I gazed out the window of the moving bus, the passing scenery became a blur. Two years had felt like an eternity, and the weight of being away from my loved ones bore down on me.
I couldn't begin to imagine the pain and suffering they must have endured without me by their side. The thought sent a pang of guilt and regret through my chest. But I had made the difficult decision to leave, driven by the desperate need to escape the hellish life we'd been living.
My name is Evelyn, and I'm one of four siblings – Mark, Lily and Zoe who are twins, and me, being the eldest. We grew up together in a rural orphanage, far removed from the city. Our mother had abandoned us there when we were young, leaving us with only memories of her. But fate had smiled upon us when we were adopted by the same family who promised us love, stability, and a brighter future.
We were excited to be with what we thought was a friendly family, or so we thought.
In reality, our adoption marked the beginning of a living nightmare. As it turned out, our adoptive parents, Merida and James, had been struggling with infertility, which led them to consider adoption. We were the fortunate ones, who got to fill the void in their lives.
However, it soon became apparent that Merida's dissatisfaction with her life was not something she could easily conceal. Her disdain for us was palpable, and it was clear that she only tolerated us because she had no other choice.
Despite her feelings, we were provided with the basic necessities, including education. We were enrolled in school, and our physical needs were met. But it was all a facade. Merida's actions were mechanical, lacking any real warmth or love. She went through the motions of being a mother, but it was clear that her heart wasn't in it.
Two years into our adoption, Merida announced that she was pregnant, a miracle that left us all stunned. I was genuinely happy for her, but a part of me couldn't shake off the feeling that our lives were about to take a drastic turn. I tried to push the thoughts aside, telling myself that maybe this was an opportunity for our family to bond and become closer.
But my fears were confirmed the moment Merida gave birth to her biological child. Everything changed overnight. The dynamics of our household shifted, and we were no longer treated as part of the family. Merida's attention and affection were now solely focused on her biological child, and we were left to fend for ourselves.
The maltreatment began, and to my horror, James was complicit in it. It turned out that his kindly demeanor was just a facade. He had been pretending to be a loving father all along, but it was all a facade. We were reduced to nothing more than slaves, forced to do all the household chores. One misstep, and we would face endless beatings.
As the eldest, I bore the brunt of their anger. I was grateful for this, in a twisted way, because it meant that my younger siblings were spared the worst of it. Mark, however, was not entirely exempt from their cruelty, but I always tried to shield him from the worst of it. I would often take the blame for his mistakes or cover up for him, just so he wouldn't have to suffer as much as I did.
Lily and Zoe, my younger sisters, were too young to understand what was happening. They would often cry themselves to sleep, scared and confused by the sudden change in our household. I tried my best to comfort them, to be a source of strength and support, but it was hard. I was struggling to cope myself.
As time went on, the abuse escalated. We were denied basic necessities, like food and clothing. We were forced to survive on scraps, and our clothes were tattered and worn. I tried to find ways to make ends meet, to scrounge up what little food I could, but it was never enough.
The one thing that brought us solace, the one thing that kept us going, was the fact that our adoptive parents, Merida and James, didn't withdraw us from school. Despite their cruelty and neglect, they continued to pay our tuition fees, allowing us to maintain some semblance of normalcy in our lives. As a wealthy family in the town, they could easily afford the school fees for all four of us.
School was our escape, our sanctuary. It was the one place where we could forget, if only for a little while, about the horrors that awaited us at home. Our teachers were kind and caring, and our classmates were friendly and welcoming. We made friends, we learned, and we grew. School was our lifeline, and we clung to it with all our might.
However, as time went on, our adoptive parents' abuse escalated. They would withhold food from us for days on end, leaving us weak and dizzy. I tried to endure it, and Mark, being the strong and resilient sibling he was, also managed to cope. But the twins, Lily and Zoe, were too young and vulnerable to withstand such torture. Their tiny bodies couldn't handle the pangs of hunger, and their eyes would often well up with tears as they begged for food.
It was heartbreaking to see them suffer, and I felt helpless to do anything about it. I tried to share what little food I had with them, but it was never enough. I felt like I was failing them, like I was failing to protect them from the monsters that we lived with.
It was then that we decided to take matters into our own hands and escape. We hatched a plan, gathering what little strength and courage we had. We packed what little we could carry and slipped out of the house under the cover of darkness. We were scared, but we were determined to make a new life for ourselves, free from the abuse and neglect that we had endured for so long.
But our attempt at freedom was short-lived. No one was willing to take us in, and we found ourselves wandering the streets, day and night, without food or shelter. We were cold, hungry, and scared, and we didn't know where to turn. We tried to find help, but every door we knocked on was met with rejection, no one was willing to take us in.
As the days turned into weeks, our bodies began to weaken. We were eventually forced to return to the place we called home, where we were met with severe punishment. Merida's anger and resentment towards us were palpable, and she unleashed her fury upon us.
In the aftermath of our failed escape, Merida withdrew us from school, saying that we were "ungrateful" and "unworthy" of the opportunities they had provided for us. I was devastated by this decision, feeling as though I had been robbed of my one true escape. But I was powerless to change her mind, and so I was forced to accept our new reality.
The days that followed were dark and bleak. We were trapped in the house, with no escape from the abuse and neglect that we suffered. We were forced to do chores from dawn till dusk, with no rest and no respite. We were treated like slaves, not like children who deserved love, care, and protection.
After years of enduring unimaginable torture, I finally summoned the courage to escape again. I couldn't bear the thought of continuing to live in such a toxic environment, watching my siblings suffer alongside me. Merida's grip on us was suffocating, never allowing us to leave the house or interact with the outside world. This made it impossible for me to find work and earn money to facilitate our escape.
I realized that attempting to escape with my siblings would be futile. We would be easily found and returned to our tormentors, with no guarantee of shelter or safety. The thought of putting them through the ordeal of surviving on the streets, scavenging for food, and facing uncertainty was too much to bear.
So, I devised a new plan. I would escape alone, and establish a stable life. It wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to create a better future for myself and, eventually, my siblings.
I also made it a priority to continue my education, sponsoring myself through high school. Although Merida had withdrawn me from school with only a year of completing my high school certificate, I was determined to finish what I had started. I knew that having a high school diploma would significantly improve my job prospects and enable me to provide a better life for my siblings.
To make ends meet, I took on multiple part-time jobs. I worked as a waitress at a local diner and even took on odd jobs like dog walking and house sitting. It was exhausting, but I was determined to make it work.
Juggling work and education was a challenge, but I was determined to succeed. I would wake up early every morning, study for a few hours, and then head to work. After a long day of work, I would return home, cook dinner, and then study some more. It was a grueling routine, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to create a better life for myself and my siblings.
Despite the challenges, I found solace in my studies. I excelled in school, earning top grades and even landing a few academic awards. My hard work paid off, and I began to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment that I had never felt before.
Working part-time jobs and studying full-time wasn't easy, but it was worth it. I was finally able to save a substantial amount of money, which would eventually be used to bring my siblings to the city and give them the care and love they deserved. My plan was finally coming together, and I felt a sense of hope and determination that I hadn't felt in years.
I was ready to take the next step and reunite with my siblings, giving them the life they had always deserved. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to make it happen. I had come too far and sacrificed too much to turn back now.
The bus rumbled on, carrying me closer to the family I had left behind. I couldn't wait to be reunited with them.
As I approached the village, a mix of emotions swirled inside me. I suddenly felt nervous, as I wondered how my siblings would react to my return. Would they be happy to see me? Would they even want to see me? The uncertainty was almost overwhelming.
Despite my doubts, I steeled myself for the encounter. I knew that I had to face my past and make amends for leaving my siblings behind. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that no matter the outcome, I would do everything in my power to make it up to them.
As I walked towards the house, I couldn't help but notice the familiar surroundings. The village looked almost unchanged, except for a few new houses that seemed to have been built months back.
I stood before the doorstep, my heart racing with anticipation. I took another deep breath, raised my hand, and knocked on the door. The sound echoed through the silence and my mind was racing with thoughts of what could happen next. How would they react when they see me?