I hug my knees as a torch light searches the room. My dark brown hair lies across my face, damp with blood and sweat. The corner of the room I am in is dark and uncomfortable. I am scared. I squeeze the small bear in my hands. I pray silently.

The tears roll down my cheeks and the cut under my left eye begins to sting as the salty tears roll into it, one after the other.

The torch light passes just in front of my feet and I squeeze further back into the corner. I hide the bear under an old torn patch of carpet. The torch light passes over me.

I gulp. A face is shoved into my line of vision and I scream. The woman in front of me grins and grips my arm, yanking me out of my hiding place.

"There you are you little bitch! You didn't honestly think you could hide from Mommy, did you?" She laughs at me, a hoarse, evil laugh, and I can smell the whiskey on her breath. She grips me harder and I scream out in pain. She just laughs.

"What made you think you could hide from me? You're a no-one. You're a no-one, Amberlyn May!"

I cry as she strikes at my face again and again. Her words hurt, but not as much as her blows.

"Mommy, please! I'm sorry!"

She takes a hold of my hair and slams my head against the wooden cupboard next to me.

"Liar! You're a fucking lying bitch!"

She drops me on the ground and I can feel the blood trickling from my forehead. She walks out and leaves me. I crawl across the floor, my vision blurry from tears and blood. I grab the small bear and hug him.

"We're leaving Gunner. I'm packed and ready."

I reach under the bed and pull out a small dirty backpack.

Not being fed forced me to learn to steal. Something I was very good at now.

There were two water bottles in the bag, as well as an apple and a piece of bread.

I slung the bag over my shoulder and picked up a large stick that I had brought in from the garden. I stand at the window. It is dark and I am afraid. I squeeze gunner.

I know as soon I smash the window I'll need to run.

I grip the stick tighter and swing it forward, using every ounce of strength in my thirteen-year-old body.

Crash!

The window shatters into a million pieces and I launch myself out.

The stones dig into my feet when I touch the ground, but my feet are tough.

"Amberlyn, you little bitch!"

I spin around.

Mom is at the window, her blonde hair whipping around her face, her bloodshot-blue eyes scorching.

Run Amberlyn. Run as fast as you can.

The thoughts scream at me and I obey.

I run as fast as I can, across the sharp stones. I don't know where I'm going. I'm just running.

The tears blind me and I can hardly see at all. That's when I reach the edge of the cliff.

I stumble off of the edge and freefall. My surroundings flash by me as I twist and turn in the air. I squeeze Gunner and as my body hits the icy river below, I black out.