iris [on hold]

➵ two

It wasn't the unsettling noise of the mattress springs and obviously not the roar of the demon that woke her up, it was the shriek. A screech worse than nails being dragged on a chalkboard, more like a blood-curdling scream from the pits of hell.

Her eyes pop open and she finds all her siblings already huddled together, whimpering like puppies abandoned in a storm. She draws nearer to them, and Ben immediately jumps on her lap, hugging her as if his dear life depended on it. Max and Mia cling onto her from both the sides. All of them desperately struggling to muffle their sobs.

"hush," she whispered softly, squeezing their hands gently.

"it's okay. I'm here, I'm here" she reassures them. It was going to be a long night, she thought.

Suddenly the room was filled with that miserable scream again. This time, louder, making all of them jump. She swore she could almost hear four hearts thumping rapidly in the room.

She tries to gulp down the rage burning up her throat. The desire to spring into action is stronger than ever, coursing aggressively through her blood. She feels it igniting her bones to fire.

Then, she hears pathetic sobs, and it seemed as if her mother would never stop crying. She tries to blink away the tears. She tries to hold her siblings closer, until there's barely room for air. She tries to drink up her anger. She does everything she could to tame her rage.

But she fails.

She instantly gets up, her legs moving on their own accord, and lead her straight to her mother's room. Her mind refusing to cooperate, barely functioning as she slams the door open.

"what the hell?"

The unwelcoming sight of him disgusts her. Her eyes scan the room until they lay upon her mother, lying on the floor.

The fury was boiling up.

Her mother's lips were bleeding.

The fire started cremating her lungs.

She had bruises on her hands.

It consumed her being, pulverizing her heart.

"ho-honey, go back to your ro-room." her mother stuttered as she tried to get up; she couldn't.

And that was it. It felt like a volcano erupting through her being.

"you monster!" she screamed her heart out as she pushed him; the demon that gifted them nothing but catastrophe and chaos, the poison in their lives, the assassin of their dreams, the slaughterer of their happiness.

He stumbled a little before gaining balance. His eyes glinted with insanity, like a mad hyena ready to pounce its prey.

"how dare you little b*tch?!"

It took her a few seconds to process the whole scene. The contact of his filthy fist to her jaw. Her mother's desperate pleas and struggles to get up as she feels herself losing touch with reality. She hits the cold ground, her body quivering by the impact, her consciousness slowly drifting away.

And the last thing she tasted was the metallic taste of her own blood; the same blood that held bitter hatred for the despicable animal that wrecked her life.

❄ ❆ ❄ ❆ ❄ ❆ ❄ ❆

fast fact: It is estimated that 1 in 4 women (recent statistics) worldwide  have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or by a non-partner at some point in their lives.

note to domestic violence victims:  Believe me when I tell you this, no one deserves to be lonely. No one deserves to be treated like that. And no one, NO ONE has the right to force you to accept their definition of your life; you define yourself. Never be bullied into silence, and if you're helpless, PLEASE ask for help. Always. Trust me, I know what it's like when you feel like no one sees, nobody cares enough to notice, and you're all alone in this world, but believe me you're not. Please don't think twice in asking for help.

It doesn't have to be physical violence, if the relationship involves humiliation, degradation, manipulation and control, you're allowed to leave the toxic relationship, because life is so much more than walking on eggshells, and you shouldn't live your life with fear.

Reminder- you're enough. Do not underestimate yourself and please don't hate yourself. Your worth isn't defined by what people say, it only defines theirs. 

And most importantly, you are NOT a victim, you're a victor, because you're still here, and strong enough to go through this everyday, and I know it's so easier said than done, but please speak up. There is always a way out.  

Stay Strong. xx