* Hello guys, this is the first book I'm writing. So please have mercy on me.

A little warning to young readers, this chapter contains abuse and mention of the word 'Rape'.

 I hope you guys like it.

Thank you for reading!!

***

Two years back..

The whip came across my back again.

"Losing consciousness already?" my brother, John asked me. 

My hands were hung up from the chains dangling from the ceiling. They were hurting, but what hurt the most was my back; burning from the new scars.

I opened my eyes, my vision blurring with tears and pain to look up at my brother who was gazing at me with such hatred that would even burn the heaven, "Please...I'm sorry, it won't happen again...I swear...Please."

Tears-my constant companion-began streaming down my cheeks. 

A slap came down on my already bruised cheek, "I hate tears, stop crying this instant or you will never see the sun again."

At once I tried to stop crying even though my heart and the pain the back screamed in agony.

My brother left and then came with the keys, unlocking the chains that were holding up my hands.

Blood streamed down my hands and stained the the half sleeved red top I wore. 

My brother came and grabbed my bruised cheek in his hand. "My friends are coming within half an hour, clean up and start preparing a meal for them."

I nodded my head.

"And this is my last warning to you 'beloved little sister'" He sneered, "If you break another piece of crockery, I will not be as forgivable as I was today, understood?"

I nodded my head again and winced he left the basement specially designed for the punishments and torture that I receive.

***

I cleaned up and bandaged my wounds as neatly as possible trying not to cry again. How long am I going to survive this? When will I fight back? Why am I not the strong girl that my dad was so proud of? 

What have I done so wrong that I am being treated like this?

 I came out of bathroom, wrapped in a towel and took out a dark plum top with full sleeves; so that it can hide my wounds and scars and a long skirt that came to my toes not showing a hint of my legs.

How much longer am I going to hide myself like this?

I came downstairs and started preparing dinner for my brother and his friends. His friends were already in his bedroom joking and laughing. I took five glasses of water in tray to serve them.

As I came to John's bedroom I stopped when I heard my name in the conversation.

"Come on, John. Please! I want her for one night, is it too much to ask from a friend?" John's best friend, Henry asked.

John laughed, "Alright, you can have her. But only for tonight."

Henry boomed, "Yes! Which room is the best one in this house?"

At first I didn't understand what they were talking about but then it struck my mind and shook me to the core of my being.

Room...want 'her' for one night...

I gasped and felt myself going numb in fear. 

He was... he was going to... rape me?

I dropped the tray of glasses I was holding and ran to the kitchen, struggling to breathe as panic finally pulled me out of my numb state.

 How could he? He was my brother. How-

 John came out of the room and started yelling at me.

"How long  does it take to understand one simple thing? I told you not to break anything..." He kept on shouting as I looked at him. 

I asked myself today how long am I going to survive this. I cannot, not any longer. 

I have had enough.

"How could you do this to me?" I asked in a small voice. 

He grabbed me, "You will go in that room with Henry and-" 

"No, I won't!" I yelled for the first time in years. I will fight back. From today, I will.

His eyes widened for a moment in surprise but the look quickly vanished as he hauled me up by my upper arm and dragged me to the room. 

I kept screaming and trashing but to no avail; he was a lot stronger than me.

"Please stop...I'm your sister, how could you do this to me?" I screamed.

He pushed me in the room and locked the door behind him. No, I should stop asking this question to him. He would never have an answer to it.

He was not the brother I once knew, caring and loving when my parents were...

The bedroom door opened to reveal a man older than me by eight years with red hair, oak green eyes and muscular build.

I opened the lid of my pepper bottle that I sneaked when John was forcing me out of the kitchen; slowly waiting for the opportunity.

He grinned wickedly and started walking towards me. I tightened my hold on the pepper can as I looked around the room trying to find freedom from this hellhole.

"Hello darling, don't be scared of me-" I looked at him, just two more steps, "-I will not hurt you-" One more step. He laughed, "- well not much. But if-" I threw the pepper in his eyes and dashed towards the window at the end of the room.

He began screaming and crying as I opened the window and looked down to measure the distance before jumping. I was on the first floor of the house and it was really a great distance down, I have to jump in way that my legs do not get hurt. I-

Suddenly the door burst open and my brother came in, not believing the scene in front his eyes. His eyes landed on mine, filled with rage. Panic rushed though me again dissipating all the thoughts about safety.

I jumped.

I felt the whipping air of December like icicles on my face before I landed hard on my back. Without second thought I got up and started running; ignoring as much as I could, the burning pain in my back. 

I was a terrible runner, stumbling every few steps, panting, alone at the night with the cold air slapping against me. I was petrified to even look behind.

I have to get out of this place, I cannot take this any longer.

I fell once more, at this point I have learned to disregard my pains and am just thankful that I have not sprained my ankles. I just have to keep going till I find someone who can help me out.

I have not been outside in such a long time that-

"Fucking find her! If she gets out of my hand you all are..." John's voice echoed on the empty street as I froze and looked back.

If they caught me, I can't even imagine what they would do to me and at the speed I was running at, I was sure going to find it out. I started running again as tears blurred my vision. 

I will not get caught! I will keep going and fighting  till the end. I chanted as I pushed myself forward. 

I came to a diversion and stopped as I looked at both the paths. To my left were the woods that would bring nightmares even to the strongest of minds. It was said that once anybody went in that woods they would never come back alive. But I have also heard my dad say that some people reside at the end of the woods.  

To my right was a highway where no cars scurried at the night time and there were no places to hide; in the woods at least I could find some place to hide. I knew if I went towards the highway they would catch me.

It was either death by John's hands or death in the woods.

If I had to choose how I would die, I choose the former. Wiping my tears, I started running towards the woods.

So in the end, the day I escape is the day I die.

At least the woods were much better than the hell I lived in. 

With that thought in my mind I pushed my tired feet and soul forward, running scared.

*****

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Thank you for reading!!