Sunday’s are for believers. People that have faith in a greater being. I use to be one of those people once upon a time before my life turned upside down. I used to imagine what my life would be like if I didn’t lose my family or if they would have left me in the care of someone else. All useless though, I can’t even see an end in sight of this nightmare that I’m currently in. My only shimmer of light is in the form of a curly brown haired brown-eyed girl. The only person to notice what was there all along. She saw me.

"…and the Lord did strike them down…" Rev. Reed stood in front of the congregation spitting out bible verses. One after another, he preached of an unforgiving god that he wished us all to fear. I didn’t fear God; I feared the devil sitting next to me.

Sitting in the church, we appeared to be the perfect minister’s family. A loving husband and father, sat with his wife and daughter listening to the sermon with the up most respect. The outside world unaware of his true nature. All it would take is for one other person to look into my eyes and see the pain, the aguish, and the fear. They would see the darkness that flows from my eyes.

The pain on my face is evident today. Sitting in the church in the uncomfortable pews, I try to avoid all contact with my back. The black, blue, and purple stripes color my back from the beating I received the other night. That was only the beginning, he…um…he did other stuff too. More painful than I can ever remember it being. That night, I was not silent, even though I never spoke a word. My screams still echo through the attic.

Church ended after what seemed like hours, we gathered on the front line with everyone else. Most welcomed us to the church, others stared. The news that he was going to be a minister spread like wild fire through the masses.

Rev. Reed came and talked with us, well with them. I just stared at my shoes wishing it were Monday, so I could see Ashley.

"I was thinking Earl that maybe you would like to give the sermon next Sunday to introduce yourself to the people. What do you say?" His smile widened with delight at the news. He lived to stand up on the pulpit and preach his words of God.

"I would be honored. Any certain topic or can I pick my own?" His eyes showed he was already deep in thought over what topic he could preach.

"What did you have in mind?" John Reed was interested in what ideas the beast had.

"Sins" A simple word but held so many different categories to choose from. He already knew exactly what he wanted to talk about, and it was going to cut deep into me.

"Okay. Work on it over the week and we’ll edit it together Saturday before church." John smiled at his new friend.

"I look forward to it." The man with deadly green eyes and almost black hair said. My nightmare. He is responsible for taking away every last ounce of innocence I had.

He placed his hand on my shoulder and led me to the car.

Leaving the safety of people, my tremors started again. His hands still touching me made me feel dirty. I wanted to take a shower and scrub his touch off my skin forever.

Forever. That word will haunt me for the rest of my days. He said I belonged to him that I would never leave that house. That thought alone scared me more then anything else I have ever endured at his hands.

Counting down the houses until we reach ours has managed to keep my mind off other depressing thoughts. Counting the last one, we pull into our driveway. Exiting the car, I look around to spot a black Porsche sitting at the corner. Did she come to check on me? She must have been worried since I wouldn’t be able to call her.

Smiling a little, I realize I’m not alone in this world anymore. I have Ashley. I just hope she is up to the task of being my everything.

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