The Secret Girl

Prologue

At 3:25 AM on July 24, 1999, a beautiful baby girl was born. At exactly 3:33, after ten long hours of labor, the twenty-one year old mother died of blood loss from the birth. She hadn't even held her baby yet.
The father was immediately filled with hatred toward the child. He was convinced that the devil himself had impregnated his gorgeous wife with this demon child in order to kill his angel on earth.
He kept the girl a secret. He told everyone that his wife had fallen ill and died a quick, painless death, taking the baby's life as well. He refused to have a funeral, and buried his wife himself in the back yard.
He wanted the baby to have the ugliest name he could think of, to match her "ugly" soul, so he named her Quasimodo.
For years he tortured her. He would beat her, cut and burn her, starve her, even pour acid on her. She had so many scars all over her body.
The abuse got worse as she got older. Her father started drinking everyday. He started taking drugs. He was never sober. He would rape her every night.
She did everything for herself. She taught herself to read, cook, do math, science, history.
She often finished her housework early. When she did, she would go down to the basement and read until her father got home.
Now, she never actually called him father. She did so once and was severely punished. She was always required to call him "sir".
She lived like this, unknown, unknowing, for fifteen years. This is her story.