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● Prologue ●

I was holding hands with Mummy. She was taking me to explore.

We walked and found a path. The path had big trees on both sides.

"Mummy," I said, "it's beautiful!"

"It is, isn't it?" Mummy said.

We kept walking down the path and got to an even more beautiful place! There was green grass and a river and a bench in front of the river. It was amazing!

"Mummy! It's amazing!"

"Yeah, it is!" She said.

She kneeled down in front of me. She looked at me.

"Look Grace," she said to me, "you're very small-"

"No!" I said, "I'm five!"

She smiled, "You're my big girl. But you still have a long life to live. We've just moved here. I might not live here much longer."

"What?" I said, "You're leaving?"

"Maybe. But I will always be right here." she pointed to my heart. I smiled. "Whenever you want to find me," she said, "you can come here. But just make sure that daddy doesn't find out! Be careful about that. And don't tell Joseph."

I nodded my head.

Grace's Mum's POV
I was kneeling down in front of Grace. My little five year old was about to face a hard life. David wasn't going to stop beating me up any time soon. I couldn't face it any more. And I had no other option but to leave my five year old daughter, Grace, and my 10 year old son, Joseph, alone with their cruel father, David.

Grace smiled at me. I wish I could take it and keep it with me forever, look at it and light up my day.

Grace's POV
"Come on," Mummy said, "I'll walk you home. Make sure to remember the way here, okay?"

"Okay."

Me and Mummy held hands and walked home. She opened the door.

She told me to go in first.

"Grace." I heard her say behind me. I turned around to look at her. Mummy hugged me, and kissed my nose.

"Bye Grace."

"Bye Mummy."

She closed the door.

I didn't know it would be, but it was the last time I saw my Mummy.