“You are the worst daughter ever!” he shouted at me.


He grabbed me by the top of my arms. He shook my body and pressed as hard as he could. Tears were running down my face. I didn’t try to escape. The first and last time I did that, I ended up in the hospital.


“Do your f***ing chores and maybe you won’t get yelled at!” my dad screamed in my face.


My mom ran down the stairs. “Stop it!” she yelled at him. She hated the fact he did this. She loved me so much. “We can buy a maid. It’s not that big of a deal.”


He shoved me onto the ground. “It is. She needs to learn responsibility. How do we know she’ll be rich when she gets older, like she is now?”


She stood in front of my father. She put her hands on his face. “If you love me, you’ll stop.”


He put his hands over hers. “You know I love you. It’s her I don’t.”


“Jim, nobody is perfect.”



I sat up from the floor. I stood up and wobbled a little. I still had tears streaming down. I looked at my dad then my mom. She gave me a look of sympathy, and then changed it to a look meaning go upstairs before he strikes again. I went to the staircase and gripped the rail for support.


I lightly closed my door. My father hates when I slam it. My light flickered on when I clapped two times. I place my ear on the door and listened to my parents.


“She’s only 15. She’s in her second year of high school. Her friends aren’t allowed over, and she has a ton of homework,” my mother said.


“What is your point?”


“You need to let her live like a teenager, not a punching bag who does all the chores.”


“She doesn’t do all the chores. No matter what you say, I will always hate our daughter,” he said in a firm voice. He walked away from my mom and went upstairs.


I quickly went over to my bed in case he came in. There was a slam of a door. I put my face to my pillow. My tears stained the pillow.


A couple hours had passed and midnight came. The moon was floating strong in the sky. I stared out my window. I turned around and picked up a piece of paper. I grabbed a pen and started to write.


Dear mother and father,
I cannot live with this pain. My tears run down my face too much. I love you mom. Dad, I will never learn to like you, as you won’t love me. The moon is bright tonight, and I know what I need to do. Gaining power will never be easy. The soul will be embraced with energy. Passion will form an emotion of serenity. The night will show you the world in a completely different way. I will love you forever, mom. Goodbye.

Your daughter,


Remmy


I finished writing the note. I grabbed a blanket and a pillow. I walked down the carpeted stairs and placed them by the door. I went into the kitchen and picked out some unrefrigerated food. I put them into a bag. I went back upstairs and got my toothbrush and toothpaste. I put all my money into a backpack, about one thousand dollars. I got my hairbrush.


I picked up the note from my desk. I folded it in half and wrote mom and dad on the front. I tiptoed to my parents’ room and placed the note on the dresser by the door. Luckily, the door was opened.


I brought the rest of my items downstairs and opened the front door quietly. The night was dark but, with the bright moon, I was able to see when my eyes adjusted. I went to the only place I knew so very well. My parents never knew I went there, so hopefully they won’t find me there.


I walked to the forest, dragging my items. I made it to the forest and sat down by a tree. I put my pillow down and laid my head on it. I placed my blanket on top of me. I closed my eyes and after a while I fell asleep.

***

I sat up and leaned against the oak tree. The birds were chirping like crazy and all I could think about was my parents. The sun was so bright I could tell it was about noon. My body ached from the bruises, and my friends were looking for me. I could hear their voices calling my name from a far distance. They knew how my parents treated me, but they wanted me back. I don’t blame them though. I’m a weakling in this body. I’m a total failure in life. But they love me, and I love them.


Crack. “Ugh. Get out of my damn way, branch.” Crack.


I turned my head and saw a teenager. Male, about my age, 15, handsome, seems rich. Hmm. He’s really cute. Stop it! He might be from school. I got up and started to walk away.


“Miss?” he asked, walking towards me.


I turned. He didn’t look familiar. “Hello,” I said shyly.


“Can I talk to you?”


“Okay,” I said and walked toward him.


“What’s a girl so beautiful doing out here in the forest?”


“I like it out here, and I’m not beautiful.”


“Your beauty would show if these bruises were gone. What happened to you?” he asked sweetly.


I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t tell the life I was living. Pain filled my eyes, and he seemed to understand what happened.


“I was treated wrong by my family too,” he said.


I stared at him. I didn’t believe him one bit.


“I see you don’t believe,” he took his shirt off. There in front of my eyes was the longest, deepest whip mark I have ever seen. My eyes widened.


“Come here,” he said.


I walked closer to him. He grabbed my hand and pulled me onto his back. Everything became a blur. My head spun.

One Month Later.

There I sit, on the freezing, filthy rock fragments and pebbles of the chamber. I’m locked up, cold, and filthy. It’s been a month since I ran away from home. Bruises and scars cover my body, and I feel the pain drench through me every night. My tears fall down, while the people stare.



I was captured by a group, called The Saints, on my runaway, and they took me to this dreadful place. When I look at the people here, all I can do is feel sorrow. It’s like the Holocaust all over again.



“Hello, beautiful lady,” Rick says, with his crown, high up on his head. He always tells me that I’m so attractive. Rick is the one who found me. He acted so polite, and then he grabbed my arms and pulled me on his back. Everything became a blur, and I woke up to the scent of the small room.



“Hi, Rick,” I spat. For some reason, I absolutely hate being called attractive. I know I am, and I guess I don’t want to brag about it.



“Now, do not give me your attitude. I am allowed to cut your food privileges. Anyways, I have a feeling you’re still curious about why you’re here. Well, you are about to find out.”



“Rick, I don’t need to know why I’m here,” I say, hands gripping the dungeon bars, carrying all of my weight. “I just . . . let me go. Please, just let me go,” my eyes blur as my tears fall.



“Be quiet. I don’t want nor need you crying. You will silence yourself and do as I tell you to. Do you understand!?”



I wipe the tears from my face and mutter, “Yes, I understand.”



“Remember this, I gave you: clothes, shelter, food, water, and new friends. If I had never found you, you would be lying dead on the ground, attracting bugs with your rotten smell. You hear me?”



“I hear you. Thanks,” I said quietly, not wanting to say it.



“Listen, you’re an attractive girl. You can be the sweetest, when you want to. All I want is for you to know that if there is ever a problem you can talk to me. I’m the boss of this place, and the oldest. I know you are about my age. You need to grow up, mature a little. You’re attitude needs to be ridden.”



As he talks I can’t help but notice him stare into my eyes. I stare back at him. I get lost in his sparkling blue as the ocean eyes. At the moment, I forget who he is, and who I am. I forget what he has done to these people and me. I can’t help the attraction I’m forming for him. He is just so wonderful and handsome. He truly is amazing.




“Remmy, is there a problem?”



“W-w-what? I mean . . . ,” I stutter like a complete fool. I never once fell in love, or even had a crush. What am I supposed to say? Oh, I was just staring at your eyes and falling in love with you. Yeah, sounds like the plan.



“Remmy? Why are you acting like this?” his eyes flared of anger. “You tell me now!” he was staring at my eyes, looking for answers. When I said nothing, he asked, once again, “Remmy?”



I stood there, in the cell, looking at the ground. I was playing with the string coming from my shirt. When he unlocked then opened the vault door, my head whipped up, to look at him. He was angry, and he had his whip in his hand.



“You have one more chance to tell me,” he told me.



I opened my mouth then closed it. How can I ever tell him the truth? Is it even true? He was staring at me. Then he cracked his whip against the floor, making me jump.



“Remmy, don’t make me hurt you. You know that I don’t like hurting runaways, who ran away from abusiveness.” He only knows that because when we met, I was covered in bruises.



“I-I-I don’t want to tell you.”



Before I knew it he dropped his whip and wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the lips. One hand went to my hair, tugging at it gently while the other held me tightly.


After a moment he pulled away and said, “Remmy, girls look at me similar to that, all the time. If you feel an attraction towards me, you can say so. I feel an attraction towards you; I believe you know that, especially after I just kissed you.”



“I m-might feel something. I don’t know. Okay?” but after that, I believe I do like him, at least a little.



“How about I treat you to a little date, but, outside of this place? It’s not very romantic here. What do you say?”



“I don’t know. I look awful. These clothes, and I, are filthy,” I looked down at myself.



“Come on. Let’s have you take a shower,” before I could reply, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out.



He took me to his room and into his bathroom. “Shower up. I’ll have a dress for you when you come out,” he said. I did as he told me. The shower was nice. Its warm water took the tension away. I was also surprised to see all the dirt that came off. Before I got out, Rick knocked on the door and put a dress on the counter, along with high heels.



I got out of the shower and looked around for a hairbrush and blow-dryer. I got myself ready for the date. When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a face of pain staring back. The face I see is my mothers. I see my mother crying the words, “Where are you, Remmy?” and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I hated my father, not my mother.



“Are you read-” Rick stopped when he looked at me. “Are you okay?”



I wiped the tears from my face and said, “I was thinking about my mom. The only person, in my old house, who didn’t hate me, who is wishing for my return, who loves me,” as I talked, I could feel more tears falling down.



He gave one more look at me, and then he pulled me into him. I clung onto him. He had one hand on my back, the other in my hair. He brought his lips to my ear and whispered, “Everything is going to be alright. I know you miss her, but you can’t go back to her.”



Finally, I got myself together. When we went outside, to go on our date, I felt the warm summer breeze. I remembered how I haven’t been out here for a while. I walked down the driveway and sat on a big rock. The wind blew my hair in my face, and I loved it. Rick came down to me and put his hand on my shoulder.



I turned to look at him and asked, “Do you think we could go on a walk? I haven’t been out here for a while.”



“And how do I know you won’t run away from me?”



“Even if I did, you would be able to catch me. But, I won’t leave you. I promise you that with all my heart,” I pressed a smile to my face. Something I haven’t done for a long time.



“Alright then, I trust you,” he wound his fingers around mine.



“So where do we go?” I asked.





“I know just the place,” the last words he said on our way. He led me on a path, through the forest. When the woods ended, we entered the most stunning beach I’ve ever been to. The sun blazed down on our faces. I looked at him, and he looked at me. He wasn’t squinting, and I was. He made a little laugh then grabbed a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and put them on me.



“Is that better, my lady?”



“Why yes it is, my man,” we both laughed at ourselves. The sun glittered on his face. I saw something I never noticed before. His eyes are black. Black! Is that even possible? I thought his eyes were blue.



“Your eyes, they’re black. Last time I remember they were blue. Did you get contacts?”



“No. I didn’t. I-I need to go.”



“What? Why?”



“You need to get away from me, before I k-kill you. Go back, back to the human penitentiary,” he looked frightened.



“What’s go-?”



“Get away from me, now!” he said cutting me off.



“Rick,” I whispered.



“Just go! Is it that hard?” he was angry now, always had anger problems. Any second now, he could really hurt me.



I started to back away, frightened. His gaze fell from my face to my neck while his eyes blared red. He started strolling toward me now. His mouth opened, and I saw fangs appear. His gaze never left my throat. He stood there and then disappeared. He darted to me so rapidly, he was a blur. I tried to find him. But, it was impossible. He was too fast. I felt a hand grip my neck so tight that my scream was earsplitting, and Rick covered my mouth. He moved my hair away from my neck.



His lips ran down to my neck, and he bit me. His fangs pierced into my skin; the scent of blood filled the air. Everything I thought I knew about vampires disappeared. I tried to escape from his grasp. It was useless. He was too strong, and moving only made the pain even more dreadful. I could feel my blood leaving. The energy inside of me is consumed, and my lungs deflate. I scream and cry, while my breath fades.



His hands release my neck, making me collapse. He stared down at me, his eyes in horror and shock when he realizes what he has done. His eyes shut then open; his scarlet eyes now back to that glossy blue. My eyes tighten as the tears fall. I feel myself fading and fading until I’m unaware of my surroundings. My ears rung and I could not see. I lay there, unconscious, dead. Maybe not dead, but it sure did feel like it.