Dearest Bella

She looked in the wardrobe mirror, her brown eyes surrounded by pools of red.  He hit her hard on the back, and stomach. He would never hit her on her face. Except this time. This time he did. Hard. Multiple times. Splitting her lip and fracturing her jaw. Unleashing a new level of pain. This terrified 16 year old replayed each movement. The sickening impact replaying over and over. Tears streaked down her broken face stinging the cuts and bruises. She couldn’t move. He said if she did he wouldn’t let her leave that room in one piece. She had been sitting for so long she swayed uncontrollably and was about to pass out when the door opened. The teen looked up terrified as the man and woman entered. A doctor followed in after them. She knew him instantly he had covered all the accidents from the very beginning. She started to wriggle away, but the woman walked behind her and grabbed the back of her neck forcing her to still her petrified body. The woman’s fingers mercilessly gripping the new bruises around her shoulder and neck. The doctor looked her over and requested they give the teen at least two days rest before any invigorating activities. The man sneered at her and turned back to the doctor. “What do we do about her face? She has school tomorrow.”  The doctor started scribbling on his note pad, ripped off the paper and gave it to the man. “Ive written it here she fell down and one of the dogs had attacked her. Happy now?” The doctor turned to look at the girl with a mixture of disgust and annoyance.  “Thank you doctor.” The woman said as she led both the men out of the room. Anna pulled herself on the bed and finally fell into an exhausted sleep. She woke up to the woman stripping the sheets off her; “Get up you little b***h or you’ll be late.” The girl tried to get up but her whole body shook, so the woman pulled her out of the bed and commanded her to strip. Anna stripped, her stomach began to rumble and she realised she hadn’t eaten for the last few days. The woman returned to the room and gave her the small plastic bag with two pieces of bread. The woman then headed her into the nearby shower. Turned on the cold and sneered as the small girl screamed at the freezing water on her bruised body. Turning the tap off she threw the uniform at her. Once dressed the woman barks at Anna to move and go sit in the car. Anna can hear a whisper from the woman “What should we do with her now? Did you see her, she’s gonna tell.”  The man looked around the woman and stared at her making the glass feel like it was going to brake and slice her to pieces. “Don’t worry we’ll finish it all tonight. Tell her to tell the teachers we are going on a trip and won’t be back for a few days.” The woman broke into a giant smile finally feeling his control again. This little b***h had been stealing all his attention and she wanted it all back. The woman kissed his scowling mouth and headed to the drivers side. As she got in she hissed at Anna. Anna shook even more and sunk further into her seat as the small red Barina drove away. Anna felt broken and sore, but mostly afraid of the woman driving the car. The small school came into view and Anna hopped out of the car. The woman pulled her back and whispered; “I don’t want to hear anything from you except that you feel down the f*****g stairs. Give that note to your teacher. Other-wise you won’t see tomorrow. Now get going, you little s**t. f**k. We are going on a trip tonight, tell the teacher we’ll pick you up early. Now, f**k off.” Anna’s hands tightened on the plastic bag and she nodded her head. Entering the school with her head low. A shadow unbeknownst to her lingered in the back ground.  “Don’t worry my beautiful mate today is the last. I promise you this.” The voice faded on the wind as the woman started the car and drove back to the house where all hell had set loose.