Chapter 1 Katrina's Phobia

I wake up to a loud, relentless screaming. I guess

They are calling my name again. Katrina, You might want to know who 'they' were. Well,

"they're my parents. Mr Nicholas Obama and Mrs. Lois Obama.

I was in my room. My little store, trying to heal from the injuries I got last night from asking

them if they were truly my parents. How can a father and a mother treat their only child like a

slave?

I was just surviving here. They hardly give me food, or let me go to school like my age

mates. I don't even know what the outside world looks like.

"Katrina, get your stupid self up here, now!" My mother

Barked. I guess they needed me to dance for their useless friend, Mr Jonathan. Again for

money.

Mr. Jonathan is my dad's best friend who drives so much joy in seeing me naked dancing for

him. That's the only job I do in this house apart from serving unjust punishments and getting

beaten up.

They say they beat me because they want me to be strong and that I'm too weak for their

liking.

I guess I have gotten used to it. It's now part of my routine to be in pain on a daily basis.

I make my way up the living room, walking as fast as I can to avoid another punishment, my

body wouldn't be able to carry it.

When I arrived, my mother was already looking angry. I became scared, she never hesitated

to pounce on me at the slightest provocation.

"W-what's wrong?" I stammered, scared that she would hit me again.

I made a mistake, I wasn't supposed to ask a question or talk to them without being asked

to. That was the instructions given to me by those I called my parents.

Immediately, I felt a harsh pain on my cheek. My father had slapped me, "have I not told you

not to ask questions in this house? Do you want to die"? He spits angrily.

I held onto my cheek and nodded.

"You will go to Johnathan's lounge and he will give you drugs to bring to me, Guide it with

your life, and run back here at once". "Yes, sir". Was all I muttered before walking out of our

house.

I wasn't so sure about the location, I had only come here once with my father. Mr Jonathan

does petty business. He deals on drugs, pimps underaged girls to billionaires as sex toys but

uses wines and food as a cover-up. "I hope the authorities find him soon". I thought.

I managed to find my way to the ''exotic lounge', people were scattered all over the place

dancing, drinking, smoking, and making out.

I made it to the counter where Mr Jonathan was serving drinks. He motioned me to wait for

him. After a while, he looked at me in a weird way and said " I will have a taste of you soon"

Then he licked his tongue in a disgusting way.

I could literally throw up just imagining him on top of me, How disgusting? I'd rather die than

allow it.

He handed me a wrapped white paper and winked at me. I collected it and immediately ran

out of there.

Geez! So stupid. I cursed.

It was already dark when I came outside, in this part of Arizona, bad things happen at night.

The recent news I heard from Dad, was that police found a girl raped and killed on her way

back from work.

The thought of it freaked me out. So I began to walk fast. After I had walked for like ten miles

I met a group of guys smoking. They called me but I hesitated a little while contemplating if it

was wise to obey or run. I didn't want to offend them. I have been taught to always obey so I

went.

"Hello, pretty girl. How are you? The one in dreadlocks asked. I.. I'm fine. I muttered

"Just leave her alone, she's an underage girl. The one on a black hoodie pointed at me.

"How old are you? The dreadlocks guy asked. "16" I lied.

"Shit" he cursed. What are you doing outside at this time of the night?

"My dad asked me to get drugs for him," I said innocently.

"Drugs? They exclaimed. Give it to us now! One of them commanded with a mean face.

"Daddy will kill me" I cried.

He brought out a black gun probably to scare me and it worked. I handed over the white

paper to him and ran.

As I was running, Dad's warning was ringing in my head. "Guide it with your life". I knew

what it meant for me to go home without having the drugs. They will kill me.

As I ran, something inside me was saying "don't go home, they will kill you" so I stopped. I

looked to my left, I saw the woods, I looked to my right, and I saw a river staring at me.

I couldn't commit suicide? That would make them happy. I looked to my left again, "Maybe I

will run to the woods, I had always wanted to get close to nature.

Sometimes, I think that the woods might have something for me. "What do I do? I asked

myself, feeling so confused.

Immediately. I started crying, I usually do not cry, because I have been trained to suppress

my pain. Not technically, training with weapons but the beatings and punishments I had

endured over the years did a good job.

I was worried and confused about what decision to make and how my life would turn out

afterward. As tears continued to stream down my face,falling off my chin. I barely had

clothes on so I would literally freeze to death if I chose the woods.

Either way, any decision I took wouldn't favour me but I had to make one after all. It was

almost midnight and I had to do something.

Looking at the woods one last time, it was mysterious yet inviting. making a decision, I ran

into the dark woods. I'd rather face the unknown than face the known now.