BETWEEN THEM

ONE

I have learnt that sometimes SORRY isn't enough, you'll have to change your self ~ROLEX

Artemis...

"No please stop" I tried to move away from him but he grabbed my ankles pulling me back to him.

His dark grey eyes watched the tears that rolled down my cheeks.

My heart beat increased and thumped loudly in my chest and for once I actually thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest.

"Don't worry, tiger cub. It won't hurt that much" he said before raising his pocket knife.

I screamed.

And suddenly, I was awake sweating profusely and trying to catch my breath.

Once my heart rate returned back to its normal rhythm, I look beside me only to find the bed empty.

Climbing out of the bed and into my flip flops, I walked to the balcony trying to find my way in the pitch darkness.

Walking towards her, I stood beside her as we stared at the dark night that was as dark as our lives.

**********

Few years ago, I was a happy teenager. Always ready to do what mummy and daddy says but now I was a broken teen.

Broken beyond repair.

I was just fifteen when I was sold. Being the only daughter of a maffia don has it's pros and cons.

I was happy, very happy having two elder brothers to fight for me and to keep me safe, a loving mother teaching me how to cook, bake and clean and lastly, having a maffia don as a father isn't every teen's dream but it was mine and I was happy.

Happiness glowed on my face until my fifteenth birthday. I just had my breakfast and was waiting to be wished 'happy birthday',when I was called to my father's study.

Everyone was there and I couldn't help the grin that broke out on my face. My mum hugged me and wished me good luck and so did my brothers. My dad nodded his head his face as white as snow.

But no one said happy birthday.

My mum looked like she was ready to burst into tears and my brothers were really keeping up the facade pretty well.

Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, I was injected from behind and I couldn't forget the picture that was engraved in my mind even if I wanted to.

My family's back were turned to me.

I no longer had a family.

**********

Listening to the owl's hooting and feeling the night breeze wipe against my skin was better than being in bed alone sleeping and having nightmares about Brody.

I shivered not from the night's cold air but from the fear that has been engraved in me since the first day I set my eyes on him.

He had the dangerous look, and was giving off the 'I'll kill you if you double cross me' vibe.

I know, it doesn't make sense but my teenage brain identified and named the vibe he was giving off. He never smiled, he never spoke too much and he was the devil himself.

He loved pain, tears and misery.

He was a monster.

A s*x monster.

A f**k beast.

And a saddist.

He made that clear the first day I met him and just like that, I became his s*x toy.

Days turned into months and months into years, deep down in me, I had that little flame burning in my chest that I was going to survive.

I'll escape, find a guy and then we'll live happily ever after with our own kids. And then I'll grow old with the father of my kids and everyday, we'll watch the sun set from our rocking chairs while we sip hot tea.

But that dream was gone.

Three months ago, Brody took me to the hospital to abort the fourth pregnancy and to perform tubal ligation.

I didn't know of the latter not until he told me during one of his 'drunken stampede'.

I couldn't stay there so I ran. I didn't get to the bus stop before I was tackled to the ground.

We struggled, more like I struggled while Brody blocked my hits with no effort at all.

He stabbed me in the thigh thrice and I used a stone to hit his head, he fell uncounsious giving me the time to limp.

I was so scared.

Scared as a church rat.

Not one passerby offered me a ride until Ariel drove past.

She helped me.

I was forever indebted to her but she didn't know it.

She gave me a roof over my head, food on my table and clothes on my body.

We were alike in so many ways.

We were both the daughters of a maffia don.

We both went through the s****l abuse stage.

So I guess the old saying was right 'Misery does love company'.

And though I won't admit it to myself,

I, Artemis was broken beyond repair.

The sun peeped from the blanket of the darkness and that little flame returned.

Maybe, just maybe I was going to have a ray of light in my life getting brighter each day.

Maybe just maybe.