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Austin warned he’d make my father lose his job if I don’t stop fighting.

I didn’t stop fighting and Dad lost his job because of me. Not only Mum, but now Dad is furious too.

We aren’t poor, and money isn’t the issue, but he is pissed since now he has to sit at home and listen to me wailing about how I am being raped by a man his age.

“Stop using the damn knife if you don’t know how to use it, Elara.” Mum chastises; her eyes stuck on my bandaged hand.

“I’m sorry.”

“Can you stop with all this now? It’s been a year; do you see your sister wreaking havoc like this?” Her voice is laced with disappointment and I shake my head.

“We’ve talked to the doctors, they said nothing is…wrong with you. Why would you make that stuff up?” She whispers in a low voice.

Nothing is wrong with me.

“The doctors are lying.” I mumble as I chew the bread, nibbling at it.

My eyes on the table but the fear of tears streaming down my cheeks forces me to tilt my head to the side.

I don’t want to cry, I want to be heard.

My sister is sitting next to me; she doesn’t believe me either.

She doesn’t really have an opinion about it. She’s normal. She usually gets up and leaves whenever I’m shouting, wanting to be heard.

But now, her nails are digging into her own skin, her head bowed down as she plays with her food, unable to eat it.

“Stop with this nonsense or I’m sending you to a fucking asylum.” Dad gets up from the chair, his sudden burst of anger causes me to flinch and I bend down.

“Daniel.” Mum grabs my father’s arms, stopping him. Stopping him from what?

Dad’s gaze is murderous and it might be possible that everyone in my family hates me.

Kids like me know more about paedophiles than adults ever could. They are just blind and deaf or perhaps, pretending to be.

“The man from our neighbourhood—” a sharp sound reverberates in the air and I feel a sting on my cheek.

“I said stop it.” He yells and grabs me by the neck. “Mr. Blake is mourning man; you’re not only ruining his image but ours too.” His steps are hurried and driven by uncontained rage and he drags my wailing body to my room.

“Catherine close the door.” He orders and Mum follows with shaky hands, locking my sister out.

Amara’s wide eyes turning into gleam is the last thing I see before I hear a clack.

“I will not have you tarnish my reputation a second longer.” His hands turn into fists and the first one hits my jaw; the second one comes in contact with my head.

“Daniel, stop.” Mum is begging but her cries are nothing but white noise, both to me and my dad.

“I earned my place in this society; do you think you can ruin it by running your mouth?” He hisses, shaking my head by grabbing a fistful of my hair. “I’m done being patient.”

“But I-I’m being raped.” And beaten.

Mum forces Dad out after he’s done hitting me, then kneels beside me, her hands gentle as she cleans my wounds, her face marring a look of pity.

“It’s your fault.” She murmurs, her voice low and steady, as if she’s teaching me how to cook.

Silence.

“Your dad would never hit you if you just stopped being so stubborn.” She says it like truth, like reason. “Foolish girl.”