His fist pounds at me over and over again his anger is irrefutable and unavoidable. He is my father, so I cannot leave him, and my mother loves him so I cannot leave her. She claims she loves him, but like me, she is beaten and never leaves him. He claims us as his property, but he never allows me outside. My mother can come and go as she pleases her wounds never seen and her pain never shown. She shows a smile and leaves home and returns with an even brighter smile and a bag full of booze, but very little food.

Father comes home making a ruckus and claims that it is not his fault. Then he drinks down the bag of booze not leaving a drop. Proceeding his rant, he punches and kicks my mom venting his frustration. No scream leaves her mouth just the air that was in her lungs. I hid behind the couch hoping that I wouldn't receive his wrath. He beat her down, and her breathing soon became nonexistent. Still, though he continued to beat mom. I was too afraid, afraid of the consequences of helping, but I knew that I had to do something. Bolting up I ran towards the exit of the house. I ran as fast as I could my father not looking hit mom hard enough that I knew she would not survive. Seeing her nonresponsive form, I ran as soon as I could away from the man that is supposed to be my father. He didn't notice at first, but he felt the wind hit his blood-soaked hands and looked at the door. I was long gone by then though. Running out the door, he knew that if he was caught that he will have nowhere else to go but prison. Trying to chase me my weak body although slower than the average child is still nimble.

Running I dodged his grasp and ran into an alleyway. All I could do was hope that it wasn't a dead end. Sadly it was a dead end though as soon as I looked over, I saw a space big enough to fit me and only me in there. With a quick turn, I threw an item at my father's face and went into the gap then started to slide my way to the other side. Though once I reached the middle I noticed a window at which is open. My father seemed to be heading to the other end to capture me. My only option is to go up. Supporting myself, I slowly made my way up the wall. The pain was searing, and I was almost out of energy. Though I still forced myself up. Reaching I grabbed ahold of the window sill and pulled myself into the room.

Looking over too weak to move from the floor I saw a little boy most likely older than me stare at me terrified. I don't want him scared, so I tried to move, but the pain by then was too much. Soon the fear left his eyes, but I was laying there whimpering in pain, but no tear was in sight. Walking over to me he held a candle in his hand and snapped his fingers. The room was now illuminated and my bruises visible. Looking at me he treaded carefully towards me and said, "Don't worry I get you help." I didn't realize but that moment I was trembling in pain. He must have mistaken that out of fear. Patting my head for some reason, I released tears of relief. 'He might save me.' With that he left the room it felt like only a few minutes of his absence. That was when he came back with five other people. Two were officers; the other two were his parents; I suppose, and the last person looked like a doctor. Coming over to me I still being unable to move picked up gently but I still trembled in pain but this time for some reason fear. The doctor carried the boy who got these people looked at me with concern and me. For some reason, I knew I was safe, but that didn't stop me from trembling out of fear. Being carried out of the room, I was put into a smaller one, but this one was of a simpler design putting me down on the bed the doctor set me down and started to examine me. Realizing my condition needed a better look at he looked at the others, "Give me a moment with her." Looking at me the boy must have realized that I was a girl. "Five minutes then we get to question her." The Police seemed surprised but unbothered by the fact that I am, in fact, a girl. I though am not surprised. I am too small to have the cute round cheeks of other girls, and my hair is too ratty to make a difference. I am covered in too many bruises to make my girly features stand out and I am mainly skin and bone. leaving the room, I heard the whispers of the mother, "Dear I don't care what you say we are taking her in as our own." "Sweetie she might be a runaway." "Dear, you didn't look at that poor girl she is coved in bruises new and old and looks as if she is malnourished. We are taking her in and not letting whoever did this to her take her back." With a sigh, the man started to talk to the police about what his wife wanted to do. I couldn't hear their conversation mainly because by then they were too far away soon after one of the policemen came back in with the boy. My examination is done, and I now have an IV in my arm. Surprisingly the doctor did it so clearly that I didn't feel it. With that, the police officer started to ask questions. "What is your name?" Trying to talk my mouth was too dry to sound out words properly, but I answered all the same. "Aleena" Writing down the answers to his question he continued. "Who did this to you and for how long?" Looking away I hid my face. I know I have to answer, but I am too afraid. Bitting my tongue a little bit of blood started to appear at the corner of my mouth.

"My father" "Let me repeat my question how long?" Looking down I answered him, "Since I was three." Writing that down he continued, "What is your fathers' name?" "Edwardo" "What caused you to run away?" Keeping my mouth closed I started to tremble, and with a quaking voice, the answer barely left my mouth when the boy's mother came in. "He beat mom to death." Hearing my answer, his mother stopped mid-step holding a bowl of soup. "Officer I believe that is enough questions let her get something into her system." Hearing his wife the man dragged the officer out of the room. The doctor left the room knowing that the father mother and son had to talk to me. Handing me the soup the mother started to talk. "Miss...", "You can call me Aleen" Hearing that She continued, "Aleen, My name is Tanya and my husband Jack and I were wondering if you would like to live with us along with our son Noah." Looking at them I realized that they were honest. Get away from my father, repay my debt to their son. Instantly I nodded my head.