"You're fucking worthless!" the words are screamed into her face with alcoholic breath, and she cowers, fear twisting in her belly. "Why the fuck did you think it was a good idea to put water in the soap?"
"You told me to, so that we could have more soap for longer," she whispered. "You said it was better than having to buy it all the time."
Her father grabbed her hair and yanked on it to make her stand up from her seat at the table. She looked at him in terror, knowing what was coming but unable to stop it. A solid fist connected to her jaw and her head snapped to the side. Burning, throbbing pain spread through her nervous system and she fought tears.
"Fucking useless piece of shit," he hissed. "I don't know why I keep your stupid ass around. I should just toss you out on the street, you filthy whore."
She hid the hope in her soul, burying it deep down so that he could not see it. So she turned her head and began to beg him to not throw her out, please. He grew angrier and angrier the more she pleaded. Finally he let go of her hair and shoved her to the ground.
"Shut the fuck up, bitch," he snarled, kicking her in the ribs with a steel toed boot. She begged and begged him not to toss her out until he snapped and began to pound on her with his boots and fists. She covered her head as she felt her ribs crack. He pounded on her for what felt like forever.
When he finally stopped she was once more grabbed by her hair, and he dragged her to the door. Every cracked rub, every bruise, every possibly broken bone screamed. She begged him with what little breath she could muster not to toss her outside in the freezing cold.
"Daddy, please," she cried, grasping at the hands that held her long hair in a painful grip. "Daddy, don't do this, please, Daddy." He ignored her and continued to drag her. He dragged her down the stairs and halfway down, he let go just to let her head bounce on the edge of a stair. She cried out as blinding pain stabbed her skull, tears falling from her eyes. Black swam in her vision as he once more grabbed her hair and drug her.
She was crying by now, heaving sobs that wracked her frame, causing more pain. The stairs evened out into straight floor and he dragged her to the front door. He opened it, grabbed her by her arms and literally threw her out onto the hard concrete. Her head bounced, her ribs cracked even more and she bit her tongue hard enough to taste blood. She curled up into a ball of pain and shivered at the cold winter air. The ground was cold, icy, deadly.
She heard the door close and laid there for an eternity, unable to move. She didn't know how much longer afterwards it was, but the door opened and hard things were thrown at her before it closed again. She raised her throbbing head and opened her eyes to see her most treasured possessions, the ones he saw as completely worthless.
A small, damaged iPod and four books-The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. At that moment, she was grateful. She had faith that as long as the had this things, she would be okay.
Groaning, weeping in pain, she gathered her belongings and stood up. Her dizzy head throbbed with a vengeance, causing her eyesight to blur and her ribs were in absolute hell. But she was determined to walk and despite all odds, she did, stinging along the sidewalk. The girl had a destination in mind and she was going to get there, even if she died trying.