My diary.

3. Avy,

Dear Avy,
I messed up. Big time. Am grounded. I rarely go out but now I am grounded. For as long as my father deems right. I begged and pleaded but he wouldn't budge. Am now a prisoner, my room is my jail. I only have you now.

I forgot you don't know what happened. I fell asleep. Halfway through the horror film I fell asleep. Right there on the sofa in my lingerie and heels. My father came home and found me like that with a horror movie replaying on the screen.

I woke up to find myself still on the sofa covered by a blanket. I was horrified. I pulled myself into my wheelchair and fled into my room. I got into normal clothes as fast as I could and got into bed.

Yet, he still came for me. He yelled at me for dressing like the devil's agent and watching movies inspired by Satan himself. He called me a disgrace. He said he wished he didn't have to put up with me. That if only mama survived and not me. He said I was a test he had endured for too long.

And I cried. I spent all of today crying. Now am too tired and thirsty to cry anymore. So am going to write instead. I will tell you a story too. My story.

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She was lucky, very lucky. She had a mother with the heart of an angel and a smile as bright as the stars. Her father was quiet and kind. They both loved her to no end. She grew up happy and kind just like her parents. She loved people and always had something cheerful to say to everyone.

She always dreamt of being a professional athlete. She worked hard to build her strength and endurance. It was all working out well. She passed the trials and qualified for nationals. She was making a good start at forming the national team for Olympics.

And then, it all came tumbling down. Two days to the qualifiers, she was at home with her mother. She lay on her bed looking at her glow in the dark ceiling. There was a knock at the front door and she got up to check if it was her father.

It was not. She walked into the living room to find masked men cornering her mother. They all turned to her as she walked in.

Fear. It was all she could feel. She was so scared she could hear blood rushing in her arteries. Her feet were struggling to hold up her weight. Her chest clenched and she couldn't breath.

Her mother moved to stand in front of her. Acting as a shield.

She felt the pain before she heard the gunshot. It was her left bicep.

The thugs ran. They never stopped to check if they hit the mark.

Her mother was speaking. But she couldn't hear. It hurt. It hurt so bad. She was sobbing. She didn't even realise this until she felt the tears fall.

Her mother held her close as she dialed for an ambulance. She clung tight to her mother. She was her safe place.

But not for long. That was only the start."

That's it for now. I can't write anymore without ruining you beautiful pages with my tears. I will try to sleep now.

I won't be giving you another name. I think its dumb for you to have so many names.

Instead I'll tell you something I like and it will be a passcode for next time.

The passcode will be:

Glitter.

Love,
Mill.