Outlander

Chapter 26

Her mother lovingly looked at her, noticing how her daughter hesitates, "It's okay, do you want to come and touch my belly?" She softly asked, the girl approached her mother and gently placed her head on her mother's belly. The girl smiled brightly, feeling something moved.

Both mother and child startled as the door slammed open. The father entered, holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand, the wood floor creaking by his heavy stomp. Hearing him hiccup and his face red as he was obviously under the influence of alcohol.

"Bram... You said you wouldn't drink again." her mother said, holding the trembling girl beside her. My breath hitched as he throws the bottle and the mother quickly dodges it. "What the hell are you trying to say? You dirty whore... Suddenly appear in front of me again with another bastard's kid in your stomach." He said, voice full of rage.

Kicking the chair, and grabbing harshly her hair, "You should've died! How the hell did you come back alive?!" He shouted, slamming her on the ground, "You really think I am that stupid?!" He added and grabbed her again. "Bram. Don't be like this. Please." She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The little girl embraces the leg of her father, "Father, please stop." She begged, "Father, please!" She added, kicking his daughter, a whimper escapes the little girl, biting my lips as different emotions swirled inside me - mainly anger and pity for them.

He dragged her inside a room, locked the door as the girl quickly stands up, racing towards the closed door. Her small hands banging the door, requesting him to open it, hearing how her mother beg for mercy as her father mercilessly hit her.

The girl drops on the floor, hearing her mother let out a painful scream. Her small body trembles, worried and fear engulf her. Stuck in a maze of emotions and surrounded by darkness. The little girl was desperately trying to find an exit. "Please, please... stop... stop..." She cries, covering her ears with her hands.

She hoped that the darkness would have sympathy and swallow her up. Hours later, slowly approaching her bed ridden mother, her mother looked at her and forced a smile. "I'm okay, Davia." She whispered to her daughter weakly, bruises littered her face and body.

The little girl stared at her mother as she coughs, red liquid came out of her mouth, some splatter on the little girl's face. "Mother the medicine... I'll get the medicine..." She said, panicky.

Please don't die. Please, mother. Don't leave me alone again.

Her thoughts were screaming it as she dashes. The sharp blades of grass dug into her feet and covered it with small wounds. But compared to the anxiety of being swallowed by the darkness that was always watching her, she ignored it - all of it.

Panting as she frantically looked around the market - a troubled expression plastered on her face. Her eyes found an herbal store, swallowing a lump on her throat, she quickly grabs a handful of herbs, "You rascal what are you doing?!" the vendor shouts.

As she runs away, tripping at the rock causing for her to fall. It was already night when she escapes the vendor, her small body full of bruises, her right eye swollen, a purple bruise appearing, busted lips, blood on her white shirt. Without mercy, the little girl run relentlessly with the herb securely on her hand.

"Just a little more... Wait for me a little longer, mother." She mumbled and increased her speed. Mustering and squeezing out all of her strength to reach the end of this long darkness. "I'll bring it to you, mother. Please don't die..." She added.

But what made her drop into a bottomless pit of despair was not darkness. Rather it was the flames that devoured everything whole. Covering my mouth seeing the house on fire, a flash of memory as I witnessed the same thing.