In the city of light

One

PROLOGUE

The city of light. It was where I belonged. I've been here my whole life, never thought about what would happen if others were to find it. I guess I was normal, or at least normal to the people living here with us. People here all had disabilities, some had extra fingers and other didn't have arms or legs. We were all different, but I never questioned it. My father always told me to keep my mouth shut. He made sure I always did. He hit me and my mother never said anything. He didn't beat me a lot anymore, only if I were sassy or sarcastic. Last time he hit me were two years ago, when I asked if I could keep a rabbit I found. My father said no and I asked why. He killed the rabbit and hit me twice. That was the last time I questioned anything. My mother always told me that he only hit me because I asked questions, and that we should never question anything that men told us. That's how it worked in the city of light. It was supposed to be a place for every soul, or so I heard, but I didn't feel welcomed here. Mostly because of my dad, but that was just life. I enjoyed it though. I was out all day, trying to find somewhere new on the island. That's what I've been doing since I could walk. I was now seventeen and had found a lot of great hiding places. Some better that others. If just someone from the outside could help us. No one ever makes it here, because of the monster who keep us here. No one comes, no one leaves. Even though I didn't have permission to ask questions, a lot of them were circling around in my head. I wish I could ask someone! No woman on this island knew the answers and I couldn't ask a man, cause I would get hit and told to know my place. Everyone seems to have made peace with the way things are, except for me. I wanted answers and I wanted them now. Not so many weeks ago, my dad committed suicide and filmed it all. My mom and I found it later that day. My mom cried but I could get a tear to leave my eye. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I was there for my mother and I won't leave her side. The weird thing is, that we never found the body. We moved out of the house and into a new one, closer to the main city. I often visited the house even though my mom didn't like it. She told me that she would never ever ever go there again. I understood why she wouldn't but, it's still my home.