THE WAY OUT

PROLOGUE

She watched from her hiding spot behind the closet door as her ten-year-old brother laid there with bloody scars on the floor...again. This was definitely not the first time their mother had come home drunk and beaten him-or her-nearly to the point of unconsciousness. It had even become a daily routine that had them scared speechless every single time their mother came back from her 'work'...she was almost certain her mother was a full-time prostitute. They always went to bed scared and hungry but there was nothing they could do....

Or was there?

She looked around as silently as she could, and thankfully her mother was nowhere to be seen. She gently crawled over to her brother and touched his arm. Her heart broke as he winced from pain and coiled into a tiny ball, hugging his knees to his chest and softly crying. "Why does Mummy hate us,Sophie? What did we do wrong?" he whispered with his back still facing her. "I...don't know, Dylan.We didn't do anything wrong, okay? Mummy is just always....upset." Upset...is too much of an understatement, she couldn't help thinking as she helped her little brother up and to the bathroom to clean up a little. He limped all the way and nearly yelped in pain as the cold water ran over his swollen face and countless wounds. As she handed him a towel, she caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror. At sixteen, her face was almost beyond recognition. But thankfully her long dark hair covered most of it up. Her perfect blue eyes filled with tears at the sight of her reflection.

No matter what happens princess, know that you have to be strong for me, for yourself and for Dylan. I love you and don't you dare forget that. I promise I'll be back for you guys,okay?...those were the last words her father told her immediately after divorcing her mother and before he went on the flight that took his life. Now, Sophia knew she had to find a way out for herself and her brother. Which is why they had to escape. That night.

She took her brother's hand and smiled at him. He nodded, already understanding what was about to happen.

They silently slipped out the back door and began to run. They had attempted this many times already and their mother managed to catch them every time and what happened afterwards was unspeakable...but Sophia knew they would make it this time. They kept running without a clue of where they were going.

Their mother was running after them, Sophia could feel it. She increased her speed and Dylan mustered whatever strength he had left and followed suit. They ran right across the huge road. They reached the other side and then...."Aaaah!" Dylan yelled as he tripped on a rock and crashed to the ground. Sophia sat down beside and hugged his trembling body. The horrible things that awaited for them when their mother finally caught them were going to hurt,but at least-

"I'm gonna kill you both!" their mother screamed, crossing the road with death boldly imprinted on her face. As she drew closer, fear shook Sophia to her core. The last thing she remembered from that night was the huge truck that killed her mother on that road and being carried along with her brother to the orphanage, the place that brought hope of a new beginning for them. For the first time in nine years, she slept with a smile on her face that night.