This. Is. Madness.

I'm lying on my stomach, taking in huge gulps of the dirty lake water. I feel like some sort of goat. I sit up and wipe my mouth. I glance around to see several other people at the lake, collecting their water for the day. If they're on this side of the lake; they're most likely from my village. I can't ask them to assist me; I'll be walking right back into my death trap.

Although, really, it seems that no matter what, I'm going to end up dead. I'll either starve, die of thirst, or go back to my uncle and get beaten to death. I still ache all over.

I glance at the large jug that I always use to gather water, debating if I should fill it. It would slow me down, and I'm worried my uncle might head this direction after he went to the schoolhouse to find I'm not there. Yes, going to the lake is predictable, but I had no choice. I need water.

But now where?

I glance across the other side of the lake. Surely I would run into a village within a couple miles; or at least a house. Whether people would be willing or even able to give me a bite to eat or spare water is a whole other question.

Not that I blame them. They have their own children to feed.

I sigh and decide its best to just fill my jug and hope my uncle doesn't have the sense or energy to come this way to look for me. I dip it into the lake and pull it out. Then I put it on my head and start my trek around the small, but big enough lake. Every time I catch a glimpse of someone, I jump a little. I just keep taking in deep breaths and slowly but surely, I've found myself on the other side of the lake. I set the jug down and kneel to get a few more sips straight from the lake; that way my jug is still full when I start the long journey to who knows where.

I idle nervously a few moments longer. Then I remind myself that if I have any hope of getting away from my uncle for good, I have to get moving. I bite my lip and put one foot in front of the other.

Nothing, not even the lifetime of abuse that I had experienced, could have prepared me for the sight that would greet me the next time I came across mankind.

Yola lovelies! I hope ya'll will forgive me cause I know this chapter is super, SUPER short but this is really all that I can put in here for now. There's gonna be some major stuff going down soon though;) Any guesses as to what Ayana is going to see?

God bless you all and thanks for reading!