Chapter 4 Running Away

• Valerie’s POV
• I was packing up used dishes, and dirty laundry around the house, taking them back to the kitchen and laundry room where am still going to wash them, then I felt Malia stirring restlessly in my hard. I could feel a slight shiver in my bones and the hair on my back stood in fear, warning me of an imminent danger.
• I could have ignored the warning and continued with my work but I just couldn't. Malia always acts this way when I’m about to be attacked. I should have been used to all this by now, I should even be able to anticipate their attacks without Malia's warnings. But I always make the same mistake, I keep doubting Malia and second guessing myself. Before I could react, before I could turn around to check my surrounding, it is always too late.
• When I turned around, I came face to face with the demoness herself, Charlotte. Her eyes glowed with an evil glint. It’s easy to tell that she has some mean tricks up her sleeve.
• “Good Mooorrrnnning, sweet sis. How was your night?
• Are you ready for your first day in hell?” she purred sweetly, dragging her words to further annoy me. Apparently, she just woke up from sleep because she is still wearing her pyjamas.
• “I don’t want any trouble Charlotte. I promise to stay out of your way, just leave me alone with my chores.” I pleaded calmly when I saw the little kitchen knife she was holding.
• “As if?
• Get ready, Val. I’ll make sure you get the kind of welcome that you deserve. Witch!
• I’ll spread the news to everyone that cares to listen, I’ll show them who you really are.” She let out smugly. As she spoke, she plunged the knife into my shoulder, causing me to let out a loud scream as she dragged the knife down my arms, cutting me open. She repeated this severally, she chose any part of my body and sticks the knife into me repeatedly.
• She kept laughing as she does this to me. Ever since it was discovered that I could heal myself, my adopted family have taunted and mocked me with my gifts. Charlotte and my stepfather invented this game of sticking me with a knife and letting me bleed out until I eventually heal myself. To them it’s a fun game, after all they think I’m a witch and they know I’m going to heal myself in a few seconds.
• But it hurts to be treated like an animal. Losing so much blood is both physically and emotionally draining to me and my wolf Malia. It hurts for a while, then suddenly, my eyes turn blue and a bright blue light shines forth from my injury and when that light goes off, I don’t feel any more pain, my skin returns to normal and I’m good to go.
• When my gifts began to manifest, my step mom wanted to inform the whole town about it and have me kicked out of their lives. But my stepdad kicked against it, he made them promise to keep their mouth shut about it. I don’t why he had stood up for me, but whatever his reasons are, it never stopped him from torturing me both emotionally and physically. He keeps calling me a witch and he always tells me to go back to where I come from, but he still wouldn’t kick me out. I guess he wants me to leave on my own so he doesn’t get dragged by the people. Or maybe he just keeps me here as a pet and a slave that he and his family can use to have fun.
• I hissed in pain as Charlotte plunged the knife on my thighs before turning to leave me in a pool of my own blood. She stepped on the bloodied tiles and walked around the living room and up the stairs. Now I have to mop the entire house all over again because if my parents perceive the stench of blood in the living room, I’ll be facing more than Charlotte’s abuse this morning. I’ll be beaten and tortured even more by them. I know it’s still going to heal, but the pain is usually so unbearable. I cannot face such torture this morning without passing out. Besides, I still have to face Charlotte and her friends in school today. That on it’s own is torture and it is enough torture for one day.
• I held back the tears that threatened to spill out of my eyes. I have seen never to shed any more tears in this house. I’m no longer that little kid that sits in a corner and cries her heart put. I have it all planned out already, I just have to be strong, I have only a few years left.
• “You can do it, Val…
• Just a few more years…
• You can do it, Val…
• Just a few more years…”
• I kept repeating these words as I mopped the whole house again. Luckily, I completed my chores and set the table before everyone came down for breakfast. I tried to avoid the hateful looks I was getting from everyone at the table. It so hard to force down my breakfast when I could feel their eyes on me.
• While I tried to ignore their horrible stares, I also struggled to keep Newton’s hand from sneaking into my panties. Newton is my step brother and he is Liam’s Best Friend. He is the worst of them all, he treats me just as bad as the rest of the family. He tortures and humiliates me in front of his friends and family, but when no one is looking, he tried to get into my pants.
• Like, right now…
• The whole family is seated around the dining table, with him seated next to me. They were all glaring dangerously at me, including him. No one knew that he was caressing my thighs under the table, trying to get his hand into my panties. I was wearing one of the gowns that Liam got for me. It stop about me knees and it gave him easy access to my thighs. I had to squeeze my thighs shut to stop him from achieving his aim. I could never let anyone know about this because they will find a way to put the blame on me, and ill get in trouble for accusing the precious son of the towns mayor.
• I had to keep it to myself. All I had to do was to try not to be in a lonely place with him. And when I’m in my room, my doors are always locked. I know he is not as brave as Liam, he would never attempt to climb in through my window. He’s too much of a chicken to attempt such. His only chance is to come in through the door when everyone is asleep. But I always made sure that he could never get into my room. He wouldn’t date to break the lock because it would trigger the alarm and alert the security and his parents.
• “Would it be alright if I head to school straight away. It’s my first day and I’m too nervous to eat.” I let out nervously. I tried my best to stay calm as I stood up from the dining.
• “Sit!” mom called out to me, stopping me from taking another step. I turned around and sat back on my sit and fixed my gaze downwards, avoiding her eyes.
• “You still have to do the dishes, Valerie. Going to school doesn’t change a thing around here, the house keepers will not be allowed to do your chores. Have in mind that I have my eyes on you always, I will not let you bring shame to this family.” She warned.
• “Don’t worry mom, I’ll make sure she keeps her mouth shut.” Charlotte let out excitedly, earning a hard glare from her mom. She ignored him completely, while her dad only chuckled at her threats, encouraging her. I sat there and listened to their chatter, mom kept urging Charlotte to seduce Liam and get Liam him to ask her out, while dad chatted with Newton about his dubious political ambitions.
• Newton acted as if he was paying attention to his father’s words, but he wasn’t. His fingers were drawing circles on my thighs as he caressed my thighs under the table. I think he sits close to me on purpose, I’ve tried exchanging my seat with his, but Charlotte would never agree to sit down next to me, not even if her life depended on it. So I’m forced to endure his insolence at every mealtime.
• Charlotte and Newton left after breakfast in their respective cars, so I guess I’ll be catching the bus to school. Although, I do prefer the bus than driving in the same car with either one of them. I was lucky enough to get to school before my first lecture. Charlotte and I share some classes but I did my best to avoid her. And even when she tripped me in the hallway, dumped her lunch on me and even stuck her gum on my seat, I still kept my head low and avoided any confrontation that would get me in trouble with my family. I endured every demeaning insult, every abuse that Charlotte and her friends throw at me. Newton and his friends mock me and call me many names, they throw things at me when I’m passing through the hallway.
• It’s been three weeks of pure torture. I’ve had to distance myself from everyone. I kept no friends and I don’t socialize with anyone. Liam still visits my room in secret, he feels so hurt when I get bullied in school, he kept begging me to sign the transfer papers and move down to Woodbridge. He knows about Janelle and he wants me to move over to the next town and complete me college education. But I can’t leave just yet, I don’t know how to live alone, I don’t know how I would take care of my bills and pay for my college tuition. I decided to stay back and endure the pains and abuse. I thought I could do it, and for a moment there, I believed that I had everything under control. I only have to avoid them and stay as far away from Charlotte and Newton as I possibly can.
• But I couldn’t hide forever…
• No matter how hard I try, I couldn’t avoid her forever because Charlotte was bent on destroying my reputation. After three weeks in school, I started noticing the strange looks I was getting from everyone. I couldn’t walk freely anymore, they keep pointing at me, whispering incoherent words. One morning, I got a text from Liam asking me to call him ASAP. I didn’t get a chance to call him because Charlotte kept hanging around me all morning. She even offered to take drive me to school, and I couldn’t say no to her because mom was standing a few feet away. She could read meanings into my reactions and that would earn me more punishment.
• My phone kept ringing continuously, I could feel it vibrating in my bag, but I couldn’t pick up Liam’s call in front of Charlotte. So I ignored it and sat still on front of Charlotte’s red Range Rover. She parked at her favorite spot in the parking lot, and I saw her friends waiting for her besides a red convertible that belongs to one of her friends. She parked her car and turned off the ignition, but when I tried to open the door, I discovered that it was still locked. I turned to her and caught her smirking evilly at me. I knew immediately that she has a trick up her sleeve.
• “Its locked, Charlotte. Please open up, I’m late for my first class. Besides, I need to leave here before your friends get here. I don’t want to stick around when they are close, I don’t want to embarrass you.” I let out nervously as I stared at her and wondered what she could be up to.
• “Tell me, witch, how did you get him to fall in love with you, or better yet, how did it feel to have him in your bed?” she asked me in a mocking tone. Hearing her question and seeing the look on her face is enough to make me panic. I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me that I’m in trouble.
• “Let me out, Charlotte. I don’t want any trouble, I don’t want to fight you. I have no idea what you are talking about. Just let me out of here.” I yelled nervously as I tried harder to get the door open.
• “Get ready to be burned, Witch!
• Liam is Mine!” she screamed in my face as she pulled out a knife and stabbed me repeatedly, tearing through my skin, opening a deep wound all over my body. I never anticipated this move, I never thought she would do this in public. It’s obvious that she wants to get me killed, she has decided to expose my secret to the world. If I don’t get out of here in the next few minutes, my secrets would be out in the open and I’ll be killed.
• I didn’t want to hurt her, but I need to get out of here. I summoned Malia immediately and I pried the knife from her hand and I pushed her the other way with force. She hit the door pretty hard and the door gave way. She fell off the car and landed on the floor, attracting the attention of her friends and other students passing by. I was bleeding all over, and soon, my wounds will heal and my secret will be revealed.
• I struggled to move to the driver’s side of the car. The door was hanging loosely, but the key is still dangling on the ignition. Charlotte is surrounded by so many people and she is struggling to stand up from the floor. I kept struggling to get to the drivers side before she stands up and attack me again. I managed to get myself into the drivers side of the car and I turned on the ignition and put it on reverse mode. I was able to get out of the school before Malia healed my injuries. But there is no way I can come back here because everyone saw me bleeding all over the car. If I’m seen without any injuries tomorrow, there will be lots of questions about me and I wouldn’t be able to answer them.
• Besides, I’m pretty sure that I’m as good as dead because I just hurt the precious daughter of the mayor. I won’t wait to be punished, I’m leaving this town before my foster parents find out about my encounter with their precious daughter. I picked up Liam’s call on my way home and I told him I was skipping town today. He wanted to get details of what had happened in school from me, but I’m too miserable to explain it to him. So I hunger up and drove home to get my things together and leave this fucking house.
• It took me only a few minutes to get my things into a duffel bag. I don’t have any special belongings, the only nice things I have are the ones that Liam got for me and they all fit into two bags. I picked out an outfit to wear and I left it on the bed as I went to take a shower to wash of the stain and stench of blood on my body. I was rushing to leave, I did not notice that Newton’s car was parked at the garage. I thought I was alone, so I didn’t bother to lock the door to my room. I did not hear any sound, I did not notice anything. But when I walked out from the bathroom, I got pulled into a strong arms. He held me right in his arms and I coy smell the stench of alcohol oozing from his mouth.
• He is drunk, and horny…
• “Let me see how you can get away from me this time.” He let out smugly as he hit me hard across the face, forcing me down on the bed. I could feel his hard dick poking my pussy through the towel I’m tying around my chest. He ripped off his cloth and came on top of me, trying to force my legs open. I struggled desperately to push him away, but I couldn’t. Malia is weak from being suppressed by me for so long. She just saved me from Charlotte and also healed me injuries. I couldn’t summon get forward, I couldn’t use her powers.
• I kept struggling with Newton, but I was not strong enough to defeat him. Just when I was about to give up, I heard a shattering sound from behind and I felt Newton’s heavyweight on my body. He was knocked unconscious, and his weight was too much on me. I felt so relieved when he was pushed off my body by Liam who help me stand up and pulled me into his arms. I have never felt so happy in my whole life. He kept whispering nice words to me, assuring me that everything would be okay. He took my bags downstairs, giving me some space to dress up. I got dressed in record time, and I went to the mayor’s office to get the relics that was found on me, the relics that could lead me to my family.
• I know exactly where it is, I’ve been in this house for year’s. I know every inch of this building, and since I clean this house every day, I know where my foster parents hid my relics. I stole a few bucks from his safe as well, I hope he doesn’t mind. I need the money to get a place to stay and start my life all over again. Liam drove me straight to the train station and helped me get my ticket to Woodbridge. He handed me a brown envelope stacked with enough cash to get me settled in and also sustain me for a couple of months.
• “Wait for me, my love. I’ll come find you, Val. When I’m graduate from school, I’ll take over the family business from my father. Then I’ll come for you, my love, and I will protect you from every danger. I’ll keep you safe, I’ll fight for you and defend your honor every single day of my life. Promise you’ll wait for me, my love. Promise you will never leave me for another man and you will never forget about me. Promise me, Val, promise me.” He kept on urging me as he hugged me firmly and kissed me passionately.
• I don’t know how I’ll ever repay him for everything he has done for me. All I could do is to kiss him back as passionately as he kissed me. He may be only human, but I’ve grown to love him deeply. I promised to wait for him, I promised to love no other man but him. A few minutes later, I boarded the train for the first time in my life, going to a strange city. He waved at me as the train left, and I smiled in response. But as the train sped away, I couldn’t help but recall Malia’s words about my destiny and all of that crap. I felt her anger when be kissed me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would be able to keep my promise to him.