Penelope's POV

The voices weren't always there. Growing up there were years when all I heard were my own thoughts, and the voices of those around me. Now I hear the voices of people who aren't even there. Storm first showed up on my sixteenth birthday. I was afraid to tell anyone because I didn't want them to think I was crazy. In hopes of her voice disappearing, I waited weeks before deciding I should tell my parents. That night was the first day the second voice made an appearance. I went out for a jog, and returned home when it started to get dark out. I loved running at night, but it always worried my parents.

When I got home, I could tell something was wrong. I ran into my parents room only to see my mother's body laying on the floor covered in blood. Following the gaze of her glassy eyes I saw my father hunched over his desk a crimson stain growing on the carpet. The room was torn apart with claw marks on the furniture. Something inside of me broke; I screamed out in agony. My legs went numb I began falling to the floor, but my brother's arms wrapped around me. He dragged me, kicking and screaming, out of my parent's bedroom. Gabbing a duffle bag Percy dragged me to his car.

I thought he was taking us to safety. I sat, numb, in the front seat with tears falling from my eyes. I remember I eventually fell asleep, I dreamt of a clearing in a forest. I walked to the edge of lake. Suddenly I fell onto the dark water. I kept falling, but then I was rescued by a woman dressed in white. Light surrounded her as she stood in front of me. She glided around the clearing, her black hair shining under the moonlight.

Her soothing voice told me my time was coming, but I needed to wait.

I woke up with her message echoing in my head. I thought it was only a dream, but her voice came back. Since that night the voices of Storm, and the Women in White have been my only friends. Percy had claimed he was taking us to safety, but that was far from the truth. We drove throughout the night, and as the sun was rising we arrived at a small -down cottage that sat at the edge of a forest.

Percy told me that the people who killed mom and dad were after us, so we needed to hideout. My brother is four years older than me, and I trusted him. He enrolled me in the local high school, but did not allow me to have any friends. I tried to make friends, but I wasn't able to hangout with anyone outside of school. He claimed anyone could be connected to mom and dad's killers, so it was important to keep my distance. I only had one year left, so I isolated myself from those at school. I kept my head down working hard to graduate with good grades

After I graduated, at seventeen, I spent all of my time in the cottage with Percy. He had changed from the loving brother I knew during my childhood. He would get mad, and yell at me. It was long after graduation that he began to physically abuse me. By my 18th birthday Percy he had me locked in the basement. I spent days along on the cement floor waiting for him to showup. Sometimes he would bring me food and water, but sometimes he showed up just to use me as a punching bag. I've spent my time alone in this basement for almost a year now.

The voices kept me company. What I once thought made me insane now kept me clinging to my sanity. Storm encouraged me to fight and escape. The Women told me to hold on, and not to lose hope. Storm is in the middle of another one of her escape plans when Percy comes downstairs with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Hey Pip, are you thirsty?" my eyes quickly shift to the glass of water in his hands. I know I am dehydrated, but I stay silent, knowing if I spoke it would only make him angrier.

"Hmm.. Seems like you don't want a drink." with that he throws the glass of ice cold water at me.

As I sat there shivering he walked over. Pushing me down onto the shattered glass.

"Look what you did!" he said as the shards of glass pierce my skin, "You broke my favorite glass. You know I have to punish you now. I hate having to, but you need to lead your lesson."

His smile is visible as he yanks me up. Wrapping his hand around my wrist he twists my hand behind my back. Pushing me forward my head slams into the wall. Turning me around his fists meet my face. I fall to the cement floor, and his begins kicking me. Pain erupts in my chest in face. It is not long before my vision fades into darkness.