begin. I was terrified for what he would do to me today.

After five years of staying with the Lockwood family there wasn't a single day that Grayson, the youngest son of the family, would cease to bully me. 

From the moment we met he had made it very clear that he disliked me. During family dinners he would eat in his room which he always said it was because I was there.

The only way to get him down to eat with the rest of us was if I left. Although Grace didn't put up with his rude behavior towards me. She allowed him to eat in his room instead.

Never did she push me away. I noticed both she and the rest of the Lockwood’s treated me like family. I was even given my own room. 

Although Grayson, on the other hand, hated me with every burning fiber within him. He made it very clear with his actions by avoiding me at home and ignoring my presence completely as if I were a ghost.

It hurt me at first. It is human nature to want to feel liked by those around you. But as soon as school began, I realized that being ignored was better than the never-ending and cruel bullying Grayson Lockwood inflicted on me.

He was just as bad as the monster I called my father. 

Now in a matter of seconds, I would have to try my best to escape this monster. Who knows what he had planned today?

The loud ringing of the bell had finally resonated around the classroom. The other students began to run out of the room excited to eat their mother's packed lunch and spend time with their friends. 

I too ran out of the classroom as if my life depended on it but for a different reason. Maybe if I ran out fast enough then he wouldn’t catch me. Although that was surely wishful thinking since he caught me as soon as I walked out. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” I heard him speak in a menacing voice.

He and his two best friends stood next to him as they surrounded me.

“What are you kids doing?” We all looked up and stared at the teacher.

“Nothing Mrs. Williams, we are just asking Madeline if she wants to play with us.” Greyson answered. He didn’t look worried in the slightest. Neither did the other boys.

I stared at the teacher trying to give her a clue that I didn’t feel safe around them, but she didn’t notice. Instead, she seemed a bit pensive and quiet but nevertheless did exactly what every other teacher always did. 

“Ok then have fun, but do it out on the playground.” She smiled at us and then left.

No one could ever assume that the smartest and sweetest boys in the class could ever be capable of bully someone. I watched her walk away feeling the blood drain from my body for what was to come.

“Well then, what should we do to you today?” The other boy asked.

“I have an idea!” Grayson exclaimed.

You could see the excitement in his eyes. The way they glimmered with enthusiasm. 

This only caused me to feel even more afraid. 

I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t. Grayson Lockwood knew something about my mother. A couple of months after my mother had left there was a discussion I overheard the Lockwood family talk about regarding my mother’s whereabouts. Although they immediately stopped as soon as they saw me.
 
Grace had told me that my mother had gone out of town to find work somewhere else. She claimed that she was saving up so that we could live together again.

But after my conversation with Grayson, he had informed me that Grace was lying. There was something else that she wasn’t telling me. He said that he would eventually tell me the truth only if I didn’t say a word about him bullying me.

I stupidly agreed and to this day I have hoped that maybe he could tell me where my mother is. I had caused enough burden on Grace and her husband, I didn’t want to bother them anymore with my mother.

We began to walk to the boys bathroom. I was confused and worried about what was about to happen. What were they planning to do to me?

There was no one inside except for the four of us.

My heart began to beat fast as soon as I saw one of the boys open the bathroom stall. 

“No, I don’t want this! Please, no, I…..” I didn’t even know what to do at this point. My entire body was trembling.

I tried to run away but the boys held my arms and began to push me towards the toilet.

“Please! Grayson I don’t want you to do this! Please, I promise you won’t have to see me anymore. I will eat in my room if you want.” I began to cry as I begged him to stop. I tried to push them away maybe even kick them, but they were much stronger than I.

He seemed a bit shocked but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stop him.

“I don’t care! You deserve this!” He yelled.

I couldn’t understand why he hated me so much.

He pulled my arm along with the other boys and they easily got me on the floor.

“I’m scared! Please stop!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. I fought them to stand up and run away from there. 

Then I felt someone push my head inside the toilet. I was screaming and crying at this point.
They were hurting me like the monster in my house. I was trying to move away and felt like I could get my head out, but suddenly I felt more hands pushing me down.

I couldn’t hold my breath anymore. It was then that I tried to breathe underwater and almost immediately I felt numb. This darkness had completely taken over me and I no longer felt the pain. 
                                                
                 END OF PROLOGUE

(I understand that this chapter was pretty long and very sad, but this is an important part of the story. This is sort of a backstory on Madeline and an introduction to her and the other characters. For the next chapter they will be much older and the romance will begin. Thank you all for reading! Until next time my lovelies.)