The entire walk home, I couldn't help but scold myself over what had happened with Zachariah. I hadn't meant to slap him, I hadn't meant to be mean. Honestly, after they saved me, and took me in for the night, it was the last thing that I wanted. I just snapped, why would he assume that I didn't want out of this situation? I mean seriously, who likes getting hit everyday, and by their father no less? I sighed as I walked into the house, the vision's of that dog standing, and growling at me haunting me. I took a shaky breath that halted in my throat when I seen my father standing in the kitchen doorway, his arms folded and face furious. "You little bitch! Where the hell have you been, and what did you do to my kitchen window?"

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, hating the familiar fear rising inside me. "I-I was with a friend. I came home, after school-" okay so I lied, who wouldn't? Not like he'd know the difference. "and everything was d-dark. I called out, but there was no answer and then-" I took a deep breath, fighting the images. "I- there was a huge dog in the house. I took off running... Some people found me, and took me in so that I wouldn't be alone."

I resisted the urge to squirm as my father stood there silently, watching me. I jumped when he suddenly began to laugh. My eyes widening, why was he laughing? What was funny about this? His daughter could have really, really been killed. I knew my father hated me, but I didn't realize just how much. "It wasn't a dog.." He mumbled, more to himself than to me. I believe he didn't intend for me to hear, but I did and frowned. I wasn't able to respond, or question him because I was suddenly sent to the floor due to the impact of his slap. My face stung, feeling as if a hundred bee's were stinging me over and over. "You lied to me. You didn't come home after school, you weren't even in school yesterday. I got a call from them."

I felt my heart quicken as I remembered. I forgot about that after everything that had happened. My heart thundered so loudly that it was all I could hear, my father grabbed my arm and dragged me to the basement door. Realizing what was going to happen, I struggled and screamed, begging him to let me go, that I was sorry, but he didn't care. He just didn't.

"Your going to be punished, and you will stay quiet." My father warned, his voice cold and hard as he struggled to get my arms tied. He had this weird, torture contraption that he'd tie my hands above my head, and then- then that's when the belt came out. He'd hit me with it, over and over. I wanted to beg him to stop, tears fell, but I knew the more sound I made the harder and worse the hits would be, so I bit my lip so hard that I could taste the blood. It felt like hours, even though it may have only been minutes that passed when he finally stopped. He was breathing heavily, and I felt like I could barely catch my own. I struggled for the air, the pain over powering. He grabbed my limp face in his hands, and jerked my face so that I was looking at him. "If you ever dare to lie to me again, I may just kill you. I don't even know why I put up with you.." He muttered in disgust as he looked at me.

I knew I most likely looked like a wreck, bloodied, tear stained, and broken, and it was all because of him. My so called father. I whimpered, when he basically threw my head to the side. "Enjoy your night down here, no dinner, no water. If your good, maybe I'll release you tomorrow." With that he walked out, leaving me in the cold, damp, and dark basement.

The moment I heard the door close behind him, I broke out in tears. He had never beat me this badly, and I was suddenly going back to Zachariah's word's. Why did I stay? Why didn't I leave? The questions swam in my muddled brain, before I remembered the excuse I always made. School. I couldn't because I had to graduate. I had to. If I didn't I wouldn't make anything of myself, and I wouldn't be able to be free. My eyes grew heavy, and closed on their own. Images of Zachariah popped up, and left me confused as to why I seen him? Why I thought about him? Then nothing.