The Ghost Bird

Prologue

When I was growing up, I always wondered why I was different, why my mom and dad hated me and hurt me, leaving me bleeding on the ground before sending me to my barren room with no food for days, while my sister Marie was treated like royalty.

 The other kids weren't any better, they laughed at me and called me names while pushing me around.

I was very short, only '5' ft, had dirty blonde hair, overly large green eyes and a petite frame to match, nothing special, nor ugly, I was just extremely plain.

 I didn't own much but I didn't mind my life, as I learned to deal with the pain. But that all changed, one day when I was eight.

"Sang get down here!" My father shouted from the stairs "And grab your clothes!" I frowned, My clothes? But I rushed to grab the minuscule pile of 'clothes' I had , and as my parents didn't believe in buying me anything but the bare necessities for my survival, all I had were rags from Marie many years ago, as I was much smaller then her due to the controlled rations from my parents.

"As if she would wear them the little whore" My mother snarled.

 I smoothed my face, regardless of the turmoil churning in my stomach at the blatant rejection from her.

"Yes?" I answered them, making sure to keep my head down and my tone humble.

"You're leaving." My mother said, with her arms crossed and a cruel smirk on her lips. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped, They couldn't be serious.

"Don't be so unappreciative bitch" My mother sneered " You're lucky that we looked after a worthless bitch like you for so long, but we don't want the police looking into this, so your fathers going with you to try and find a way to permanently get rid of you."

"What about school?" I said desperately, scrabbling for a way out it, but that was swiftly answered with a punch to the stomach, " Don't talk back slut" my father said, disapproval etched in to the lines of his face.

After that day my father took me to blindfolded me and to make to my new life, and there the abuse became much worse.

The pain was relentless, never ending, but with it came something I was completely not expecting; Training. I was taught dozens of languages, martial arts, dance, singing, many instruments, guns, knives, gymnastics, academic skills you name it, I learnt it.

I also learnt things like stealth, improving my senses, falling from heights, lock picking, hiding my emotions etc.

It was all taught by books and videos, as father was to disgusted with me to bring me into public. He often left me for days at I time with no food, and watched me through cameras with my mother, and if I did anything wrong when they weren't here, the punishment was a thousand times worse.

I was a fast learner, but I was also driven by the pain of the punishment of every mistake I made, even when I had mastered it all, I was punished for being a cheat, but I hadn't done anything!

Once I asked why I had to do this, and was punished severely, but before he replied, telling me that it was why.

" If we want to get rid of you we need to try and find away to stop you from being a worthless, stupid, bitch... but don't get your hopes up" He added, seeing my look of elation at the possibility of leaving " We have been kind treating you like we do. 

'Kind?! I had been whipped, beaten, starved, forced to kneel on broken glass, drinking acids to burn my throat and that's not even half of it, but I would never say that, because it is what I deserve. 

He continued, " They would probably end up killing you." I blanched, my mind racing with thoughts of what they could do

The worst time was when the fear took over and I tried to escape.

He had cornered me and grinned cruelly while holding his knife, then stabbed me in the stomach, after that while I was bleed and slowly succumbing to the blackness, he twisted my arm, and on the underside carved the word WORTHLESS, All while telling me no one would want a whore like me, and this would serve as a reminder that no matter what I did, I would always be nothing.

After that day, My father was jailed for life for murdering a girl he thought was me when he went out again. The weight of that blame was a permanent, heavy burden on my shoulders, and I would never forgive myself.

Another consequence of the escape attempt was that because I couldn't get medical help as they would ask unwanted questions, the stab was scarred directly on my stomach, and I now couldn't eat even a quarter of what I needed without unbearable pain, along with the jagged scar down the length of my arm

My mother was forced to take me in before the police found me, and the abuse continued, as did the training as she adopted fathers method for getting rid of but now, I escape my life by throwing myself into my training, learning more languages, mastering them, practicing build up strength, speed and accuracy with weapons and my body as well as practically every instrument, art, dance, sport or academic subject you can think of.

 I barely ever puffed or tired even with running tremendous distances and gymnastic sequences. Because of the inability to eat enough food, which was a important requirement of my training, I had to eat only compressed carbs, protein and nutrient gels to prevent the pain.

I was at least professional level in everything I did, and the work was the only thing keeping me sane through the agony of punishments.

One thing I could never fully master was masking my emotions when talking to anyone who could manage to get through the walls around my heart, I was to open, like a book.

I was glad I still retained the innocence of my mind and heart, and even though sometimes my optimistic nature worked against me, I would be strong.

I would survive.

A/N

This is my first wattpad story so feel free to tell me stuff to edit, likes and dislikes and all that kind of thing. :)