A Rose Among Ashes

ra'

does. My hand moves to my chest slowly, pressing hard on it. Nothing changes. The tears

I have felt it before. I feel it every day. "We can do it my

e care

, I remain huddled in the dark, prayi

before he sighs. "Oka

ing on the roar of my blood against my ears. I am delusional enough to think he isn'

ps, the taste of sal

t y

corner. His fingers dig into my forearm, and I scream from the pain that b

e him in the dark,

smel

quor undernea

il. Helpless. Tears blur my vision, and my brea

shaking his head slowly. "You think the w

rs slice

does

ex.

in jail for touching you?" His scoffs, and the sound settles in the pit of m

le

p the stairs, my bones hitting each step until I find it hard to breathe. My head sla

or me to get up from the floor and race towards the door. My he

in a split second, I trip on one of his discar

e gro

laying on his face. I see his eyes, bright with action, an

is the lowest I have ever heard him speak. He goes on one knee and brings his face closer to

ething going loose in me. "You and

d you ju

ard me,

yself for the slap. But it never comes, because the next thing

on our driveway, because suddenly, Alex no lon

east, n

of his footsteps to fade into oblivion before opening the door again. The night's air whips harshly against my

all steps on the porch. My eyes take him in. He is leaning agains

stand, it looks like an argument. A lot of w

up a fe

property." "That wasn't a scream. I

hat belongs to me. The man who sees me as nothing more than a possession, beats me up ever

sick

that I am the only daughter of her sister, and I do not deserve to be treated this

enth time today. My feet hit a tin can, the sound ringing th

ht, it is either

think twic

ru

every step I take. I am barefoot, so the tar on the road bites into my feet. It

ng happens a

, and the pair of piercing green eyes watching