CHAPTER 2

Melisa's stepmother, a stern woman with sharp features and a cold demeanor, often degraded her. Her large eyes like an eagle's, pierces into one with an intent of undermining one's  confidence. The home that should have been a haven felt more like a cage, filled with the echoes of harsh words and beatings. Despite all these, Melissa hoped that things would get better someday.

Melisa was 3 years old when her mother passed away.   They were a happy family until death performed its worst.  After her mother's burial, Her father took her to the orphanage home because he couldn't take care of her owing to his busy schedules at work. 

She held on to the promise her father made to her that he'd come for her which he never did. As the years rolled by ,she She knew her father wasn't going to come. She was adopted by her stepmom when she turned 10. It was her sweet smile that attracted Mrs Beatrice. 

Mrs Beatrice adopted her to take care of her beloved daughter who was 3 years her junior.  Unknowing to her, her step dad was her biological father.

Mrs Beatrice used to be a family friend and had always known that Melisa was her father's daughter but kept the secret from her father. 

Melisa had always been second to her step sister June. June never liked Melisa,same with Melisa who had grown tired and weary of Mrs Beatrice and her daughter. She wasn't allowed to go to school,not even to learn a trade,even when they knew how bright she was. Hitherto,she never relented in learning new things,as she was always watching how June read her books. 

 There was a power outage on one chilly night and   Melisa was sent out to buy fuel.  She was scared to go but had no one to complain to. Fear of Mrs Beatrice would not allow her to muster up courage to refuse going. She knew that If her step dad was around,Mrs Beatrice wouldn't have sent her on this dangerous errand. Her step dad was the only person in that house that was nice  to her. 

Remembering the warning of Mrs Beatrice not to take too much time,she decided to follow the junkyard,a shorter route that would lead her to the fuel station.

She walked alone along the empty  and dark street. She was praying silently,but it was as if her prayers weren't enough. Some scary looking guys came out from the junkyard wearing  devilish smiles. They finished their business with her, leaving her naked and soaked with blood.  That moment she hated her self,hated her very existence.  With tears rolling down her cheeks she managed to stand on her feet, her legs wobbling, she left the junkyard.