Carefully I move the razor over Father's skin. I'm practiced by now, because he hasn't been able to shave himself for a long time. His hands are shaking far too much. It feels disgusting to be so close to him. He smells of the hard liquor he drinks day after day. Suddenly he moves and the sharp blade leaves a thin red mark on his cheek.
"Watch out, stupid brat!" he barks.
"Forgive me, Father", I quickly apologize, and a handkerchief appears in my hand to clean the cut. I can't control it.
Before I can even touch him, he jerks away, calling me a wicked devil. I don't understand how a father can say such things right to his child, his own flesh. We share the same blood after all. Suffering from his abuse and humiliation I always tried my best to be his good girl so that he would finally love me.
"You are not my daughter!"
One single sentence breaks my world into pieces. Now as an adult, I learn what I really am. My parents found me on the side of the road, a tiny newborn abandoned in a basket. It was Mom who did not want to leave me to the wolves. She held me in her arms and protected me. He blames me for blinding her with my big blue eyes so that she didn't see the wickedness in them. I am nothing but a bastard. Unwanted by my birth mother and despised by the man I called father all my life. According to him it's my fault that he gets himself drunk night after night. His reproaches make me angry beyond belief. I'd rather be wicked than a disgusting useless drunk! Finally after all these years I find the courage to walk out of that door. I don't look back. He will never love me like a father should do, but somewhere out there I may have a family I belong to.
I follow the yellow brick road to the glorious Emerald City from my girlhood dreams. But I am not this innocent child anymore; little Leni died long ago. As I enter the wizard's audience chamber, I have nothing left to lose. The golden and green splendidness all around blinds me as I make my request. Within the mosaic star adorning the floor, he reveals my little sister to me. How beautiful she is, with her braided hair that has the color of the night. Only her dark brown eyes are far too serious for her young age. Our mother raised her while she abandoned me. Regina is a queen; she is loved by the people. Oz, I envy her! She has everything, I have nothing. I am twenty-four.