Alina

Since Alexei got home, things have been awful. Dmitri is coming down less and he's coming down more.

On the bright side, he has avoided my ribs since he broke one, so I guess that's good.

My brothers have only ever harmed me with their hands and feet. The only time they used a weapon was the zappy thing.
Recently though, Alexei has taken out a knife out a few times which really scares me. But once he gets close to my body, he curses, yells, then storms out of the room.

Each day it gets worse as he's getting angrier and angrier every time.

I woke up this morning on the floor again. Sometimes after I pass out from Alexei, I don't wake up until the next day.

I have a new "mattress" but it's not really any different from the floor. It's just a small towel that was used to clean my wounds a few days ago. I simply fold it twice and get into a ball on top.

I also started to get less food, I'm fed every few days and if I'm lucky, Anastasia sneaks crackers under the bread if she can. I think my body is getting used to the lack of food over the years though.

Everything I know about the outside world is from the books I read. I'm lying down on my towel, reading one of them.

I hear yelling and soon fast, yet heavy foot steps as well. All of a sudden, Dmitri races through the door in a panic and picks me up. I don't even have time to react before he's already on the move, running up the stairs. I squint my eyes from the amount of light up here. It kind of hurts my head. I've never been outside the basement during the day before.

I meet Alexei's eyes and he storms over to us and I get really scared. I think Dmitri can tell as his grip tightens a bit. Is this a hug?

"Dmitri! What the fuck are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting the sister you forgot about." Alexei shoots him a death glare.

Looks like I'm not the only one he saves them for.

"We don't have time for this right now. Give her to Igor and come with me. IGOR!" I flinch at his loud voice.

I'm grabbed from Dmitri's arms by Alexei and he practically tosses me into another big man's arms.

Dmitri doesn't look back at me and walks away.

"Put her in the decoy van." I hear Alexei whisper to Igor.

Huh?

Igor nods and walks outside into the cold winter air where a line of 3 vans are waiting. He puts me into one and slams the door. I think I hear him say, "I'm sorry, little one."

IM SO EXCITED!

This is my first time leaving the property and my brothers aren't with me. Actually, no one is but some guy in the driver's seat that looks pretty young. He's clearly shaking, maybe he's sad he's leaving the house. I know I'm not!

He doesn't look very threatening from where I'm sitting. As soon as I'm far enough from the property, I'm escaping. I don't know how, but I will. I don't have anyone or anywhere to go, but I'll figure it out later. I'm not passing up this chance.

Maybe a nice family will find me and they'll be my new mommy and daddy and maybe I'll even have nice brothers!

The vans start to move and I see the gates slowly open. I'm so exciteddddddd.

Probably around 30 minutes later, which felt like hours, the vans are driving along a thin, remote road with a forest on either side.

It's so pretty.

There are no leaves and this white stuff covers the ground. It's probably something normal, but this is my first time seeing it. I'm pretty sure it's called snow. I saw it in one of my books.

The driver is still shaking a bit. Is he really missing that awful place that much? He must have had a really good life there. Wish I knew what that felt like for sure.

He hasn't looked back at me once and I finally decide it's a good place to get out.

I climb to the window and use the metal from the seat belt to hopefully break the glass. The glass begins to crack and just when I'm about to kick it down,

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

Bombs go off all around us and the next thing I know, I'm flying through the window, landing against a tree on the edge of the forest.
I feel warm liquid dripping from my head.

I don't feel so good.

Within seconds I welcome the darkness that has always been my sanctuary.