Sorry. I have been busy! Here it is!

Chapter 4!

Uncle Vernon approached Harry with the deadly belt in his hands. He came through the open door and into Harry's room. Harry forced himself through the pain of his injuries, to get himself up off the floor to move away as far as possible from his uncle's wrath. He stumbled over to the far corner of the small room and turned to face Vernon.

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked. His throat was dry and parched. "Why are you doing this again? I'm almost an adult, and I can't let you treat me like this anymore. I'm not just some forgotten kid anymore. You're only going to get yourself in trouble if anyone finds out." Harry said this hoping his words would convince his uncle not to use the belt.

"Are you trying to scare me boy?" Vernon asked maliciously, starting slowly toward Harry. "You think you can tell ME what to do? Those freaky friends of yours have NEVER come to save you. What should make me think they will come and save you now? No, no, boy! You can't scare me with that! I'll show you!"

Vernon raised the belt high in the air and it came down with a hard SNAP, right on Harry's shoulder, knocking him face down on the floor. "No, Uncle Vernon" Harry started to beg, with his hands covering his head. "Please, No!" But Vernon brought down the belt again, now on Harry's back, and again, and again, and again. Each time Harry wincing, trying his best to prevent himself from crying out in pain. SNAP, SNAP, SNAP, it went on forever. The pain was unbelievable, and Harry could feel the skin on his back stinging. It was very raw, where welts, he knew, were forming.

Harry's brain was about to explode. The pain was unbearable and each with each whip, Harry felt more and more sick. Harry started to cough uncontrollably, and with this he could taste blood in his mouth. He was coughing up blood! Vernon didn't care at all. If he did anything he only increased his pace with the belt. Eventually Harry stopped coughing, but that didn't make him feel any better.

After only so long, could Harry's weak body, take all the lashes and the intense pain. His surroundings were beginning to fade, and the sound of the situation turned off. Harry blacked out into unconsciousness.

Harry woke up, still lying face down on the floor. He was groggy and confused with his whole body, and particular his back, throbbing in pain. He could tell Vernon was gone by the ringing silence of the room, but Harry knew now, that he would be back. At least he could rest for now.

Harry had no idea what time of day it was. He wanted to sit up and look out the window but he didn't dare rattle his body by trying to get up. He was too exhausted, plus his eyes, he could feel, had become even more swollen then they had been before. Harry felt like his whole body was broken, his head hurt tremendously. 'Somehow, once again, I'm still alive' Harry thought before falling fast asleep.

Harry woke unpleasantly, a couple of hours later. He had jerked awake from a bad dream and tried to jump to his feet, only to have pain shoot through his legs, as they collapsed and he fell back down on the floor. He had forgotten about the sorry condition in which he was in.

Harry cringed in pain as he slowly crawled over to the wall so he could rest against it. He leaned against it and let out a huge sigh.

Harry's eyes still felt swollen, but nevertheless he forced himself to open them. He looked around his room. Aka. His cell. It was dark, but he could still see everything with the moonlight shining through the window, lighting up the room. There was blood all over the floor, some dents in the wall, and what little furniture which there had been, had been over turned. 'If this is what just the room looks like I can't imagine what I look like.' Harry thought. At least he knew the Dursleys were fast asleep right now, and for now, he was safe.

Harry's thoughts drifted as he sat all alone in his cell. He thought about Hedwig, and how he had her stay at Ron's for the summer. If only he had her company, and her help, maybe things wouldn't be that bad. 'How am I going to get out of this? I can't take this much longer. And I haven't eaten in ages! He is going to kill me!'

He thought about the conversation he had had with Uncle Vernon, before the whipping. Vernon had said that no one had ever come to save Harry, and that no one ever would. Harry wished he could say thatthese words from his uncle were wrong. But Harry came to realize that what he had said was actually true. No one was coming to rescue him, no one knew anything was wrong…Harry was going to die here, alone, unless he took his life in his own hands.

Harry knew he had to leave NOW. He was going to run away, despite Dumbledore's ignorant wishes.

Harry sucked up his pain, and pulled himself onto his feet. He swayed a little bit and saw stars before his eyes, but steadied himself by putting his hand on the wall. Wincing from soreness, and limping as he walked, Harry slowly started his way across the room. Once he reached the door, he grabbed the door knob and twisted it. It was unlocked! The door swung open and Harry quietly made his way down the hall and to the stairs. Harry moved extremely slowly, but at least he was quiet and he still made good progress. As he passed his aunt and uncles room, he could hear Vernon's horrendous snores which confirmed, that his uncle was indeed, fast asleep.

Harry had trouble going down the stairs, but nevertheless he made it. He stopped and rested at the bottom and at the same time, he listened for sounds of any stirring. However, he didn't hear anything. 'This is almost too easy!' thought Harry.

Harry knew that there was no way he would get far at all from his house on foot. He would probably kill himself from the exhaustion. He couldn't use his broom because it had been locked under the stairs. Harry didn't care right now, about leaving his belonging behind. Anyway, there was still another form a transportation that he could take. He knew that he would have to take the car.

Harry grabbed the keys off the Kitchen counter and wobbled his way to the garage. He looked at the two cars parked, before him and decided he would take the jetta. It was Petunia's. He opened the green car door and climbed into the seat. It felt soo good to sit. Harry's body was radiating in pain from the long trip from his room to the garage. He was worn out from it and closed his eyes, wishing again for a nap. But Harry knew he must wake up, and continue in his escape if he wanted to make it out of hell.

Harry had driven a car before, but the condition he was in made him uneasy. 'I can't do this!' He thought. 'I can barely move my arms and legs, and I keep falling asleep! How the heck am I going to drive a car like this?' Harry took a second to rethink what he was doing, before reassuring himself. 'I have to do this! There's no way out of it! Anyway there shouldn't be many cars on the road at this time.'

Harry pushed the garage door opener, and turned the car on, not caring anymore if the Dursleys would hear or not. For by the time they figured out what was going on, he would be gone and would be on the road to freedom.