Heal My Heart.

Chapter 1

In a small town where people live together as one, My parents gave birth to me. I grew up as a different child since we were poor.

I wore tattered clothes, ate once a day at times through begging and didn't attend school.

Although I didn't really get anything from my parents but I was contented in my own little way thinking we're a happy family.

I should have guessed something was wrong when my parents neglected me, they hardly talk to me nor feed me.

I don't really take my bath, I didn't even have the luxury of a toothbrush not to talk of clothes and shoes. I walk around the town barely covered and dirty. Children my age singled me out and never played with me, parents in our town minded their business when it comes to my family.

A particular woman showed concern about me one day when she saw me picking from dirt and eating it.
She demanded I take her to my parents. I didn't understand what was going on or the look of pity on her face. I took her to my parents, she talked to them and their response was beating her up telling her it's none of her business.

After our neighbours rescued the woman from my parents, they turned to me and beat me blue black warning me to never in my life bring any stranger to our house.
I had bruises all over my body but I still loved and cared for my parents.

I went out as usual one day only for me to come back and meet my mother sprawled on the ground with blood all over her and my father with a big stick in his hand dripping blood.
Passers by hurried past our house with no intention to come to my mother's rescue.

I didn't understand it, I was too young to understand what was going on. I was frightened and I screamed at the top of my voice.
My father looked at me with hatred in his eyes and walking towards me said " You daughter of a witch, I'll kill you today".

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and ended up in front of a school. I couldn't read nor write.
I was staring at the school when a man beckoned me, I moved towards him slowly and finally got to where he sat.

He looked at me and asked,
" What is your name?

I replied sheepishly,
"Nora.

" How old are you?
He asked again

I raised up four fingers as I've seen other children do and said,

"Seven.

He looked at me, smiled and put up three more of my fingers told me to count along with him and said,

"That's Seven.

I counted again and raised Seven of my fingers showing it to him.
Then he really looked at me and asked me where my parents are and my house location.
Remembering what I ran from at home, I started crying.

The man drew me close to him and said,
" Shhh,  stop crying. I won't ask you about it again. But why are you not in school at this hour?

"I'm not going to school. My parents didn't take me there.
I replied him as best as I could. He smiled like he understood me, told me to come see him the next day as he has other things to attend to and left.

I was happy and ran back home totally forgotten what happened earlier. On getting home, the house was deserted.
My Mum and Dad were no where to be found, no traces of blood either. I entered our house checked where they keep their things and it was empty, all gone. I looked around our compound but didn't see anything pertaining to my parents.