𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧

prologue

     My heartbeat sped up as I stared horrified at what was coming next. It was the 13th of September at exactly midnight. This was the worst moment that has ever happened in my life.

     I squirmed on the cold hard floor as I struggled to be free from the thick rope that was tied around my ankles and my wrists. I coughed, a huge lump forming in my throat. I couldn't even swallow my saliva because of the towel between my teeth.

     The sadistic man who had tattoos all over his body came up to me. He had this scar slashed across his left eye. His face embedded permanently in my memory. He cupped my cheeks harshly, forcing me to face my dying parents. I cried harder and harder while I screamed and beg for their dear lives.

     There were three of them. One of the man's allies went behind my father, holding a lighter.

     I cried much harder that I didn't know when to stop. I shook my head, the tears flowed much further.

     I screamed at the top of my lungs when the man burned my father alive. Hearing my father scream in agony, I cried, feeling much more pain than getting hit square on the face.

     My mother screamed in complete and utter grief as she watched my father burned, burning flesh with a putrid smell. A bunch of men came up to her and forcefully ripped her black dress apart.

     "You are one fine woman, Mrs. Henley."

     "N-no! Jebal! Please, I beg you!! Stop please, my daughter's here!" She screamed but it was no use. She wasn't as strong as the men who were sexually harassing her.

     I cried and screamed even though I had no more strength, "MOMMY!!!!!"

     I watched her there, getting beaten by the bad guys before raping her. I closed my eyes forcefully shut, hearing my mother scream in pain while the men repeatedly raped her. I sobbed, whimpered. I was frail and weak. All I could do was weep.

     Until I no longer heard my mother's cries it was then I realized she was dead. And they burned her just like my father.

     The man who was holding my face let go of me, and my face suddenly hit the ground, making me grunt in pain.

     He kicked me in the stomach with a strong force that I immediately coughed blood. He walked towards me with a grin creeping to his face. He got on his knees and held my chin between his bloody fingers.

     He had big eyes which made him look even crazier. "You're pretty, you know that huh? Just like your mommy. Too bad you'll never see her pretty face anym-" I cut him off by spitting blood from my mouth. Unfortunately, it only hit a small amount on his face.

     He scowled and raised his fist to hit me but one of his allies with a distinctive wolf tattoo on the right side of his neck called after him, giving me a breath of relief. "Daryll, stop harassing the kid. I already got the money. We need to get the hell out before we're toasted."

     And there they left me hanging. The fire scattered all around and I was left there suffocating. I squirmed out of the rope but it wasn't enough. I cried and began to scream for help.

     No, I can't die. I can't die.

     I gasped for my breath as I clutched my chest tightly. I sat up from my bed and leaned my back against the headboard as I hugged my knees to my chest.

     I began crying at the nightmare I had. It was always like this. That day still haunts me until now and I couldn't bring myself to forget all of it. It was crystal clear.

     And I hated it, hated remembering the past.