Daughter Of Daggers

Chapter 1 - Freedom Truly is Just an Illusion

I am now the 'proud' new owner of several scars and I am ashamed of every one of them. The worst of them are not even the ones that would be visible to the eye. No, those are not the ones leave the bitter taste in my mouth. No it is the ones that have changed my views, my reactions and my very core. The ones that broke me and have rebuilt me stronger then ever before. The ones never seen but still visible.

Two weeks have passed since my eighteenth Birthday, and I had spent every day since the momentous occasion planning my escape. The escape from a fate that the family who had raised me sold me into. First I should state for the record that I had believed them to be my biological family despite it now being ever so obvious that I am not related to them in the slightest. The second, and harder truth to accept, is that they didn't so much as raise me but had spent my upbringing trying to groom me into an easy submission.

It has only been ten minutes since my daring escape, five minutes since exiting the bus at the train station and thirty seconds since finding an empty carriage and positioning myself in a way to make a quick escape if need be. It will take several hours to reach my destination and as much as I need sleep I have learnt better then to let my guard down in such ways.

I had done my research before my birthday when I had thought I would finally be leaving the Mason family, whom had no idea of my plans at the time. Cairns, Far North Queensland, where the rain forest meets the reef and where country meets city. The perfect area to hide in plain sight, while still having everything available.

I look over my new documents again, most specifically my drivers licence making sure to remember the details.  Bella-Rose May Smith, red hair, blue eyes, 160cm. Naming myself had been easy enough, simply hyphenating my original first and middle followed by one of the most common middle and last names that I could think of. The birth date is only a few days off of what mine was originally, I had thought when I made the order that keeping my story close to the truth will mean less mistakes to be made.

The paranoia begins to creep through my carefully constructed inner sanctuary and I begin question my choices. Had I made myself too easy to trace keeping such close ties to my old life? Shivers run down my spine, a chill sweeps through my body and my jaw begins chattering. I wrap my blanket around myself tighter then before, as if it is all that can hold me together. Lovingly stroking the dagger hidden under my skirt, I shut down my thoughts before the anxiety attack can overwhelm me. I can not allow myself to fall apart before I am far from here.

The door to my carriage section opens and a gentleman walks through. He is as tall as he is broad, a black coat and cowboy hat cover any distinguishable features. My hackles immediately rise knowing that I would be bested by this man in an instant but I know better then to show any weakness. He seats himself three rows in front of me with his back turned away from me. There is something very purposeful about the move.

"Out with it then sir, am I to be taken back to the monsters or am I to be toyed with first?"

He does not answer me, does not even shuffle in his seat. Either he is choosing to ignore the question, is unsure if it was directed at him or not or has inadvertently answered me by saying nothing. And to think I had thought I timed everything so perfectly. I will have to wait for him to make his move before I make my own. I will never be taken back to that hell, even if it means only one will walk away.

"Next station Cairns Central" booms throughout the train causing me to jump in my seat.

Sighing to myself I gather up my things and notice that the other gentleman who had joined me in the carriage is also doing the same. With my suspicions confirmed I do my self check assuring myself of my weapons placement and remembering the basic self defence I had taken without the Mason family knowing.