Written in the Stars (Rewriting)

Chapter 10

"Who gave you the permission to enter inside?" her voice snapped like a whip, shattering the stillness

I flinched, fear prickling my spine as the piece of bread I had been clutching slipped from my trembling hands, hitting the floor with a soft thud. Slowly, hesitantly, I turned, dreading the sight that awaited me.

There she stood, the person who had turned my life into living hell. Her eyes burned with cold, unforgiving intensity that made my stomach churn.

"I-uh I-i was just...." I stammered, the words fumbling over one another as fear wrapped it's icy hands around my throat.

She stormed forward, her footsteps echoing like the ominous beat of a drum.
Grabbing my hair in a merciless grip, she yanked me forward, eliciting a sharp cry from my lips.

"Ahh!" I winced as the pain radiated from her cruel grasp.

She halted abruptly , crouching to meet my level. Her hand clamped around my jaw like a vice, forcing me to look into those dark, soulless eyes that had haunted me for as long as I could remember.

"DO. NOT. make a sound," she hissed, her voice low and venomous.

I froze, terror seizing me. Her eyes, black and unyielding, bore into me with a malice that seemed to seep into my very bones. I didn't know what I had done to deserve being her constant target, but she has made it clear long ago that I was her favourite punching bag.

Before I could react, she threw me onto the cold, damp floor of the basement. The impact left me breathless, my ribs aching as I scrambled to sit up, instinctively curling in on myself . She locked the door behind her, the metallic click echoing like a death sentence.

Cowering against the wall, I watched as she rummaged through a corner, her movements deliberate. When she straightened, my breath hitched. In her hand was a whip, it's leather coils gleaming ominously under the dim basement light.

"No, no, no! Please no!" I shook my head frantically, pressing myself further into the wall as if it might swallow me whole.

My protest was met with a sharp, stinging slap across my cheek. The force of it sent me sprawling to the ground.

"Don't shout !" She barked, her voice filled with contempt.

My cheek throbbed , tears stinging my eyes as she pulled me upright, positioning herself behind me .

"P-please," I whimpered, my voice barely audible. "I'm sorry..... I didn't mean to..."

"Start counting" she ordered coldly. "Or I'll start over"

One

The first strike of the whip tore through the air, landing on my back with a force that made me lurch forward. The pain was searing , like fire spreading across my skin .

Two

Another lash, sharper than the first. I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out, tasting blood as I struggled to stay upright.

Three

The leather bit into my flesh, and I felt the warm, wet sensation of blood trickling down my back.

Four

My vision blurred, tears clouding my sight as the agony became unbearable.

Five

I couldn't sit straight anymore. My body slumped forward trembling with the effort of holding on.

Six

The world tilted. My breaths came out in shallow, ragged gasps, and the edges of my consciousness frayed.

And then.......

I woke up.

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Gasping, I bolted upright, clutching at my chest as if trying to steady the frantic beating of my heart. My surroundings slowly came into focus-- the familiar walls of my bedroom, the moonlight spilling through the curtains. The nightmare lingered, vivid and raw, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

My clothes clung to my skin, damp with sweat. My hair stuck to my forehead, beads of perspiration dripping down my temples. I tugged at the fabric, peeling off my soaked shirt, the sensation triggering a phantom pain along my back.

The air in the room felt stifling. I stumbled toward the balcony, the cool night breeze washing over me as I stepped outside. Leaning on the railing, I gazed up at the moon. Its pale light bathed the world in a serene glow, a stark contrast to the darkness that consumed me.

There was so much darkness.

The memories of the past clawed at my mind, threatening to drag me back into the abyss. No matter how far I had come, how much time has passed, the scars - both visible and hidden - remained. They were a constant reminder of what I had endured, of the person I had once been.

For years, I had lived in fear, my every step shadowed by the torment of her cruelty. Even now, long after I had escaped , her voice lingered, her words echoing in my ears during quiet moments.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, trying to anchor myself in the present. The gentle rustling of leaves, the distant hum of the city- it was real. I was here, not there.

But the past had a way of creeping in, of sinking its claw into the present and refusing to let go.

I clenched the railing, my knuckles white as I fought to suppress the flood of emotions. Anger, fear and sorrow swirled within me, a tempest i could barely contain.

The moon hung high above, a silent witness to my struggle. I found a strange comfort in its presence, a reminder that even in the darkest nights, there was still light to be found.

One day, i promised myself, I would find peace. One day, the nightmares would fade, and the scars would no longer define me.

But for now, I stood beneath the moonlight, letting it's calmness wash over me, holding onto the hope that tomorrow might be kinder.

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