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CHAPTER

RENÉE

I felt myself being pulled into the bottomless pit of my nightmares again.

I saw his shadow reflecting on the door. Then, he walked into my room. I try to pretend that I'm asleep....I really try.

But even with my eyes closed tight, I feel him walking closer to me and no, I can't pretend to be asleep. I just can't!

No! No! Oh, God!

I start weeping, silently! God, noooo!

"Ren! Wake up, Ren!"

I heard my sister's voice in my subconscious and it dragged me into consciousness. My eyes snapped open to see Venice hovering over me. Her big brown eyes looking wary and her hair falling off her shoulders.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I chanted as I rose up from the bed. Sweat poured off my body.

"I know you're fine, Ren. I know, big sis." Venice said to me with a sad smile she can't quite hide.

My heart was still racing, I tried to calm myself. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Nine. I'm preparing to go get the groceries we talked about." Venice said as she walked a little bit away from me to give me space to get up.

Oh, the groceries. I stared at my fourteen-year-old sister. I might be ten years her senior, but she's pretty much my best friend. My everything.

"Do we have money for it? Ven, I told you not to use that money we are owing Mr James to buy groceries."

"But we have to or we'll starve. We can give him back his money another time." Venice smiled, "I'll be getting paid at my part-time job tomorrow. That way, we will pay him."

I sighed defeatedly and nodded. I tried not to let the guilt overwhelm me. My sister shouldn't be working if everything was alright. She should be in school like every other teenager, but she's trying to help me out in making end's meet.

We moved down here to Wadiskin Province six months ago after our uncle's death. He was the only family we had and when he died....I was the happiest person on earth.

Finally, I am free. Finally, Venice and I are free.

Six months later, we are still free and the taste of freedom is really delicious and even though we don't have enough money with us, we are together.....we are happy. That's all that matters.

"Let me dress up before I leave, I'll be in my room." Venice said before she turned and headed for the room.

"Alright." I replied, giving her a reassuring smile.

There are only two room here and instead of it to be a living room and a bedroom, we converted it to two bedrooms because Venice has to have her own room.

The fault is not from her but from me. My sister can't sleep beside me because she's always unable to sleep because of my nightmares.

I turned and entered the bathroom. I took a few minutes to bath and brush my teeth. I can hear the voice of the children in the neighborhood playing and laughing.

The noise is really getting to me but I'm still thankful to be here. It's the cheapest house I ever came across when I was searching for a place. It might not be much but it's still a root over our heads.

Besides, Venice and I are happy. That's all that matters.

After bathing, I was just putting on my clothes when a heard a hard knock on the door.

"Ven?" I called.

"I'll get it!" My sister assured me.

Coming out of her own room, she entered the big space that was supposed to be all my room but was demarcated into two with a thick floor-to-ceiling board. We were able to turn the small space demarcated out of my room to a living room.

Venice's footsteps indicated that she is on the way to the door. I heard the deadbolt thrown open and the door opened.

Silence ensued. I wondered who it must be.

"Ren?" Venice called softly. Her voiced cracked at the end. "Someone is here to see you."

Dressed well, I opened the closed door in the demarcation and came out to the living room. I stopped dead on my tracks.

Vanda Crown.

Vanda Crown stood on my doorsteps.

A man I've never seen before but I've heard about him for years. His ruthlessness.

My uncle said the man never smiled and looking at his face now, I don't know if I should feel happy that my uncle finally said a true in his life.

The man has no smile on his face and as his gaze settled over me, one thing dawned on me.

My life is about to change forever.

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