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Prologue

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He came back.

He came back and he was still wearing his black boots with the metal heal on the end and the belt-like whip in his left hand. Two other men were with him. They had dark, mean looks on their faces.

I hid underneath the table. The white tablecloth covered me enough so I wouldn't be seen. I put my hands over my ears and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to drown out the noises. I tried to block out the images on reply in my head. They just wouldn't go away.

The man repeated the same words over and over as the sound of his whip and the screams of my family echoed around the dead and quiet neighbourhood. I tried to keep silent, just like father told me too.

I told you if you didn't stay away, I'd hurt you.

I told you if you didn't stay away, I'd hurt you.

I told you if you didn't stay away, I'd hurt you.

When I couldn't hear the sounds anymore, I opened my eyes, not moving. Just when I was about to crawl out from under the table, loud, thumping footsteps echoed towards me. I could see the man's black boots with the metal heal on the end walk closer to me and when he stopped right in front of the table, I held my breath.

He reached and lifted the tablecloth up. He bent down, knees on the floor. My eyes went wide as he bent down further and looked right at me, green snake-like eyes looked me over once before an evil grin spread across his face. I inched back, scared, but he reached out his hand and grabbed the collar of my t-shirt, pulling me out from under the table.

I kicked and screamed and shouted frantically, scared of what was going to happen to me. He chuckled loudly, evilly, scarily at me, before cracking his whip with a loud swish over my shoulder and onto my back.

I screamed.

This is going to be torture for you.

This is going to be torture for you.

This is going to be torture for you.

This is going to be torture for you.

This is going to be torture for you.