Trapped Soul

Chapter 1 - Screw you

"Oh, come on honey, give me some" the guy said and stroke my cheek.

I pulled away and I could see the anger build up in his eyes. He tried to grab me but I jumped out of the way before he could. That only made him more angry.

"Stop it" I said and he slapped my cheek.

I would have been able to jump out of the way if I had seen it coming but I hadn't. Like always.

"Oh sugar, did that hurt? Let me help you" he said with a soothing voice.

Like it wasn't even he who had slapped me. Like I had just tripped over some of the cans or garbage that laid around everywhere.

"Don't you touch me again" I threatened.

"Or what? You're gonna call the police" he grinned and I flinched. "Yeah, like they would listen to a homeless skank like you huh?" he laughed.

It was bubbling inside of me, I didn't like the way he talked to me at all. I just wanted to punch him so hard that he would have to go to the hospital, but instead of calling for an ambulance, leave him there to rot as the scumbag he was.

"Screw you!" I spit and he tried to grab me again.

I jumped away and found myself pushed up against the wall.

"What did you just say to me?" he aked loudly and I could tell he was pissed.

"I said screw you" I answered back and he came closer to me.

I tried backing away but the wall against my back stopped me from getting anywhere. He took a firm grip around my neck and I started having trouble to breath. I felt my heart starting to race, the fear growing inside of me. I did my best not to show it. I tried to swallow hard but his hands made it almost impossible. I put my hands over his and tried to break free, but he was too strong. How was I supposed to get out of this now? I could see in his eyes that he knew I was scared. He tightened his grip around my neck and I saw black spots in my vision and my lungs started screaming inside of me. Air. I needed air. His grin got bigger threw the blackness. I was about to pass out when something made him let me go. I fell down on my knees and coughed. I heard running footsteps. One pair away from me and one pair coming towards me.

"Hey, are you okay?" a new man's voice asked filled with concern.

I tried to catch my breath. The guy put his hand on my shoulder and I immediately pushed it away. I stood up and tried not to fall again from the dizziness.

"I don't need your help" I snapped and I turned away from the guy to try walk away but the dizziness took over and I tripped over my own feet.

He quickly catched my arm and pulled me into his arms. I looked up at him and I felt the shock shining through my face. He had deep blue eyes, like the color of the ocean and his hair looked soft. I caught myself thinking about how handsome he looked like. I started to struggle and he let me go. I put my head in my hands and rubbed it. Was I dreaming? I looked up again. Nope, I wasn't.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice still filled with concern.

Concern for what? I had no clue. Maybe he was trying something. I should get out of there. My survival insinct took over and I started walking away again. This time I didn't trip and he didn't take my arm. He did follow me though.

"Stop! Go away" I said turning around, looking straight into his eyes.

He looked hurt and it didn't look like he wanted to leave me. I turned around again and started walking. I went around a corner and continued walking further into the alleyway and I could still hear him but he wasn't that close to me anymore. A chill went through my spine and I tried to ignore him. I came to the ladder and to reach it I walked to the wall on the opposite side and ran towards the building. I put my right foot on the wall the ladder was attached to and jumped to the ladder. I grabbed the ladder and started climbing upwards. I don't think I was supposed to hear it but I could hear him say "wow". I continued climbing and when I was half way up to the roof I looked down. He was gone. I felt something inside of me. Emptiness? I didn't get it. Why would I feel empty? It's not like I had gotten something. I didn't have anything so how come I suddenly felt empty? I shrugged and climbed the last meters until hit the roof. I looked around and saw to my relief that no one was there. I went to the corner where a small building, with whatever it was insde, stood and pulled out my blanket I had hiding there. I sat down and pulled the blanket around me. It was going to get dark soon and I would rather be asleep when it came than needing to feel the darkness around me while trying to fall asleep. I pulled out the chain I had inside my dirty shirt. I sighed heavily when the familiar ring was put between my fingers.

"Mom, I'm sorry..." I whispered and my throat felt much thicker than it had done when that guy almost had choked me.

My eyes burned from the tears trying to break they're way through. I licked my lips and started shaking. My tears slipped down my cheeks.

"I love you, night" I whispered and put the ring back to it's rightful place.

Underneath my shirt, close to my heart. I thought about her smile. The way she had smiled at me every night when she had tucked me in. How she kissed my forehead telling me all the bad dreams would never be able to hurt me as long as she was there to protect me. I thought about the way she used to play hide and seek with me in the forest nearby our house. How she would pretend not to see me when I climbed up in the trees and tried to hide from her. How she would take me out to picnics in the middle of the forest and pretend we were in a royal castle and that she was the queen of the forest while I was the princess. I had felt safe around her. No matter what I had been able to count on her always having my back. When someone had been bad to me in school. When I was having a bad day without any real reason. When my boyfriends had broken up with me.

Always.

Until that day.

That day when everything had changed. That day when she was ripped away from me like a piece of paper could be ripped in half. She had gone for work, like any other day, and never returned. I had been home alone waiting. Waiting for her to come home so we could make dinner together, just like we used to. My dad had passed away earlier, when I was a baby. So it had only been me and my mother. It had always been us against the world. And it had worked. Until that day. She hadn't come home. And now it was just me. Just me against the world. All alone. Nothing to keep me company except the ring that had belonged to her. The ring was the only thing keeping me alive. Well, that and the fact that I couldn't imagine taking my life. If I had given in, my mom would have been disappointed in me when I reunited with her. Though I wasn't so sure she would be proud of me this way either.

All these thoughts slowly drifted away as the darkness and the sleep took over my thin body.