Staring at the closed door, I recalled their cruel faces and vowed under the moonlight.
One day, I—Emma—would drag each of them down to hell!
My stepfather John was a local bully with connections to the village chief; he was notorious for his violent ways that terrified everyone around him.
During those early years of abuse, I attempted to escape countless times but was always caught and brought back home for another beating.
John's threats echoed through the village loudspeakers. If I ran away, no one would be safe in their homes.
This time would be no different.
A three-wheeled cart waited at the village entrance as Lewis roughly pulled me onto it.
He was a friend of my stepfather's with a terrifying scar across his face.
"You better behave; otherwise, I'll break your legs!" he warned.
Under his watchful eye, I started working at a food packaging factory.
My days were spent on the assembly line from dawn till dusk, earning piecework wages while Lewis kept a close watch on me as if I were his prisoner.
Despite the oppressive atmosphere, I resolved to work hard and save money—there had to be a way out someday.