Her needs came first.

Especially now.

The kitchen was dark and the light switch was ignored as she walked to the refrigerator, thirsty. Excitement blazed up inside her as she wrapped her hand around the handle. An overwhelming need consumed her. She needed this, her body craved for every drop sitting in the dark blue SKYY bottle. She wanted to soar high above the clouds and the Vodka would take her there.

She grabbed the bottle.

“That's not a drink for little girls. ” The lights came on just as she closed the fridge. A second later, she turned around and saw him. Standing at the entrance of the kitchen was Michael in nothing but boxer shorts. The redness filling his eyes told her he had been drinking. “But you're not a little girl anymore.”

Her eyes looked past him searching for any signs of her Mother's presence.

There was none.

His gaze ravished her, moving up and down her body with a hunger she didn't want any part of. A tank top and shorts covered her small frame, she felt herself grow sick and afraid of what she saw on his face. He wanted her and now more than ever did she wish her Daddy was there. “I've never realized how much you've grown.” He began moving, his almost nude form approaching her with each step. “Come give your Step Daddy a hug.”

The Vodka fell from her hands as her legs dashed away from the man coming after her. Her racing heart filled her ears as fear shot through her body, adrenalin pumping. Christine, she had to get to her mother and make her stop him.

She fell to the ground and all she could feel was the pressure on her lungs as her head hit the hard tile floor. He was on top of her. The thought made her scream as loud as her lungs would allow. He shut her up with his palm, striking her over and over again. “Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” He hissed moving his hands up and down her body. She was dizzy and her eyes closed as she screamed against the hand holding down on her lips, painfully gripping her jaw.

Mommy please find me, please wake up and save me, please mommy please mommy please- Her eyes opened wide and the air was knocked out of her body. She stopped breathing feeling her body split into two, hot searing pain in and out, in and out of her, everything hurt, from head to toe all she could feel was pain.

Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and everything faded away.

“Ashley.”

She jerked awake, sweat and tears covering her face, every instinct in her body telling her to run, wild brown eyes seeing nothing but red, she had no idea where she was, who was with her- she just had to get out of there. In one quick motion, she was off the bathroom floor and headed to the door, “Agh!” She cried out holding onto her side. Hands, someone's hands were on her, she fought them off, “No! Get the fuck away from me!” She hissed moving away from them.