Saving Lily

Our Tree

*Warning* This chapter contains depictions of abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

Several years had passed since they put me in that old basement and I was just a few months shy of turning seventeen. I looked forward to starting my junior year of high school in the fall. I was counting down the days until I could graduate and get the hell out of here.

But first, I had to make it through the summer. June was upon us and Sophia's birthday preparations were underway and I had gotten up at four am everyday for a week to help Miss Clara prepare for it. I scrubbed floors and toilets, washed windows, made bread and prepared the food for the party.

"I'd say you've earned yourself a break." She smiled.

"Thank you, miss Clara." I said, smiling back as I quickly took off my apron and hurried across the house to the basement.

"Where do you think you're going?" I froze as I heard Robert call from the den.

"I..I was just going to my room." I said quietly, not making eye contact.

"You look at me when I'm talking to you girl." He said angrily.

I raised my eyes to look at him. His face was red.

"Come here!"

I cautiously walked toward him. He looked at me in disgust.

My heart pounded in my chest and my throat tightened up

"Did you take out the bathroom trash last night?" He asked once I was directly in front of him.

"Yes sir." I whispered.

He slapped my face, knocking me to the floor. Tears filled my eyes.

I pressed my hand across my face to try and soothe the sting. His wedding ring had cut my lip.

"Get up!" He growled, as he grabbed my hair and dragged me to the bathroom.

"Ah." I whimpered.

"Does this look empty to you?!" He asked, shoving me down on the floor beside the trash can.

As I fell down the trash toppled over exposing used toilet paper. I gasped in horror as my arms slid over the remnants.

"I..I remember taking it out." I said, panic in my voice.

I screamed in pain as Robert slammed a boot into my ribs.

"You lying bitch!" He said.

"P-please, you d-don't have to do this." I cried, curling my body up into a ball as he kicked me again.

"Next time I tell you to do something I expect it to be done!" He screamed, rage fueling his words.

I lay there covering my head and crying as he stomped on my arms and back screaming obscenities.

Once the stomping and kicking stopped, I remained there covered for a few minutes trying to catch my breath. I heard the bathroom door slam shut so I peeked out from under my arms to make sure he was gone.

As I picked myself up off the floor I winced in pain, wrapping an arm around myself for comfort as I cleaned up the mess. I limped slowly down the stairs and gently laid myself down on the mattress. My whole body throbbed in pain from the beating.

I closed my eyes and imagined my mother holding me in her arms, tears ran down my face as I hummed the same happy tune she always had.

I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew I had been awakened to a familiar tapping on glass. I mustered up the last bit of strength I had to get up and open the window.