The Spurned Luna

Chapter 1

"Mummy, mummy," I called out to my mom after school, I was very tired and famished, the sun was very hot and that made me sweat a lot. "My baby girl is back," my mom said as she came out to hug me, "See how you are sweating," she said as she reached out to peek me on my cheeks.

"How was school today," she asked

"School was fine," I replied with a smile on my face.

"You must be tired and hungry, Go inside and take your bath then come and eat, After that you will tell me about your school," she said.

I nodded my head and went inside to take my bath.

I was still bathing when I heard my step-mom voice calling my name, I woke up under the tree in front of our house, I realized that I had fallen asleep under the tree and had a dream about my Mom, I felt lonely immediately I realized that it was just a dream, I wish I could see my Mom again, I was still thinking about her when I heard another call from inside the house.

I rushed inside wondering what I had done this time, I went inside and my step-mom and her daughter were standing over a broken plat.

"So you broke my plat and went to hide outside? You couldn't even pack the pieces of the plat, you left it like that for me to come and pack it right? She said with an angry face, I could sense the anger in her voice. I couldn't help but start crying. "But...but I didn't break any plate," I said in shock,

"so who broke who broke it? Did the plate break by itself? My step-sister said.

"I have warned you several times to stop lying to me, you keep on playing smart, so you thought living the broken plate here would save you the punishment right? I will teach you a lesson today, go out there and bring me the good cane, Unless you want me to use this knife to cut you into pieces you will go out there and get me the good cane," my stepmom said as she walked to her room.

I felt like disappearing, but I knew it wasn't possible, I felt like running away but where could I go, I knew my step-sister was the one that had broken that plate, I couldn't figure out why she was being wicked, with tears in my eyes, I went out to get a breach of the tree in front of my house, I took it to my step mom but she said it was too small, she sent me back to get another one bigger than the one I brought, I went and get it as she said.

When I brought it, she told me to remove my clothes, which I did she had my hands tied behind my back before she started beating me, she doubled the cane I brought to her and started whipping me with it, I screamed at the top of my voice, calling for help, but no help came in, after some time, I could hear our neighbors at the door calling her to open the door, unfortunately, the door was locked from inside, so they couldn't help me.

My step-mom whipped me until she saw blood all over my body, I cried until no one could hear my voice anymore, I was breathing heavily, and at some point, I thought I had fainted, She eventually Left me lying helplessly in the room and told me to clean up the mess, as there was blood all over the floor.

I knew I had to clean it, if not I would collect more beating, so I dragged myself to the tap outside my house to get the mope and a bucket of water, as I was cleaning the room, I heard a voice behind me.

"Next time it I send you, you will run as though something is chasing you," I knew that was my step-sister's voice, I didn't need to look at her, I stood there almost lifeless as tears dropped from my eyes, I remembered what happened that day when she told me to go get something from the next street but I was cooking, so I told to give me few minutes so I can finish cooking before I go get it for her, I didn't know she picked offense in that.

I was still cleaning when my friend came in, I have been standing outside since, she said as tears also dropped down her cheeks, "am so sorry you have to go through all this Melissa , she said as she came closer to hug me, we cried together for a while and she decided to help me clean up, we went to her house where we ate and she helped me massage my body with hot water, we both remained silent for the whole time, she knew I was in so much pain so she didn't bother to ask me what happened.

"Let me start going home before they lock me outside," I said as I stood up to go home, She accompanied me only for us to reach home and the doors were locked, We tried opening the doors but it was locked, I called out to my step-sister but no one answered me, I started crying again, I knew I have gotten myself into a new problem again, we both sat down in front of the house and knocking the door continuously.

"Let's just go to my house, you can spend the night there," my friend said, helplessly I turned and shook my head, I knew that sleeping outside would make things worse.

I rather sleep here than go to your house, just go home so your parents don't look for you, I said.

"No I can't leave you here, it's very cold out here and you are not that strong, I will sleep with you here if you insist she said as she sat well close to me.