ASSAULTED

The chilly wind brushed against me, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin as I realized the lateness of the hour. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I knew it was too late for any turning back – away from the biting cold, the hospital, or most importantly, him... "Come here!" My father's voice startled me, and with trembling steps, I approached him, my heart pounding and beseeching for divine intervention. "Daddy, I'm so weak, my body won't stop shaking. I'm exhausted," I pleaded, only to receive a sharp slap that sent me crashing to the ground. "Why should I listen? You're as worthless as your mother. I should have gotten rid of you or ended your life sooner," he screamed, his fury directed at the barely conscious figure sprawled on the floor. Throughout her young life, Elizabeth had tragically endured countless abuses at the hands of her own father. As she reached the stage of considering marriage, the scars of her past made it difficult for her to trust in the male figure.