I was sleeping in my doll-size room when someone suddenly barged in, without looking I know who it was "you daughter of the devil, what are you still doing in that bed? Oh, you think this is your mother's house where there were no rules? Huh?" Before I could form a reply in my brain, my mom's stepmother gave me a tight slap on my cheek.

"Mom is sorry, I didn't mean to wake up late, I just slept late because I was waiting on Sandra." Sandra is my sister, she is just like her mother.

"Oh, so you are complaining? Useless fool" she held my left leg and pull me out of the bed, I fell kissing the cold floor. As if that wasn't enough, she took out her slippers hitting me with them, the pain sips into my spine. "Mom please stop, that's enough," I thought by now I'll be familiar with the pain but am not, I can still feel it.

"How many times do I have to tell you never to call me mother huh? You cursed child, bringer of bad luck." Welcome to my world, my world of pain. Done with her piece of art on my body, she left me weeping on the floor "I give you five minutes, come downstairs, the house won't clean itself." She left.

I carry myself up from the floor and went to the bathroom, I clean myself up but didn't take a bath, five minutes is too small. On my way downstairs I peeped into my sister's room and there she was sleeping on her bed looking like a princess, tears sting my eyes but I blink them away. I carry myself to the kitchen, clean the dirty dishes and pots, made breakfast, and set the table for her royal majestic and her princess.

Carrying on to clean the house, dusting, sweeping, and mopping the floor. Time to call the owners of the house, I went to mom's room first, I tap on her shoulder lightly. Though she was the one who woke me up from sleep, she still didn't budge "mom breakfast is ready." She finally woke up, I went to the bathroom and run the bath for her. Done with her, I went to Sandra's room, "Sandra" I called lightly, she stretched her arms and yawn "hmm what a beautiful and peaceful night it was." She said "now go run the bath for me, I need to take a bath oh and make it extra foamy. Go on" she wave her hand at me like I was a maid but I don't blame her.

Standing at a corner, I watch them eat their breakfast. This is how it is, I cook, they eat and I have what is left that is if anything remains. My life was not always like this, I use to be a princess, the apple of my parent's eyes but when mom died, everything changed.

Dad got married again, and the first few years were good but when dad died, I was immediately transformed into a maid and punching back, the receiver of all the insults. I pray my life gets better one day, I know there is still hope, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and I will reach the end very soon, and that will be after I run away from this hell hole.

My mouth watered at the sight of the food, I didn't even save myself a bite because I had work to do and I know if I do and I get caught, mom's slipper won't be the only thing that will touch my body this morning. Like most of the time, I didn't get anything, they ate everything on the plate. "Hey you, clean this place up, we are done," Sandra said pointing at me with her index finger.

I did it, I clean the table, taking the dirty dishes and bowls to the kitchen to wash them. "When you are done with the dishes, I have some dirty clothes which need to wash, hand washed." I heard Sandra say in the dining room "sure I'll do that." I replied. Done with the dishes, I went to her room with a basket on my waist full of dirty clothes, I went to the back. "Where is that bucket?" I ask myself, I went to the general bathroom, took three buckets, fill them with water. I wash the dresses, I wonder if the heavens have a problem with me or something, the sun is scorching hot, and I could feel the sweat on my back, chest, forehead, my leg, and armpits. Gosh I stink, I'll need to take a cold bathe after this if and only if my mom doesn't have any more errands for me.

I place the washed clothes on the line under the sun. Thank God am done, I went to my room, and since mom didn't call or ask for anything, I decided to take a bath. I enter my mini bathroom, strip myself naked, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I look at myself, the scars which I thought will disappear didn't, a long slash line ran from my back to my waist, I trace the line feeling the roughness "I miss you mom, I wish you were here, life would be better." I muttered, blinking back the tears that clouded my eyes, I went to the shower.

The cold water cascade down my body, I close my eyes loving the way the water feels on my body, the coldness was great. Applying soap on the sponge, I scrub my body, not being gentle at all, scrubbing my breast making sure there is no trace of sweat. Done with bathing, I rap myself with the towel, and I feel refreshed.

"Where were you?" Mom asks the moment I set my feet in the living room "mom I went upstairs to take a bath, do you need anything?" She glared at me "who told you to go take a bath? Your lucky am in a good mood. Now take this morning, buy everything that is on that list, and make sure you get everything right." I nod, took the money and the list, and went out to buy the things mom asked for.