My parents Charlie and Renee have been divorced for as long as I can remember. Recently my mom, Renee got remarried to Phil, a baseball player. And he wasn't quite as nice to me as he was to Mom. In fact quite the opposite.

Whenever Mom wasn't home I would go through the worst type of torture. Beatings. Each time they seem to get harder and harder. Renee wonders why I don't have friends anymore. Little does she know that they or I would be dead the second they called the house.

I zoomed out of my memories and returned to the present right in the middle of a beating.

"It's your fault we lost the game!" Phil's harsh voice snarled. "All your fault!"

His fist was swung down into my gut. This one hurt more than the other punches. It's still a surprise I'm alive, let alone standing upright.

He picked me up by the collar of my shirt and pushed me into a wall. His nasty breath fanned across my face. It took all of my will power to not puke right then and there.

Blood was everywhere on me. He dropped me onto the floor and kicked repeatedly. Black splotches covered my vision and I sunk down into peace into unfeeling.

2 HOURS LATER

I woke up with a jolt and peered at the clock. 2:45 it read. Shit. How the hell am I supposed to clean up all of this blood? I jumped up and got to cleaning.

After the floor and walls were clean I needed to take a shower so I jumped in. The water burnt my skin like ice. I quickly scrubbed up making myself look presentable.

After I got out of the shower and got dressed into my black skinny jeans, black long sleeve and a red vest. I paused to think. Why do I even put up with this? The beatings will get so harsh that I won't be able to stay alive anymore.

This is it. No more Ms. Nice Bella.

I grabbed my black canvas bag and shoved three outfits and a bunch of under garments in and grabbed my black Vans slip on's. And the final touches my ipod and a baseball cap. Only 5 minutes until Renee arrives. I quickly looked both ways over my shoulders and unlatched the window.

I agilely leapt out the window and grabbed the waiting tree. And dropped onto the ground before looking both ways and took of at a sprint.

I ran and ran into the woods. I bent down completely out of breath. I looked up to survey my positioning when I saw a small girl in a hunter green cloak. She blended in so much that I had to squint my eyes to see her.

"Come here" I beckoned her with my finger. She hesitantly came forth. I noticed that she had golden like chains swirling up her arms like vines. Her golden blonde hair fell in tangled waves down to her hips. On top of her head there was a tiara made of dried vines. In her hand was a bow and a bag full of arrows was perched on her back.

"Are you alright? Why are you this deep in the woods?" She asked her voice high and soprano but deeply calming.

"I'm fine and I could be asking you the same things Nature Girl." I responded. It sounded snotty but I didn't mean it like that.

"Haha. You are quite right. I live out here. Come along I will bring you to my manor." Boy did this little girlspeak maturely. Wait hold on MANOR!

"How old are you and what's your name?" I asked as I followed her.

" I am Lilly. And I'm 11 years old. And what are your answers to your own questions?" She said.

WOW! Only 11 and yet she seems pretty confident.

"Oh, well, I'm Isabella, call me Bella. And I am 16 years old." I said. She nodded.

"May I call you Izzy or is that too juvenile?" I nodded. "Well Izzy, I think you will get along amazingly with the rest of us." A question suddenly came to mind.

"How many of 'us' are there?" Lilly shrugged.

"Okay what do you all consist of?"

"Well have you ever thought of where all runaways go to? They come here and they live until they want to leave."

"Whoa. Did you seriously say manor? Where would you hind one any way?" I asked mystified by said.

"I did indeed say manor and where it is located well follow me." We traveled a little ways deeper into the woods. She looked up and pointed. I could see nothing but dense leaves and vines. I looked at her questioningly and she laughed. It sounded like bells. Just the I noticed how truely beautiful she was.

She walked up to a tree and raised her eyebrow signaling my approach. I obeyed and walked up as she reached down to the ground and pulled on a piece of rope that was well worn. She pulled up on it and up came a door in the ground. She jumped in and I followed. I fell about 7 ft before hitting the ground with a thud.

"I thought your pointed up?"

" I did but that's not the way up." She grinned.