Juliette

Chapter 2- Her bitter hell

Tears fell directly down the cheeks of the thirteen-year old girl, as she was munching the sandwich that Aunt Sarah generously offered her.

"Oh, Julie! Why are you crying? Is the sandwich not up to your taste?" asked Aunt Sarah with concern leaking from her voice.

No one knew about the abuse that she suffered to face every day at her house. His violent outbursts and verbal abuse seemed to have worsened after her mom left for the business trip. Wiping her cheeks, Julie gave a cheery smile to Aunt Sarah, after all, she was the only one who ever cared about her wellbeing.

"The sandwich is extremely delicious. I just miss mommy a lot," Julie said with her eyes downcast. A gloomy look was evident on her face, with tears bundling up in her eyes.

"As long as I'm alive, I would take care of you whenever your mommy is not in town. So don't worry my kitten," she replied and engulfed her in a big warm hug.

Sarah had lost a lot in her life, ranging from her divorced husband to two miscarriages there were not many happy moments in her lonely life. The occasional warm happiness came into her life with Julie's brief visits. Her warm innocence and vibrant personality made her desolate house feel like an actual home.

Julie slowly detached from the hug and gave a small smile. She knew her time was up, and with the dusk gradually approaching her daddy might be home any moment.

"Thanks for the sandwich Aunt Sarah, I need to leave now. Time flies when I stay here," she gave a pleasant smile and hastily packed her bag.

"Visit me tomorrow, child. Also, don't forget to eat the dinner that I have packed for you," Aunt Sarah replied and gave a peck on her forehead.

(Caution: Trigger warning. The content ahead contains mentions of abuse. Hence, continue to the next note in bold letters, if you wish to skip this)

With a small wave towards her only well-wisher, she took brisk steps and limped along the short passage that connects to her house. Last night, her ankle was badly twisted and stomped upon by her father, leaving it with an ugly bruise and swelling all around it. She wished, that she got accustomed and numb to the abuse as the years passed, but her heart kept echoing along with tiny hopes that maybe one day her parents would open their eyes and love her.

As she inched closer to the house, her heart was beating fast, along with the palms sweating profusely in trepidation of what her father kept in store for her that night. Weekend nights were generally the dangerous ones, as he brought along his friends and a few females to the house, all of whom relished in her pain and suffering.

'Oh please, Let daddy be late today. Let him not be early,' she made small prayers as the small back door came into view. Silently she pressed the keys into the lock and made her way inside the house with cautious steps.

Moving past the kitchen, her heart dropped as she saw her daddy and his friends seated on the couch next to the stairs seemingly drunk, with their drooping eyes and loud laughter.

As she tried to move stealthily back to the kitchen, the bulky friend who sat to the right of her daddy turned and gazed at her with a creepy grin on his face.

"Look who is here, Igor? Your lovely daughter. Ah! And check the time out, it's already past five, seems like your daughter had been hanging out with someone" he got up from the couch and made his way towards Julie with the same creepy grin on his face.

His fingers grazed on her cheek as he came close to her, leaving a trail of his touch all over her face. Julie was shivering under his touch like a withering leaf. Memories of this man trying to kiss her, resurfaced in her brains as her hands immediately moved to his chest and tried pushing him away.