Late at night,

the noise of a woman screaming jolted her out of her sleep.A very dim light illuminating the scenery to the forest's silent gaze.

Anne's eyes snapped open as her mother's screams hit her ears. She got up slowly and crawled out of bed sluggishly, she made her way to the parlor, if it could even be called one...

where her father was mercilessly beating her mother's limp body lying on the floor.

Oh, this again...

She thought

She flexed her shoulder, making her way towards them. This was just to stop him from hitting her mother, anytime he started his madness on either of them, the other would take the beating so one could escape out of the house.

Immediately he noticed her presence he left her mother and approached her; the more he got closer the more she tensed up, awaiting the first assault. But she didn't move from a spot, she stood staring at her angry father as he stood in front of her.

His brows raised, a vein jerked in his neck: he expected her to run away or whimper or cower in fear... but she didn't!!!

Irritated, he turned towards her mother

Anne, quickly realising his next move ran towards her mother.

Taking the kick meant for her mother, her body slammed hard against the feeble walls of the house, but he didn't stop there, he kicked her hard in the mid-section while she groaned in pain.

In the corner of her eyes, she glimpsed her mother's body lying lifeless on the floor, minutes passed but she didn't get up, or move at all;

Why hadn't she left yet, she was supposed to leave, just as planned!!!?

Fear crept in as realisation set in at the sight of blood pooling around her mother's belly.....

She was dead!! and so was her unborn sibling!!!!?

Anne got up from the floor despite the continuous assault, she didn't know what snapped in her, but with an unknown strength, she lashed towards him

But he caught her midair, shocked and furious he flung her out of the house and banged the door shut. Anne curled up on the dry forest floors and wept,

for her mother,

for her unborn sibling,

for herself.....

She felt a pang of pain wklhen it suddenly started raining heavily. She got up, her back bent, her feets hurting, and made her way far away from the house without a last glance;

I can't go back there!!,

not anymore,

not after what just happened.

She turned away, walking far far away till she felt a calm and cool wind blow past her,

it felt like freedom, like relief....

She collapsed to the ground when her legs couldn't hold her weight any longer.

Not long after that some strangers found her and carried her bruised body away, though she was unconscious throughout the time....

Free indeed??