Marco’s mate

Matilda Anderson's

My life had been a never-ending nightmare since my parents' tragic death in a car accident. My uncle, Richard, had taken me in, but his cruelty and abuse had made me feel like a prisoner in my own home.

Richard's abuse started slowly, with verbal taunts and belittling comments. But over time, it escalated into physical violence. I would often find myself cowering in the corner, trying to avoid my uncle's wrath. I felt trapped and alone, with no one to turn to.

Richard's beatings had become more frequent and brutal, leaving Me with bruises and scars that seemed to never heal. But the worst was yet to come. Richard started to entertain shady characters in the house, men who would leer at me and make me feel uncomfortable. I knew that my uncle was involved in some kind of illicit activity, but i had no idea what it was. Then he had tried to sell me to a group of shady men, claiming i was his "property" to do with as he pleased.

One fateful night, Richard brought home a man who made my skin crawl.a man who had been paid to rape me. He was tall and menacing, with a cruel glint in his eye. My uncle introduced him as "a friend," but i knew that he was something more sinister."This one will pay good money for a girl like you," he had sneered, his breath thick with whiskey.i had frozen. Fear choked me, but something in me,something stronger than the fear,rose to the surface.my uncle told me to go to his room and make his bed.which I hurriedly left to do.

As I tried to make mattress. The air smelled of whiskey and damp rot. My uncle's voice rumbled from the other side of the door, low and slurred, speaking to someone.

Then, the door creaked open.The man stepped in.He was tall, broad, his face shadowed by the dim candlelight. His eyes raked over me like i was nothing more than a thing to be used. My stomach twisted."She's all yours," my uncle muttered before stumbling away, the door clicking shut behind him.my body locked up, my breath coming in shallow, frantic gasps. No. Not like this.The man stepped closer. I could smell the sweat on his skin, the stench of ale on his breath. His hands reached for me, rough and eager.My mind screamed. My body reacted before i could think.i twisted, scrambling off the bed, but his hands caught my wrist, yanking my back. I fought kicking, thrashing but he was stronger, forcing me down,with a disgusting grin on his face,please stay away i begged,"Be still," he growled.Terror and rage crashed inside me, tangled and raw.be a good girl,he slurred, fingers brushing my arm.My stomach twisted in revulsion. Panic clawed at my chest, but somewhere beneath it rage burned.my eyes darted to the bedside table. The knife. A dull, rusted thing with a wooden handle, left abandoned on the rickety bedside table. My uncle used to eat in his drunken stupor, often too lazy to take his dishes back to the kitchen. The knife had been part of an old meal ,a plate of half-eaten meat left to rot,I had noticed it before but never thought about it.One chance.i shoved the man with all my strength, making him stumble back just an inch just enough. I lunged, snatching the knife from the table, my fingers wrapping tight around the worn wooden handle.

The man's face twisted in surprise. "You little"

I didn't let him finish. I stabbed.The blade sank into his side. A horrible, wet gasp tore from his throat as he staggered, clutching at the wound.For a second, the world stood still.Then, he crumpled to the floor.

I stood over him, my breath ragged, the knife still trembling in my grasp. Blood pooled beneath his body, dark and glistening.my hands shook. What had i done?

I stood frozen, my breath ragged, the bloodied knife still clutched in my trembling fingers. The man lay crumpled on the floor, a dark pool spreading beneath him. His gurgling breaths had gone silent.What have I done?

A sharp bang from the other room snapped me out of my trance, my uncle. He would come back soon. He would find the body. And then he would kill me,I had to go. Now.i dropped the knife. It hit the floor with a dull clatter.

I ran to the small wooden dresser, yanking open drawers, snatching what little i had a thin coat, a few coins. There was no time for more.i turned to the window. It was small, barely big enough for me to squeeze through, but it was my only way out. Heart pounding, i shoved it open, the cold night air biting my skin.Footsteps thudded outside the door."Matilda?" my uncle's slurred voice called, dangerously close.Panic surged through my veins. I hoisted myself onto the windowsill, the rough wood scraping my hands.The door handle rattled.I sucked in a breath and jumped.I hit the ground hard, knees scraping against the dirt. Pain shot through my legs, but i forced myself up, ignoring the sting.Behind me, the door crashed open.

"Matilda!" my uncle roared.I didn't look back. I ran.

Through the dark alleyways, past empty streets, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I didn't stop, didn't slow down. I ran until the house, the man, and the nightmare were nothing but a memory swallowed by the night.

I ran until my legs burned, my breath ragged and sharp. The cold night air stung my lungs, but i didn't stop. Couldn't stop. Not until i was far, far away.The town's small train station was nearly empty at this hour, the platform bathed in flickering lamplight. A few workers loitered near the ticket booth, half-asleep. A single train sat on the tracks, hissing softly, ready to depart.I had no ticket. No plan. Only the desperate need to escape.

Think.

I kept to the shadows, moving carefully, my heart pounding with every step. Near the cargo section, a tired-looking railway worker stood smoking, his hat pulled low over his face.I swallowed hard, adjusting my coat to look as small and pitiful as possible.

"Sir?" i said, my voice trembling.

The man glanced at me, eyes wary. "What do you want, kid?"

"I need to get out of here." i held out the small handful of coins i had taken. "Please."

The man stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. "Ain't enough for a ticket."My stomach clenched. No. Please.

He exhaled smoke and looked around before lowering his voice. "Climb in the back carriage. Cargo section. Stay quiet."

Hope surged in my chest. I nodded quickly. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just don't get caught."

I didn't waste a second. I slipped behind the train, finding an unlocked cargo door. With a final glance at the empty platform, i hoisted myself inside, curling into the shadows between wooden crates.

The train whistle blew.With a lurch, the engine roared to life. The station faded into the distance, swallowed by the night.

I hugged my knees to my chest, the weight of everything pressing down on me.

I had done terrible things. I had lost everything.But i am free.For now.