Pain, that’s all I feel. Over and over I feel the whip hit its target. My back feels like it is on fire. Each time my back is hit, I do my best not to cry out in pain. My attacker doesn’t deserve that satisfaction. The whipping stops and I hear the monstrous laugh of my father. He enjoys torturing me. What have I done to deserve this? 20, that’s how many times my father has hit me with this whip. He hits me again and I can’t stop the cry that escapes. Continually he hits me, the tears are endlessly rolling down my face and onto the floor. My tears mix with my blood. I have begun to see stars in my vision. The pain has reached an unbearable point, I am begging for him to stop. Almost as if he doesn’t hear me he continues, my father shows no mercy.
“You deserve this.” He says. With that everything goes black.
———————————————————
Waking up I see that I am still bound to the wall. My back still in pain, my wrists rubbed raw from the handcuffs. I tried to get out of the handcuffs but it was no use. I’m stuck. Sadly being stuck to the wall isn’t anything new, neither is what happened last night. Every time I have tried fighting back it never ends well for me. Never the less, I keep fighting as best as I can. There isn’t much I can do except not let him break me. He come back in, probably wanting to see if I was awake. When he finally noticed that I was, an evil grin stretched across his face.
“I see the ungrateful little brat finally decided to wake up.” Knowing better than to respond I stay silent. He walks over to and grabs the whip again. I glare up at him still refusing to speak. I know what is to come, there isn’t any way that I can get out of it. Unless someone came to help me. But who am I kidding. No one ever comes to help me. No one actually cares about me. I mean they all know my brother, Jacob Anderson. I’m just is little sister, Harper. Just the quiet, socially awkward little sister to Jacob. As I said no one will ever come to my rescue. “Harper what did I say about you and friends?”
“That they are useless and irrelevant.” I probably shouldn’t have used the mocking tone that I used because the next thing I know there is a very intense stinging in my cheek.
“Watch your tone with me you little brat. Now tell me why this girl, Emily, has not stopped texting and calling you for the last 3 hours?!?”
“She’s my partner for a group project.”
“So, let me get this straight. Your partner for your project would be asking whether or not you are okay? Why you aren’t at school? Is what I heard true? There are rumors going around school. Call me. Please. Harper???” He squats down and gets right in my face. “Did you tell her? Where you so desperate for a friend you choose to disobey me?” As he finishes his little rant he grabs a fistful of my hair and yanks it hard towards him. “Answer me.”
“N-no. I d-didn’t tell h-her. I didn’t tell anyone.” I try my best to hold his glare for as long as possible.
“If I find out that you are lying to me Harper, your punishment will not be pretty. Do I make myself clear Harper?”
“Y-yes sir.” I finally look away. Hearing the audile click of the handcuffs releasing from my wrists. He gets up and starts to walk away.
“By the way Harper, its 5am. You should probably get ready for school.” With that he leaves the basement and goes upstairs. Trying to stand up didn’t work. The minute I was on my feet I fell right back down. The pain in my back was such excruciatingly painful that I could barely stand. Never the less I attempted to stand up again only to make it a few steps just to fall again. Eventually I managed to stand up and make it up the stairs and to my room. Having to shower after a beating is always hard, it’s painful and kind of gross. After my shower I put on a pair of black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt along with my black and white vans. Brushing my hair I leave it down and in its cascading waves around my face. Not forgetting to put on my makeup to cover all of the bruises on my face as best as possible, I put the hood of my sweatshirt up. It helps to cover most of my face. I grab my phone and earbuds along with my school bag and make my way quietly down the stairs and out of the house. I make it down to the bus stop at 6. 5 minutes before my bus gets there. I put my earbuds in my ears to listen to music and I keep my head down as I get on the bus. The bus ride is always quiet for me. People leave me alone to my music and I sit by myself. It isn’t really until I get to school that the teasing starts. That’s the sad thing, I never can escape. I’m not safe at home and I am not safe at school. My brother and his friends make sure of that. I only have one friend, though I can never admit it, and that’s Emily. Who knows what he would do if he ever found out. The bus has pulled into the school and everyone is filling out. Walking off of the bus I can see Emily standing there waiting for me. She always does, no matter how many times I tell her she shouldn’t she still does.
“Hey Harper.” She says. I mumble a quiet high and walk as fast as I can, even though my back is still in a lot of pain, towards my locker. Of course she manages to catch up to me. “Hey are you okay?”
“Fine” I mumble still trying to get away from her. It doesn’t work and just as I get to my locker she steps in front of me so that I have to face her.
“What’s wrong?” She says.
“Everything okay over here?” My brother comes over, most likely to see why someone is actually making an attempt to talk to me. I tense up just a little, sadly it doesn’t go unnoticed my Emily.
“Everything’s fine, Jake.”
“Just checking.” Thankfully he doesn’t question me any further and walks away.
“It’s true isn’t it?” Emily asks. With a sigh I finally look up.
“What’s true?”
“About the way your family treats you.” Not being able to say anything I give a slight nod of my head. She goes to hug me and I flinch back without meaning too. The way Emily’s eyes go bigger I know that my brother is back again.
“Breaking your promise I see. Aren’t we Harper?” He asks. His tone indicating that he is angry.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Actually I think you do.” He grabs my wrist and drags me away from Emily.
***
I should have listened to my father. If I had I wouldn’t be in this situation. I’m back in the basement. My wrists cuffed above my head, my face facing the wall. Over and over again I feel the whip hit my back. Again and again. If only I had listened, this could have been avoided. But instead I was so hopeful that maybe if I had just made a friend that maybe they could help me. I was wrong. It has been days. After I was dragged out of school Emily never came to my rescue. I have blacked out to many times to count because of the pain. I guess no one is coming to help me. Not now, not ever. I’m trapped and no one is coming to rescue me.