Moonlight fell through a large hole in the roof, illuminating the otherwise impenetrable darkness with a pale blue glow. Natsuki shivered and tightly wrapped her makeshift blanket around herself. She was seated next to a broken window, shards of glass scattered around her on the wooden floor. Under the white curtain she was using to keep warm, her pink nightgown was torn and dirty. The only sounds to be heard were her sharp breaths and occasional sobs - not enough noise to draw her from her memories.
He's home. Drunk. Angry. He stormed into her room. She was asleep. Beaten. Screaming. Splintering wood. Tears and blood flowed freely. He left. She didn't sleep again.
Natsuki snuck out that night; she stuffed a few essentials into a purse, climbed out of her window, and ran barefoot down the street. She didn't know where she was going, but didn't care. She just ran, the night air cold against her wet cheeks. Natsuki simply couldn't continue living in the place she called home.
After a while, she found an old wooden house on the outskirts of town. It was one story and clearly abandoned; the grass in the yard almost reached her knees and a window on one side had been busted open. She knocked on the door anyway, and after receiving no response, tried the knob to find it locked. That was to be expected, but Natsuki had held on to the hope that she wouldn't have to get in through the window. She went around the side and carefully climbed inside, brushing past a set of white curtains while being mindful of the broken glass around her. She still ended up cutting her foot which drew a wince, but it was only one of many wounds to scar her that night.
The cupboards and refrigerator were empty, and there wasn't any furniture. It was also weirdly bright despite the lack of lighting. Natsuki glanced up and saw why; part of the roof was missing, revealing a full moon directly overhead. A chill in the air spread goosebumps across her skin. She pressed her arms against herself and looked for something that could protect her from the cold, her eyes finally resting on the curtains. She pulled them down and wrapped them around herself. Under the moonlight, Natsuki sat on the floor by the window, and the gravity of the situation suddenly came crashing down on her.
She shook with gasping sobs. Why couldn't she have just had a normal life? Where she could have gone to school, hung out with her friends, and maybe met a boy without having to explain what happened to her face? She couldn't even get help. If she had went to anyone, papa would have found out, and he would have killed her, she knew it. But was this hell called life worth living at all? Natsuki almost laughed at the implication of that thought. She could never commit suicide, she was too much of a coward. But then what could she do? Keep suffering? She was trapped.
Or was she? Natsuki took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped her eyes. She was sitting in a cold, decrepit house in the dead of night. Her face and body were bloodied and bruised, and she was mentally and physically exhausted. She might just die there if she didn't do anything. What did she have to lose? Nothing whatsoever, given her present situation.
With shaking hands, Natsuki took her phone out of her purse. What she was considering went completely against her instincts, but she felt something within her, a faint glimmer that had sparked to life. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but she recognized it as hope. With one call, she could have the normal life she dreamed of. Papa would get what he deserved.
She entered the emergency hotline number into her phone, but her finger hesitated above the call button. This was a risky, all-or-nothing move. Papa had always warned her not to say anything or there would be consequences. What if he broke out of prison and came after her? What if the police didn't believe her in the first place? Natsuki fiercely shook her head to clear her mind. These doubts were stupid and irrational. Of course the police would believe her; she herself was the evidence. She just had to be brave. This was, without question, one of the most difficult choices of her life, but it would change things for the better. At least, that is what she hoped. Without thinking any further, she pressed the button, and felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Tears leaked from her eyes, but they weren't of sadness. Finally, she could be free.
