*WARNING: THE PROLOGUE MAY BE TRIGGERING TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED PHYSICAL ABUSE. DON'T READ IT IF YOU THINK IT MAY UPSET YOU.*
"What did I say about talking!" Syn back up against her bedroom wall as her father bore down on her. Tears were steaming down her face. How could she have forgotten her father's key rule?
"Never speak unless you are spoken to." Syn sobbed.
"Then why the hell did I catch you speaking to that twat next door?"
"He asked me a question. Please, don't hurt me. I'm sorry!"
"Hurt you? Oh, no. I won't hurt you. I'll break you." Syn's father took a fistful of her hair and dragged her down the stairs. She would have screamed for her mother but Carey was already unconcious in the living room. Syn's mother was always the first to taste Ronnie's wrath. But he saved most of his rage for his 17 year old daughter.
Syn whimpered as her father threw her to the floor in the kitchen and picked up a knife from the counter. Ronnie pushed the knife into Syn's back and relished her cry of fear. Ronnie continuously slashed his daughter's back and shoulders. By the time he was finished she would never want to speak again.
"Syn. Wake up, honey. We have to be quick." Carey whispered and gently shook her daughter awake. Syn sat up and noticed that two suitcases were stood by her bedroom door. What the hell was going on?
"Huh?" Syn murmered and got out of bed, wincing at the pain from her back and shoulders. Nearly a week later and she was still suffering.
"We're leaving, Syn. We're going to the police and we're leaving the country. Don't get changed, we can change when we're safe. I'll get the car keys, you take the suitcases downstairs. Be quick but be quiet." Carey said and ushered her daughter over to the suitcases. Syn immediately grabbed them and hurried out of her room and down the stairs, waiting by the door for her mother. Even though she hated her father she felt a little guilty about leaving. But that feeling was washed away by the memories of abuse she had received. Her father hadn't always been that way. Up until she was 12 she remembered Ronnie teaching her how to fight. When she had started high school, the abuse had started. Syn didn't know what she had done wrong.
Carey rushed down the stairs with a pair of keys in her hand and opened the front door quickly. Syn noticed she was rushing and picked up the suitcases, running to the car and flinging them in the back seat when her mum opened the door. Carey jumped into the drivers seat and Syn ran to the passenger side, slamming the door behind her.
"You ready to go?" Carey said as she started up the engine and Syn nodded. Ronnie came thundering out of the house yelling abuse at them as Carey reversed out of the driveway. Thankfully the car had a built in system that locked the doors as soon as the car started moving. It could only be opened by the driver and Carey was not going to open it any time soon.
"Fuck you, Ronnie!" Carey yelled and sped off down the street. Leaving her husband to stand in the cold, screaming at nothing.