𝖥𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖣𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗁 𝖮𝖿 𝖬𝗒 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

005| Prologue

Prologue.

She took a glance at her own reflection on the bathroom mirror and she felt shame, weakness and vulnerability shower over her. Her face was sore and full of bruises, her braids scattered all over the floor in results of being pulled by her hair. She turned away from the mirror and sat on the edge of the bathtub, filling it up with warm water and started pulling the rest of her braids off because half of them were already on the floor, she saw no use to keep them on. As slowly as she could, she undressed and got inside the tub, she flinched in pain as the warm water worsened the pain she was already experiencing - she felt like salt was being poured over her wounds. Her tears involuntarily departed her beautiful black eyes that were dimmed and lost their spark from losing the faith and hope that she would be saved from this abusive natured relationship she was in, and they gushed down her cheeks leaving wet trails under her eyes - on her skin. God knows she has prayed, she has attempted to leave, but he always knew where to find her and what to say to her to make her feel like an object he would forever be in ownership of. She wanted to leave her boyfriend, Lunathi, but she feared losing her daughter or having to die in the hands of the man that once professed the love he had for her. Her baby girl was the only good thing that was reaped from the relationship. How she sometimes wished she could have her own money and just get away from all of this with her daughter, protect and give her daughter a much better life than the life they are stuck to live, a forced life. She was only three months old, she didn't deserve nor was supposed to be exposed to such a toxicated environment but - what could he do? Report him? Impossible - Lunathi was friends with these police officer, the first and last time she reported him - she landed her self in hospital and gave birth to a premature baby and if she were to do it again, she would be killed or be separated from her daughter, forever.

She quickly got out of the tub as the water was starting to get cold.She drained the water off the bathtub, cleaned it and then made her way to the bedroom, tiptoeing her way inside in attempt to avoid awakening her daughter because as much as she was an adorable little girl, she could get cranky when awaken. It was 9 A.M and Lunathi was at work. He worked as a security guard and didn't earn much, but enough to provide for Nosibusiso's needs and a few things around the house. Her parents? Sadly, her mother died when she was only 9, and her father remarried six years later but he chose her stepmother over his own flesh and blood, his own daughter, two years ago and that is how she encountered Lunathi and he took her in.

She settled into a simple summer dress and flip flops, and then headed to her wardrobe - reached out to the last drawer and pulled out a tin of polish. She took a piece of cotton wool and a mirror, walked over to the bed and took a sit on it. She applied the brown polish on her bruises and black eye as a way to camouflage them and she combed her afro, before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast for herself and porridge for Nosibusiso. All along she was listening to music from the radio as she was tuned into Metro FM but, she heard her baby crying from the bedroom and rushed there. " Morning baby girl ", she greeted her daughter who quietened down when she heard her mother's voice. With a smile plastered on her face, she looked down on her daughter who was now in her hands and she kissed her adorable, chubby cheeks following with a soft peck on her little pouted lips, and Nosibusiso smiled happily, giggling softly in the process. She ran her a bath, bathed her and settled her into a pink romper suit and headed to the kitchen, carrying her. She dished up the now warm porridge and fed her daughter, helped her drink water and burped her. Shortly after that, she changed the TV channel to e-toons and then placed her daughter on the couch - balancing her with pillows and a blanket, into a sitting position. She ate her own food, cleaned and tidied up around the house and still managed to cook lunch and dinner, before her daughter demanded all the attention and for the moment she was glad Nosibusiso wasn't a demanding crybaby. Just feed her, bathe her, change her nappy when necessarily and get her to bed, and done. She found her precious bundle of joy sleeping and she had her tucked in, then headed out to find something interesting to do.

Hours later, Lunathi returned from ' work ' with a nauseating smell of alcohol that filled the room just by him walking past, worsening when talking. Just by the sight Tshegofatso saw, she knew that she should dread talking or arguing with him for her own sake, safety and sanity. She had just tucked Nosibusiso in, when Lunathi went to the bedroom and came back a while later with a change of clothes and, " Ngilambile "( I am hungry ), he said to Tshegofatso who just simply stood up and walked to the kitchen to warm up the food she had prepared earlier and she dished up for him and herself. She handed over the plate of food to him and they had their meals with no words muttered, she washed the dishes after eating and then headed to the bedroom. She was getting ready for bed, settling into her pyjamas when Lunathi walked in and walked straight to her, and started kissing her neck. " Lunathi stop ", she attempted to push him away but he didn't even move, he didn't budge. He just continued undressing the girl and pushed her onto the bed and got on top of her. As much as she felt violated and dirty, she didn't want to be beaten into a pulp so she just let the man do whatever he wanted with her. Feeling her breathing down her neck, feeling him enter her dry coochie and him humping on top of her, going in and out with his hard cock that felt like a piece of wood entering her, hearing him moan and groan in enjoyment while all she felt was excruciating pain - it made her feel cheap. This happened almost every night but she wasn't getting used to it. It wasn't the kind of pain you wouldn't just familiarize yourself with, it was the kind that lingered on you for the whole day and traumatized you. Feeling powerless, she just laid there and let him do what he wanted to do with her and when she was done, she turned over and grabbed the sheets, covered herself and held onto them for dear life as she felt her tears grace the pillow. She cried silently not wanting to anger Lunathi, and she only fell asleep at 12 AM, due to the pain she was in.