Chapter 2

I was so hungry, I walked inside the basement and laid down on my bed. I hope Mrs Grace won't make me stand all night or give my bed out too.

I could have checked the wound on the side of my face but, I don't even have mirror. Mrs Grace doesn't allow me to use any of hers, I remember the day I went to clean the room as usual, and I only took a peep at the mirror and Mrs Grace decided to walk in at that moment.

She told me I am very ugly that there is nothing to check about myself. Well even though she was right but it still hurts.

Seems like the worms in my stomach will have to feed from me tonight, its wasn't that late yet but ones is 6:00pm at dot Mrs Grace will tell me to go in so I don't scare her costumers away.

She said I always have my long hair on my face like the character from the horror movie the mommy. The only time she let's me out was if one of her costumers requested for me.

Soon enough I dozed off, i was having a wonderful dream. In my dream, there were no Mrs Grace nor her bar and everyone that comes with it.

Until I felt someone splash me a cold water and I jumped up. I saw Mrs Grace and another of her girl, her name is Flora. I hate Flora, not just that she makes my life with Mrs. Grace worst than it already is. She just like seeing me miserable. My cloth was already drenched from the water, I got up immediately only to see a furious Mrs Grace in front of me. What have I done this time allowed.

"How dare you?" She asked confusing me the more.

"I don't understand, what did I do?" I asked her but instead the bitch beside her replied.

"Don't pretend I saw you taking Mrs Grace's bread and her butter, you stole them you liar!" Flora screamed on my face.

"I what? Mrs Grace that's not true I didn't take your food, I will never steal from you" I said trying to defend myself.

"She did it, I saw her taking it let's search her room" Flora said.

Mrs Grace will never believe me, I didn't take anything someone should please make this not to be true. I have to be dreaming, i need to wake up from this nightmare.

"So is true, you did take my food without me giving it to you and without my permission!!!" Mrs Grace said bringing out the bread and butter just close to my bed.

"I didn't put that up, someone is flaming me, no I didn't do it, I will never steal from you Mrs Grace you have to believe me" I got a hot slap as usual but this time around she didn't stop in one. It was a continuous slap and I felt my face so hot from the pain.

"You slut, all I ever do was being kind to you when your own mother dumped you off the street and you paid me back by stealing from me. I want you to leave my basement, since you don't want to tell the truth" she said, even after I told her I didn't do it she didn't believe me.

I can't afford to go back on the street, I won't survive it. Who will give me bread and water, where will I sleep. I need to take the blame, the least she can do is punish me, but who did this to me. I turned and looked at Flora only to see a satisfying smile on her face. At that moment i knew she was behind it.

Mrs Grace dragged me by the hair and I screamed in pain, she dragged me all the way out the basement and pushed me out.

"No please Mrs Grace an sorry!, okay. I didn't do it but am on my knees saying that am sorry, I took the bread and the butter but I most have been sleep walking, so please give me any punishment other than this please" I screamed in frustration. That was the first time I raised my voice at Mrs Grace.

"Did you raise your voice at me?" She asked and raised her hand to slap me as usual, I closed my eyes waiting for the slap to come but it never came, I opened my eyes only to find Eva holding Mrs Grace hand.

"Stop this, if you hit her again am calling the police and I will give them the information that can get you arrested" she said with a furious expression.

"How could you say that, you should be calling the police on her, she stole my bread" Mrs Grace barked back at her.

"She didn't do it but you won't see that she is telling the truth because you have concluded on making her life with you a living hell" Eva replied her, I don't know why she is defending me but I don't want her getting herself in trouble because of me.

"I have an evidence against her, she stole my bread and butter" Mrs Grace replied still insisting that I took her food.

"See what am saying, let me ask you, Flora told you she saw her taking it. Aren't you curious, how did the store room got open? How is it possible that Amber can get those keys when she doesn't even know where it is being kept? We are the only ones you gave access to those room, but here you are hitting a poor innocent girl for doing something she was flamed of by the bitch behind you" Eva said giving Flora a deadly stare.

"What she said, is it true?" Mrs Grace asked Flora who couldn't look at her anymore.

"Don't even think about lying because I saw you taking those bread and butter for yourself, than all of a sudden you got a call, which you answered before you headed for Amber's basement. I know you are a very stupid girl from the beginning but I had no idea you are also foolish" Eva said to Flora who has suddenly lost her voice.

"Answer the damn question now!!" Mrs Grace barked at her.

"Yes I did, Scorpion wanted me to put the food there and he promised to pay me" Flora said.

I was waiting for mrs Grace to slap her or drag her by the hair like she did to me but it never happened. Instead she locked the door of the basement and put the keys in her pocket. She didn't even apologize for accusing me wrongly or hitting me over and over again.

"To my office now!" She said and gave me a deadly stare before she left and Flora followed her immediately.

I can't believe this, I got slapped, dragged by the hair, treated like a common criminal when I didn't commit any crime. But the person that did it was just told to follow her to the office. Scorpion has really decided to ruin my life, why is life treating me this way.

"Why can't you stand up for yourself, why do you let people humiliate you like they do? Why can't you be a little brave and do what is right?" Eva asked.

"She still locked the basement up and left with the keys after knowing I didn't do it" I said not believing what just happened.

"Amber forget about that basement and listen" Eva said holding my shoulder. "This is not a life you will continue living, you can't continue being here. Find something and do with your life other than this, this is hell. I don't know how you managed to endure it for so long but wake up or you will die here" Eva said looking so concerned about me, she was the first person to ever stand up for me.

Others always say I deserve what I get, she is also the very first person to look so concerned about me.

"Eva I appreciate what you did for me but am not as bold as you are, am not as beautiful as you are, am not you, I am just me, a stupid girl who was cursed. I rather die in the hands of Mrs Grace than any other person. Eva am scared of the world, am scared of men, am scared of women that has a bar like Mrs Grace, am scared of everything, I don't know what I will see if I move out there" I sincerely told her, the tears tried to escape my eyes but I hold it back.

"All these you are saying is what you let people reduce you to. Amber, Scorpion always gets what he wants. He made Flora flame you with just bread and butter and Mrs Grace messed you up like this. Maybe next time it will be gold or maybe drugs and that is jail for you" Eva said before she helped me up. She took out a bundle of money giving it to me.

"I want you to have this, don't let anyone take this away from you. I want you to leave this neighborhood, find the cheapest room you can find, pay for it buy yourself a new clothes then look good and apply for a work. Maybe as a cleaner, and you will be paid every single day, instead of cleaning for Mrs Grace for some bread and water" she said and the tears finally started running down my face.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked in between my sob.

"Because I don't like it when I see you being treated like you are some waste. You are human not some waste bin" she said and placed the money on my hand.

"Go, and don't let any man or anybody treat you like you don't have worth" she said and turned to leave but I called her back and hugged her tightly, I couldn't help it, I didn't know what to do. I pushed away from her since I don't want to get her beautiful outfit dirty.

"Thank you Eva, I will never forget your kindness towards me" I told her, she gave me a smile and left.

Now where do I go, its already late, this neighborhood is a very bad one, I didn't own much here, I wore same shoes everyday and just two dress. Mrs Grace didn't bother to give me the other one.

I had to hide the money inside my clothes, there is no way I will find a room this night. After walking for a while I saw a building that looked kinda of abandoned like me. I decided to just lay low there for the night.

I was struggling to sleep giving that mosquitos won't let me, just then I started hearing voices. They sounded like some drunkards, they were just talking and laughing about something.

Oh God, the last thing I need is having some drunk men on me this night. They didn't enter the room that I stayed in but am thinking they are just inside the room next to mine.

After a while of trying as much as possible not to make any noise, firstly I perceived the smoke coming out from that room, no this can't be. They can't be smoking, I was already finding it hard to breath. Amber you can do this, you just have to wait until they are gone, I tried, God knows I tried to endure but I was choking and my eyes are already swollen.

I tried to rush out of the building but they followed me, I ran as fast as my leg can carry me but how far can I run from three men when the only food I have eaten today was bread and water.

Soon enough they caught up to me, they started coming close to me, I begged and pleaded for them to let me go. I haven't even recovered from the smoke, am still finding it hard to breathe properly.

"You, what were you doing in there?" The one that looked more scary than the rest asked.

"Nothing, I was just looking for a place to stay please let me go I promise I will never go there again" they weren't listening, one of them dragged me by the hair, why my hair again my head is already hurting from the injury on my face and being dragged around by my hair all day.

"Guys, why don't we have some fun" the guy said again and the others started laughing.

"No, no, no please don't do this, help!!, someone help me please!!!" I screamed, this is the part I hate the most. I rather die as a virgin than being laid by this men, actually I have concluded to die a virgin than being laid by any man.

I always knew that screaming is the wrong move for people like them but I don't have much option. They started beating me, I tried blocking their kicks and everything, just when I was at the edge of thinking maybe this is the end for me.

Someone came for my rescue, my eyes were already forcing themselves closed but I saw the person beaten those guys up. I managed to see the person when she came close to me.

Wow how come she can fight so well, that was the last thing on my mind before the darkness took over me.