A normal Monday
I may not have looked it, but I could pack a punch. I know what you're thinking. OMG! That seven year old girl, who looks bone thin and only around 3'3", just punched a guy at least twice her size! To be fair he brought it on himself. Who was he to call me crazy?
I'm Jessica by the way. I don't have a last name because I'm an orphan. I was placed into the cruddy orphanage in the middle of London when I was a week old. My parents forgot me at the hospital.
Two years ago, a couple took me in. For the lady's job, she had to move to Canada.
Once we got there, I got to spend a week with them before they dropped me off in an orphanage in a shady part of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
I wasn't used to the really cold weather yet so I avoided the outdoors.
I was the only person in the orphanage who liked and knew how to read. Sure I refused to read fact, but still. My favourite is when there's magic or fighting involved. It brings a bit more adventure into my boring life.
For this reason, I was constantly made fun of. I had uncontrollably messy bright red hair, freckles running along my cheeks and over my nose, oddly coloured eyes (they were emerald green, blue and grey, flecked together to make a pair of eyes that changed depending on the mood or what was going on at the moment.), I was also very petite, I was tall for how thin she was, but I was short enough to pass as someone at least two years younger.
Anyway, I was bullied and beat up by the older kids, though it was mostly the guys. They were convinced that I was the one who played pranks on them all the time. Ok maybe it was me, but still, I wasn't admitting to it any time soon.
Anyway, I always deny them the begging and screaming that they wanted so they bought me a calendar and marked off 3-6pm everyday of the year. They promised me that if I didn't meet them in the dark hallway in the back of the orphanage, they would lengthen it to at least six hours a day instead of three. They beat me up as much as they can and leave to dinner while I try to walk up to the attic where two blankets are laid out for me. This has been going on since I was around 5.
Over the past two years, I had lost so much blood that my skin was almost perfectly white. I had permanent bruises and scars covering my stomach and back. I was so desperate that I even started trying to fight back. It made the sessions shorter, but it also made them a lot more painful.
I stared at the boy. He was at least 3 years older than me. He had dark hair and skin. He was on the floor because I had punched him in the stomach. I look around in surprise. That was me? He was like three times bigger than me! I turn on my heel and start running but I'm not fast enough.
"You'll pay for that later, you freak!" He screamed after me.
I just keep running, blinking the tears away from my eyes. I stopped as if something hit me. Where he brought me was on the other side of the dark hallway. If I want to go eat or to my room, I have to walk through it. I gather all the courage I can muster, and edge towards the entrance.
"Has the little freak come to her lessons early?" Came a voice in the shadows. I jump in fright. Carlos stepped out of the shadows glaring at me. Noting the tears in my eyes, he burst out laughing. Carlos was popular here. He was the one who started beating me up first and He wasn't stopping any time soon.
"Well, the rest of the gang wanted to eat, so I can have you to myself for an hour or two. The won't care. It'll make it easier for later when they join in on the fun." He reached out to grab my arm.
Suddenly there was a foot connecting with my head. I feel myself falling down, only to be pulled back roughly by Carlos. I felt my body being punched and kicked and scratched. I look up in horror when he stopped for a millisecond to pull out a sharp pocket knife. I was already almost unconscious, but the stinging of the knife on my skin woke me up. He was forcing it a centimeter or so into my back. He pulled it down slowly and painfully. Tears were fully falling down my face. When he reached the small of my back it was long past too painful. I started to scream. Carlos seemed to realize this within seconds. He clamped his large hand down on my mouth, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a roll of duct tape. He first covered my mouth. He then slowly taped my hands behind my back and my legs together and against the floor. I was feeling faint. I tried to lift my head, all I saw was blackness. I was unconscious before my head fell the inch and hit the floor.
When I awoke, all of the gang, plus some new recruits, was glaring down at me. They must have moved me to the basement. I was taped into place against the wall. One of the new members stepped forward. He looked about my age, maybe a few years younger, and had an evil gleam in his eye.
"I take it as she's our initiation." Ah so that's why I was here. The new guys weren't members yet. They had to beat me up enough to be satisfactory to get in.
"Yup." Carlos told the new guy. "Remember, we made it easier for you by tying her up and giving her a supreme earlier today. If you meet our standards, then you will get to help when she's dangerous. Got it?" I saw all of the recruits nod. "Have fun." Carlos turned and move away a bit. The boy that talked looked sceptical for a moment before deciding to go with it. He punched me in the head and kicked me in the stomach at the same time. My head hit the brick wall and I felt something warm trickle down my neck. I was starting to black out again when the next guy stepped was even bigger than the last guy. He slammed my head into the wall again and started twisting my arm at a painful angle. I felt my elbow pop then my arm broke as he punched it. Pain was was everywhere as the next few started getting more confident. I'm sure that they broke my left arm, right leg, left foot and at least a few ribs. I was blacking out when the last person stepped forward. He took a few steps closer to me and mouthed 'I'm Sorry'. I managed as close to a nod as I could before he punched me on my jaw, making me go unconscious for the third time today.