This was how it all started.

In a cold, dark room, where Astoria was wearing nothing but her underwear. She was probably around five and her sister was nine. For what seemed like forever, their mother, who was supposed to be their protector and guardian, would take cruel advantage of the both of them.

Later, Daphne would tell Astoria that Mrs Greengrass had been abusing Daphne ever since she too, was five. Astoria was too young and didn't really understand. She would vaguely remember her father coming home, pressing a kiss to her cheek, and muttering: "my little girl will be a woman soon."

For a long time, Astoria didn't understand that she was being abused, and as the years passed she began to accept it as a normal way of life. She would wake up and eat breakfast, lunch, and supper, and go on with her day like any normal child—but then when the sun went down, she would be taken to her mother's bedroom. When Daphne was there as well it wasn't so bad—at least then she wouldn't be the main focus. The thing that Astoria would never understand, however, was how Daphne seemed to enjoy it.

When Astoria asked her why later that night, she only said one thing: "I don't run from monsters. They run from me."

Drabble Wars: Astoria/Mrs. Greengrass - "I don't run from monsters. They run from me."