Jumping off from my bike I quietly walk across the lawn and into the front door. The house was mostly dark except the dim light of the television in the living room, peeking around the corner I could see my father passed out on the recliner. A beer can was tipped over at the foot of the recliner, the dim light of the television highlighted his slim tall frame. " And score!" The television shouted as applause cheered, the loud sound of the cheering applause caused my father's eyes to flutter open.

He abruptly stood up and cheered unknowing that he was half asleep, he sat back down and checked his watch. It was 11:17, it was way past dinner, " Heh, she's late," He grunted under his breath.

Holding my breath I slowly walk away from the living room, hoping he wouldn't hear me. "Emily...." His voice suddenly said from behind me. My entire body freezes, my face turning to pale white. " What's wrong with coming home on time huh?" His voice piercing with anger. " I-I-," I couldn't form any words, my entire body stiffened with fear. " Huh!? Are you stupid or something!" He yelled, " Talk like a fucking human!" His voice filling every crevasse in the house, " I-I was j-just helping s-someone in n-need," I said my throat finally forming words. " Do you wanna get beaten again? Don't fucking lie to me!" He yelled his words putting me in panic mode. " Turn the fuck around," he said in a bone-chilling manner.

I slowly faced him tears already forming, his beady eyes were filled with stimulation, he loves to torture me and make me feel like I was someone with no control. " Did I say you could cry?" He said his body closing in on me. I shook my head slowly, " Huh?!" He said raising his voice again, " I couldn't hear you," I slowly opened my mouth, " N-no," I said in my little voice, more tears formed and fell down my cheeks. " Will a smack to the face help you talk?" He said raising his hand above his head. " Pl-please, don't, I-I'll behave," I said my voice raised more tears flooded my cheeks.

" Is that a tone I hear?!" He yelled his hand hitting my cheek with a strong force. I screamed my sobs becoming louder. " Who said you could cry!" He screamed as he struck my face again.

My knees finally giving in I fell to the ground, my sobs couldn't stop from this point. My breaths turned into hyperventilating, my vision completely blocked from the tears. " GET UP NOW!" He screamed his voice shaking the whole house. Struggling to get up he grabbed my arm and dragged me to the door of the basement. " No! Please no!" I screamed as my body dragged against the hardware floor. " Get up or I'll throw you in instead!" He yelled as he slammed open the door.

" Pl-please, I w-wont do it a-again!" My screams did no good as he dragged me down the old wooden stairs. " Get up, and strip," He said letting go of my arm. I lay on the cold cement daring to not get up, I didn't want to. " I said get up!" He said raising his voice again. " P-please d-dad," I said my voice still shaking and unable to stay normal. I looked up at him, his expression now furious.

I yelped as my stomach was struck with his foot, his screaming now muffled. I laid there as my clothes were ripped off my body his hands all over my skin, sharp pain coming and going from my torso. My head repeatedly hitting the hard floor as he thrust over and over, my tears forming into big golf balls as they ran down my face. I mentally screamed from the pain and anger in me, I couldn't make a single sound. The air was knocked out of me, I felt like I was suffocating. I want all of this to be over, please make it stop.

His dirty words hitting my chest like a brick, I couldn't stand this man. I just want to die, please just kill me already. Moments like this were to only pass by and go, but it was simply to happen again no matter what. After what felt like hours he finally stopped, but his presence still stayed. " You look just like your mother, if only she hadn't died because of you." He said as lit a cigarette and puffed it. I silently sobbed as my naked body laid on the cold cement, " Emily, lay on the mattress you'll get more bruised if you lay on the cement," He said his voice satisfied as he puffed the cigarette again.

With weak strength, I did as I was told my entire body aching with pain, especially between the legs. Plopping on the mattress I drowsed off to sleep.

The whole night was restless, my father had left me down in the basement he left only a thin blanket, my clothes were too ripped to be worn. But what kept me up most of the night was not the cold basement but the screams of a woman being burned alive. I don't know what caused such an image but the woman's face and hair looked exactly like Angelique, except her eyes were a pale pink instead of red. She screamed as her skin melted off her body and her voice starting to die off, the whole night went like this.

Soon after I finally fell asleep the sun rose in the sky and my father came down to force me up from bed to make him breakfast. He gave me clothes to wear and painkillers after he ate he left for work while I was locked in the dim and bitter basement. I sat on the bed most of the day as I stared into nothing, my breath could be seen as I could barely breathe from the leftover pain that the pill couldn't take away.

Finally, I decided to move around to get blood to flow when I stumbled on a small hatch on the floor. Surprisingly it wasn't locked, opening it I could barely see what was inside. The dim light from the window barely helped, but I managed to figure out that it was cardboard boxes with stuff inside.

Pulling out one I opened it and found papers, nothing special. The next box was filled with books and notebooks.

Going through some of the notebooks I read a lot of school subjects like math and English. My favorite part was the small doodles that the person who owned them drew, the last box was heavy and I surprisingly managed to get it out. Opening the old decaying top of the box there revealed a small hard covered journal and many other books. Looking through them all I noticed a picture frame and a big white dress at the bottom.

The picture had my father in it, he was smiling genuine and happy. He was wearing a nice suit with a white rose in his jacket pocket. Next to him was a woman with long black hair, her skin was pale and clear. Her face was beautiful, her eyes were clear brown and her lips as full as mine. She looked just like me, but pretty. The dress at the bottom looked like the one in the picture, it was lacy and flowy.

No wonder my father married her, she was absolutely stunning. Holding the dress up for a better view a certain woman's face came to mind, the long white hair traveling down her back and her red lips and eyes would stand out the most. Angelique would mostly be the center of attention if she ever wore this dress, my face turned red. I was thinking of her again, why?

The front door slammed, my father was home. I started to panic, I had to clean this place up before he came down here. I threw the dress into the old box and after all the books. I set the box back into the trap door and shut it. I ran to the mattress and wrapped myself into the blanket, I sat there in sheer silence as I heard my father unlock the door and step down into the basement. " Get up, make me some dinner," He said as a cigarette rested in his chapped lips.

Standing up I swiftly walked back upstairs, the warmth of the room relived me. My fingers eventually warmed up making things easier to do, after he finished dinner he locked me in my room this time. At least I could sleep with the warm blankets. Then again I got no sleep, the nightmare of the woman filled my head.