The Don in the CHAPEL

Running into shadows

The dark alley was quieter than it should’ve been, considering the lights and music buzzing on the other side of the street. Everyone seemed alive — celebrating, laughing, breathing in a joy I couldn’t feel. Happy. That’s what they looked like.

I stood in the shadows, numb, watching them. Everything in me refused to feel, even though there was a pit of pain in my stomach, heavy and sharp like it was about to rip open. I wanted to scream, to wail, to kick something — but I didn’t.

Then I saw someone slam the door in front of the house. That was it. The dam broke.

I had thought things would take more time before falling apart completely. But tonight, she crossed every boundary.

“What were you doing?”

She had asked when I, half-asleep, walked into her room and saw her son.

And then, like a madwoman, she attacked me with a belt.

The beating was too much.

All the aggression she had stored up, every ounce of her hatred, she poured onto my body like fire. The flames of anger I’d tried so hard to bury were awakened, and I knew — all the control I thought I had left was gone.

“Kneel. Now!”

She ordered, roaring like a lion.

My body ached, burning from her rage. I knelt, but my mind was rising. And I asked, through choked sobs:

“Why do you hate me?”

She stared at me blankly. Like she couldn’t understand the words I said. But I knew she could. She didn’t care.

“Why do you treat me like the problem? Why is everything I do wrong? Why are you always finding ways to hurt me?”

I took a step closer, fear gone, control forgotten.

“Does it turn you on?”

The thought flashed in my brain like a bullet.

“You hate me? Fine. Just give me time,” I said, my voice trembling with fury.

“I’ve never been happy here. I’ve tolerated you. But you can’t even do that for me?”

“Is that why my mum left? Am I so unlovable? Why does everyone hate me?”

Those were the last words I screamed before the pain stabbed through my heart like nails. I grabbed my phone and ran — ran until I was sure she didn’t follow.

Then I stopped.

I walked until I reached this alley.

Now I’m here, in this cold dark place, wondering...

What do I do now?

Where do I go from here?

I would rather die than return to her.

Then I remembered the money in my livestreaming account. It wasn’t much. Not enough to survive long. Not enough to survive at all.

With everything crashing in my mind, I went online and messaged Romeo.

Surprisingly, he replied instantly.

“I’ll send them now.”

“Okay.”

He offered me a place to stay. Somewhere nearby. But there are terms. His lawyers will send them.

Hungry, tired, with a body bruised and sore, I agreed.

I doubt I’m of any use to him.

Whatever his plans are, I honestly don’t care.

All I know is — I just did the riskiest thing ever.

I trusted a stranger.