READ THIS MESSAGE======
WARNING!!! This chapter has very graphic scenes!! If you are easily affected by blood, abuse and death DO NOT READ!!! Image above is River!
River's P.O.V.
I heard the front door slam downstairs. I quickly turn off the lights, hop into bed and pretend to be asleep. I hear heavy footsteps on the staircase and then my door burst open. "RIVER! WAKE UP NOW!" my stepfather screams at me. I open my eyes and pretend that he woke me up. "Huh? Oh hi Josh" I say sleepily, rubbing my eyes. "Don't 'Oh hi Josh' me! Now get ready for your next beating before your mother gets home" he tells me and stalks out the room. I run over to my desk and grab out the cattail whip in the 2nd drawer. Then I quickly change into my old torn clothes and make my way downstairs.
I walk down the stairs to see Josh sitting on the couch staring at the blank TV intently. I hand him the whip and get mentally and physically prepared for what is about to happen. I heard the whip crack and the whip makes contact with my back. I scream out in pain. This happened again and again until I had about 50 marks on it and was covered in blood. Josh threw down the whip and took my face and his blood stained hands. "Do you want to finish this now?" he asked in a sickly sweet tone. I couldn't answer as I was sobbing so hard that my body was shaking. "I'll take that as a yes then" Josh said smirking and he smashed a vase into my ribs. I screamed in pain again. I was knocked backwards into the glass coffee table behind me. I scream in pain as small fragments of glass and vase stuck into my stomach, ribs and the torn skin on my back.
Suddenly, the door opened and my mum walked in with the shopping. When she sees me lying on the ground, practically dying of blood loss and Josh standing over me with the neck of a vase held in his hands, she dropped the bags of shopping and ran to the phone. She grabs it and quickly dials 000. Josh hasn't noticed Mum yet is slowing advancing towards me with the sharp and broken vase in hand. I can see Mum whispering into the phone to the emergency services. "To bad your ugly mother isn't here to save you princess" Josh says, spitting out the last word. He grabs up a knife from the counter and throws it at my head, just missing as I duck down. "Stay still little girl" he growls. He grabs up another knife and hurls it at my heart. I close my eyes and wait for the painful death. It never comes.
I open my eyes and see my mum, standing in front of me with a knife in her chest. "I love you River. Never forget that" she choked out and fell to the ground... Dead... I fell next to her crying. "HOW DARE YOU!" I scream at Josh. "HOW DARE YOU KILL HER!" I hear sirens outside and people rush in. They stand up Josh and put him in handcuffs. I cry and cry and cry as the people drag Josh out of the room. "Honey" says a woman softly, "Come with us. We can help you be safe." I get up and grab the ladies hand. I don't care if she thinks I'm strange because I'm a 19-year-old girl clinging to her side. She just strokes my hair softly and mumbles about how everything will be okay. And all I can think is how everything won't be okay.
I have no family left except my aunty who lives interstate. I never really had any friend at school as I always had bruises on my face and cuts on my thighs and wrists. Everyone thought I was weird. Even after I graduated I had no friends, as I didn't go out much.
The lady carries me to an ambulance and hooks me up to many machines. I slowly fall asleep to the beeping of the heart machine...
