Painting Petals

I feel like I owe you guys an explanation

Basically my computer didn’t work for ages and then it did work again, but by the time it was working I had lent my sims game to my friend and she kept it for months and I just got it back in April. but then I had my exams and stuff and it was all a huge mess but somehow I still have my legacy save and all my CC. I’ve also checked and updated all my mods, so long story short I would really like to continue Painting Petals now that I’m less busy. 

I’ll probably be really slow as I’m easing myself back into it and it’ll take a while to get back into the flow of writing (not that I did it for that long anyway), and don’t be too surprised if this crashes through the ground again (but I think it will last at least through the summer).

 So yeah I’m not dead or anything, things just got in the way and I was too ashamed to come on the Sims website. I don’t even know if people read sims stories anymore… but yeah. Fingers crossed it goes well!

this was also posted on the forums.. !

“Please, sir, I need f-food,” I whispered, afraid to look at him.

“Call me Damien.”

“Please… Damien.”

“If you say it, then sure. Just say it and I’ll give you a whole plate full of lovely chicken and potatoes.”

“Say what? What do I have to-to say?”

“Don’t you play dumb with me, young lady! You know perfectly well what I want you to say so fudging say it already!” He started to shout and it hurt my sensitive ears.

I didn’t say what he wanted me to, though. My stomach churned at the thought of it. I couldn’t utter the words, there was no chance. I held my tongue, which I think made him even more angry with me. 

“Say it, my sweet Ivory. It would make me so happy. And you know what the consequences are if you don’t. Would you like to pay the consequences, my dear?”

I shook my head.

“Well say it, for Berry’s sake!”

I shook my head again, hiding my face in my hands.

“It’s up to you, I just didn’t think you’d want to starve to death.”

“I d-don’t… please give me some f-food,” I begged, my face still in my hands. My stomach grumbled and growled, telling me it wants a meal. I resisted the urge to clutch my belly, it hurt so much but I wouldn’t show any more weakness than I had to.

“It’s your choice, my sweet. All you have to do is say those words – just one simple sentence – and I’ll give you so much food you’ll explode.” He smiled sweetly. Terrifyingly. “And if you don’t… well let’s just say I have a special punishment in mind.”

“I… I… okay,” I whispered, defeated. “I’ll say it, for you.” I really didn’t like the prospect of a special punishment, it could have been anything. I highly doubted it would have involved mere hitting and scratching.

“Good, my sweet. I’m so proud of you for doing this. I have the meal ready just upstairs, so all you have to do is say those words for me and it’s yours.”

*

I woke up in a flash, sitting dead upright. I love you and I’m so glad you let me into your home. How could I have said that to him? I took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. What a bad memory to bring up, eh? Oh, Berry. I still felt a sort of queasiness when I thought of it. I sat, silent and unmoving, for what felt like hours, my head playing over the scene again and again, with only my thoughts and the sound of my breathing to accompany me.

Finally, I stood up and got dressed in Marine’s clothes. I glanced out of the window – it was still the middle of the night. The sky was pitch black with a sprinkle of sparkling stars. It was so beautiful. This was my first nighttime since my escape, and I hadn’t seen the stars since… well, before I was taken.

Ten years since I’d seen the night sky, it was hard to comprehend that.

It was astonishing. Breathtaking. I loved watching the stars, even as a baby. One of my earliest memories was refusing to go to sleep until Mum had taken me out to watch the sky.

*

“Mama! No! No sleep.” I would wail.

“Oh, my little sugar plum, can we please not do this tonight? We go out every night. Mama is tired tonight.”

“No, take me, take me. Star time!” I pouted.

She always gave in.

“Oh, alright. If we must. You promise to sleep afterwards, right?”

“Right, promise, Star time!”

She carefully took me out of my crib and carried me through to the big, white house. It actually wasn’t that big, but to a toddler, it seemed huge.

“Dada, Dada too Mama.” I squirmed, trying to go and find my Dad.

“Quartz! Ivory wants you to come stargazing!” Mum called to him and he appeared after just a moment.

“Dada, star time, Dada.”

“Yes, sugar-pie, it’s time to go and watch the stars,” he smiled at me, his big cheesy smile that never failed to make me laugh.

We went out every night, the three of us together.

“What’s what one?” I would ask, pointing to a random star.

“What one, that one?”

“No silly, that one there!”

Those were some of the best times of my life. As I grew older my parents joined me less and less, but I always took comfort from it and struggled to sleep without saying hello to my little white beads of magic in the sky.

*

And that’s what I felt now. Comfort. Somehow, looking out of the hotel window at the night sky brought back a small piece of my childhood.

That’s when it hit me. I was an adult, and I would have to act like one. Get a job and buy a house and pay rent and tax and bills…

Sounds fun. Except that it doesn’t.

I would have time to worry about all that later. For the time being I was content to watch the ever-changing sky looming above, waiting out the hours and finally watching the sun rise gently over the horizon, lighting everything in its path.

*

A knock sounded a few hours later and brought me to attention. I looked around for a few moments before realising what it was. Somebody was at the door. The door to my room. It could have been anyone.

I took a deep breath trying to concentrate. Who was it most likely to be?

Well, there was Marine. That wouldn’t be too bad, but I still wasn’t sure what his motives were. Who helps out a complete stranger and buys then a hotel room if they don’t have some plot in mind?…

On the other hand, it could be him. Damien. What if it was Damien? What if he had found me? I couldn’t handle that. I’d only just tasted freedom and now it was going to be taken away from me. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t go back with him. I couldn’t face that. I was completely conflicted in what to do.

I walked slowly towards the door, trying to keep my calm. Even if it was Damien, he couldn’t take me away, right? It would cause such a scene, he couldn’t. He would get caught if he tried.

I slowly creeped the door open, barely bringing myself to peek at who was there. It was just Marine. That’s what I’d hoped.

“Hi, Whisper. How’re you feeling this afternoon?”

I wanted to say that I was doing amazingly. That I was happier than I’d been in ten years. But I couldn’t get that out so I just shrugged.

“Do you mind if I come inside?” He was obviously trying his hardest not to frighten me, his voice was so calm and soothing today.

“Uh, I’d rather you d-didn’t,” I managed to get out in a whisper. “Can we go out somewhere? Maybe? If that’s o-okay with you?”

“Yes, sure,” he looked up and down over my body. “We could-”

“No!” Shock wavered through me. “P-please don’t, I don’t want to, please…”

“What?” He looked concerned. “I was just saying we could go and buy you some clothes. I threw out your old set, they were torn pretty bad. And… well I don’t think you want to spend the rest of your life wearing that.”

“I… but you, you were… oh. Um, okay, clothes.” I was still whispering, and I was sure I sounded choked or something.

And so we set off for the shops. He gave me some money and told me to spend it on a couple of cute outfits, giving me free rein over what to buy as ‘I knew more fashion.’ Yeah, right. I know nothing about anything fashion-related.

I really didn’t know what I was doing, so I just picked out a few cheap, simple outfits and wore one out of the shop. I even bought a dress. I couldn’t wear it, no chance, but I got it in the hope that one day I would feel good enough about myself that I could go out in a dress.

Marine seemed pleased with my choice, anyway, so that was good.

“Whisper, those clothes look great. They really suit you.”

“So, I was thinking, we could go to the park now, maybe have a couple of hot dogs? And then we can, you know, talk.”

The walk was a short one, we soon arrived at the park. Believe me, it was beautiful. Everything was coloured in such pretty tones, not like the bright, harsh colours of my childhood playpark.

Marine took me over to the grills and fired one up, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Some straight for my face. I ran and ducked, a squeal escaped from my lips. I heard footsteps come closer.

“Whisper, did that scare you? I’m so sorry.” Marine’s voice sounded.

I stood up slowly and nodded. I kept my distance, horrible thoughts were clouding my mind. Was he really trying to burn me? He wouldn’t do that, right?

It took quite a lot of persuading for him to assure me that that’s just what happens when the grill turns on, and that’s when I noticed that Marine was so, so patient with me. He never got angry or annoyed or anything, he always stayed calm. I wasn’t sure if that meant he was a really nice guy or an evil genius.

The hot dogs he made were amazing! The tastiest things to ever pass my lips. The rolls were so soft and the meat had an unusual taste to them which was just magnificent. I didn’t understand why everyone wasn’t eating them!

There was a whole group of boys, none of whom eating hot dogs. Either they had already had some, or they were just plain stupid. And scary, they were definitely scary. I tried not to look at them too much.

After my second – no, third – hot dog, Marine said something which brought my cheerful mood way down.

“If it’s okay, could you please tell me about your past?”

“Um, I suppose… if you tell me about yours f-first.”

He smiled. “Sure, but there’s not much to tell. I grew up in Briocheport with my Aunt and Uncle. My parents were always working so I didn’t see them often. That, and they were divorced, so when I did see them it was only one at a time. My Aunt was like a second Mother to me.”

“I moved to Sugar Valley when I turned eighteen – just a few years ago. I have a job as a self-employed masseuse. I can give you a massage sometime, if you want.”

“I’ve never had a massage b-before.”

“Have you not? They’re great. They’re good for stress-relief,” he smiled. “So, um, would you mind telling me your story?”

I told him. Everything from my Dad dying when I was a child to my abuse from my kidnapper to my escape.

“-and that’s… that’s when you came.”

“That’s so sad, Whisper. I can’t believe what that Berry-hole did to you. What a horrible son-of-a-Berry! Thank you for telling me, that was very brave of you.”

“Please don’t tell anyone,” I whispered, I didn’t think we would but I had to be sure.

“Whisper, we have to go to the police about this. It’s important, we can’t just leave it. What was your kidnapper’s name?”

“I don’t want to s-say.” He wanted me to go to the police. The same people who failed to rescue me when a man took me away from my friends and family to a terrifying place.

“Please, Whisper, it’s important.”

“No.”

“We’ll never get him locked up if you don’t talk to someone about it.”

“No.”

He sighed. “Okay, fair enough. I hope you’ll come around in time.”

We spent the rest of the day talking and playing. I felt a lot better after telling Marine my history. Less weighed down. I didn’t fully become myself again, though. I wasn’t sure I ever would.

Before I knew it, the night was upon us and it was time to go back to the hotel.

“Just… before we head back, there’s something I need to talk to you about, Whisper.” Marine said as we were getting ready to go.

“Oh, uh, sure”

“You should, um, you should try not to rely on me too much. I’m moving back to Briocheport.”

I couldn’t breathe, my head was spinning, I was drenched in sweat, but still I ran. I didn’t know where I was heading, but I knew I was going away from him, and that was enough. My lungs felt as though they were going to collapse and I was literally gasping for breath. I didn’t stop, though. I wouldn’t stop for anything.

But despite all of that, I felt happier and more free than I had in years. I had forgotten what it felt like to have the sun’s warmth on my skin or the breeze flowing through my hair. And who would have known that fresh air was so fresh?

It was a struggle, forcing my feet to carry me forward, and I genuinely felt like I was going to die at times. But I only had to think about Damien and the awful things he did, and it was as if all of my energy and willpower had been restored. I couldn’t go back there. I would honestly commit suicide if I was ever forced to go back to that basement.

Out of nowhere, a sharp stone found itself underneath my bare foot. It pierced through my skin and I let out an audible gasp as my full body weight pressed down onto the rock. It was agony, utter agony. I tried to keep a straight face and keep on running but it was just too painful.

I tried hopping from there on but it was no use, one leg itself wasn’t nearly strong enough to carry me to safety. I could have cried. He was going to catch me and I was going to… well, to die. I was going to die. Might as well come to terms with it…

I glanced behind me only to see that Damien had completely vanished. When had that happened? Had he given up looking for me? A faint glimmer of hope lit up inside of me before I realised, no.  He would never give up on me. He would hunt me down until the day one of us dies. He would have just gone back for the car.

Oh Berry, oh Berry. He would get me for sure now, I couldn’t outrun a car! Not if my life depended on it! Which, ironically, it did. He would catch me for sure. My life, my happiness, my freedom… it all depended on me my escape. My escape which was just not happening.

Ignoring my throbbing foot, I continued to run. I knew it was useless but I had to try. I had to. I wasn’t going to give myself up to him willingly. My only option other than give up and let him take me back, was to try my hardest to fight the inevitable. I would die fighting before I would let him take me. If that’s what it took, that’s what I’d do.

A strange thought came to me then. Even if I did the impossible and got away from this man, and got to a town, what would happen? Would I spend the rest of my life homeless, without a place to sleep… or food? I didn’t have any money, and I sure as Berry didn’t have any qualifications. I left home at age eleven! I didn’t even know anything about the world or how it works. And, depending on which town i ended up at, I wouldn’t know anybody. Maybe I would be better off staying with Damien, where I at least was guaranteed shelter and enough food to keep me alive. Sure, I got a little beaten up, but was it really so bad?

Thankfully, the feeling didn’t last long. Of course it wasn’t a good idea to stay with Damien! Nothing in this world could make me change my mind on that matter. Those were just crazy, unwanted thoughts that were clouding my mind for a moment. I wouldn’t go back. I would never go back.

Unless he caught me, which was looking more and more likely as time went on.

A noise in the distance caught my attention. A car. No mistaking it, there was definitely a car heading towards me. I couldn’t see it yet, but I could hear it getting nearer and nearer. I started to panic, speeding up to a pace faster than I’d ever run before.

It still wouldn’t be fast enough. Not against a car.

My heart pounded against my rib cage, my lungs were desperately trying to keep up with my rapid breaths. I could feel the blood pumping in my head and my vision was deteriorating. I was struggling to breathe. My foot ached more and more with every step. Weak at the knees were my legs, and before I knew it I was falling.

*

“Wake up, Miss, are you okay?” A mysterious voice asked.

“Mmm…” I sat up, my head spinning. Where was I? Who was this man?

“You’re awake! I was driving past when you just… fell. You’ve been out for about five minutes, so I’ve called for an ambulance and they’ll be here soon and-”

“Please… don’t make me g-go to a.. a hospital,” I whispered, interrupting him. He frowned.

“But you’re hurt, you have to go.”

“It’s just a few scratches…” I said, even quieter than before.

Suddenly, I became aware of the fact that Damien was still after me and I stood up, having to force my now-weak legs to carry my weight.

“Please, take me.. a-away from here, please,” I squeaked.

“Oh, Miss, I don’t know. I think we should wait for the ambulance to come and take you.”

“P-please, I have to g-get away from here. Before.. before he.. the man.. before he..” I couldn’t finish the sentence, the tears came charging back. They built up in my eyelids and choked me.

He smiled at me sympathetically, obviously seeing in my eyes how desperate I was and how urgently I needed to leave. He nodded slowly and led me to his car.

“I’m going to Sugar Valley, that’s where I live. Where do you need to go?”

“I-I uh,” I didn’t know how to answer that. I didn’t have a home. “Just… anywhere that isn’t h-here will be… fine.”

The majority of the journey passed in silence, mostly due to the fact that I fell into a dreamless sleep almost as soon as I sat down. It must have been a few hours before we arrived as I felt very rested by the time I woke up. But perhaps that was because this car seat was far, far more comfortable than the cold, hard floor of the basement.

A weird feeling passed over me, sitting in that car. I was finally free. I’d done it, gotten away, and now I was free. No more Damien to be in control of everything I do, no more starving half to death in an empty imprisonment, no more standing helplessly as Damien beats the living licorice out of me. And not to mention the verbal abuse.

The car parked outside a small cottage and the man kindly helped me out of my seat, making sure I wasn’t going to fall over, before taking me over to his front door. I began to panic.

“I… I can’t… p-please don’t make me go in there… don’t lock me in your b-basement,” I whispered. I was terrified. I couldn’t get locked away again, I couldn’t. I thought he was nice! He even had the audacity to laugh.

“What are you ta-” he started, but then a look came to him. Came to his eyes. A look of… understanding? Perhaps? “Oh Berry, is that what… were you… is that why…?”

I shot him a frightened look. “Please… please don’t beat me… I want to go… I-” I suddenly stopped myself from saying more. If I made him mad, my punishment would only be worse. Well, judging from experience that is…

“What? No, I’m not going to hurt you,” He paused for a moment as if thinking something through. “Is that what happened to you? Were you locked away and abused? Oh my… oh I didn’t realise. I thought you had gotten hurt when you fell…”

I started to cry again. I just stared at my feet, unsure of whether to trust the man or not. I didn’t even know his name.

I plucked up the courage to ask him.

“My name? Have I not told you yet? I’m Marine. Marine Tarte,” he sounded awfully cheerful for someone talking to some random girl, covered in blood, sobbing on his doorstep. I think I liked that about him, though. It showed me that he was the sort of person to cheer you up when you’re sad, rather than face sympathy. “What’s yours?”

I had to think about that for a moment. Not because I’d forgotten my name – of course I hadn’t. I had to choose what to tell him. I could tell him Ivory, which was my name, and have to relive those horrid memories of Damien calling me “his sweet Ivory” any time anyone spoke to me. I shudder even just thinking about the name Ivory. So, on the other hand, I could tell my my middle name. Whisper. I would be able to start a whole new life with a new name and would forget about my time with him. Of course, I knew what my choice would be.

“Whisper… that’s pretty.” Marine walked over to the door. “Please come inside, we really need to get you cleaned up.”

*

After a long – and I mean long – shower (who would have known how dirty one can get after ten years without a proper wash?), Marine let me borrow one of his bath robes and tended to my wounds. They looked so much better already, getting all of that dried blood off of my face helped a ton. He also gave me something for cuts and grazes which is supposed to help them to heal a bit quicker, which I am insanely grateful for. I was worried that – instead of helping me clean my cuts – he would try to make them worse, but he was really sweet. He could see how shaken up I was and didn’t ask me any questions about what I had happened, even though I could tell he was dying to find out. I was starting to like him and trust him more and more as the day wore on.

He gave me a clean set of clothes to wear. They didn’t fit him anymore as they were from his teenage years, but they were still far too big for me. Especially the shoes and the shorts. I looked ridiculous, but at least I wasn’t wearing a bath robe!

And he even made me dinner. There was so much on the plate I couldn’t finish it all, even though I was incredibly hungry.

“So, Whisper, I take it you have nowhere to sleep tonight?” he asked. I shook my head

“You can sleep here if you want, until you know what you’re doing.”

Shock and terror waved through me. I had to get out. I couldn’t sleep here, not with him, not with anyone. Nobody was trustworthy. Anyone could be a Damien, anyone at all.

“I-I can’t… I should g-go.” I whispered, standing up to leave.

“Come on, it will only be a few nights.”

I froze. I’d heard that phrase before.

*

“Come on, Ivory, my sweet. It will only be a few nights. I swear. Just let me have my fun, will you?”

“I won’t! I won’t let you do this to me! Just wait until my Mum gets a hold of you,” I screamed at the bad man. I had only been there a couple of days but I hated him already. It would be impossible not to!

“You will obey me!” He cried out, an intense anger burning in his eyes. I was afraid to look at them.

“I won’t, I won’t do anything you say.” I replied, a little quieter this time, tears starting to spill over.

He smirked. “See? I’m getting to you already.”

Before I knew it he had punched me in the face, sending waves of intense pain through my entire body. I looked up at him, shocked. He had hit me! Why would he hit a little girl? I could feel the heat from where he had hit, I was sure it would be swollen soon if not already.

“Now, are we going to be a little more cooperative?”

“No!” I shrieked. “You’re a mean, nasty berry-hole and I won’t do anything you say!”

I braced myself for more punches but instead he shoved me back against the wall, causing me to slam my head on the bricks. I couldn’t move for the shock, so he walked over to me, hitting me over and over again, each slap and punch harder than the previous. I couldn’t breathe for choking back screams and screams and tears. He just kept hitting me until finally I cracked.

“Okay, okay, I’ll obey you, I’ll do what you s-say. Just don’t… don’t hurt me anymore.”

Smiling, he slapped my cheek once more, and left me in the room by myself.

That was the day Damien broke me.

*

I started to run but Marine pulled me back.

“P-please, don’t hurt me… let me g-go, pretty please?”

A look of horror crossed his face and he immediately let go of my wrist.

“I wouldn’t! I mean… oh Berry, I’m really screwing things up. I’m so sorry, I just wanted to help you. I’m so sorry.” He took a step back, giving me space. “I won’t hurt you, I would never do that.”

“Then, why were you t-trying to kid-kid-kidnap me?” I wept.

“No, Whisper, I wasn’t. I was just trying to help, like I said. I thought you could use a place to sleep, is all,” he paused for a moment, thinking. “There’s a hotel just down the street. I can book you a room if you want, for as many nights as you need. If you think you’ll feel safer there? The rooms have a lock on the inside… And then, would you mind talking to me about the important stuff tomorrow, after you’ve had some rest?”

I took a deep breath. A hotel, that wouldn’t be too bad, would it? I nodded slowly, and we took a walk down to the hotel. I felt safer walking, that way I knew he wasn’t going to take me miles and miles away where no one would hear me scream…

Yes, walking was less risky than taking the car. He couldn’t do something dodgy with all those people around to see. I felt them staring at me. Wondering who I was and what happened to my face. And why I was wearing three-sizes-too-big clothes that weren’t even close to the colour of my skin.

When we arrived at the hotel, he spoke to a lady behind the desk for a few minutes before she handed me a key and Marine lead me to my room.

I entered alone and made sure to lock the bolt on the inside of the door. The room was small and cozy, and had a theme of yellow. I loved the colour yellow, it was so warm and welcoming. Unlike purple. Purple was an awful colour sent to us to rid the world of peace and happiness.

I sat down on the bed and looked around. Yeah, I could live here. Well, for a few nights until Marine stopped paying for the room…

It was times like this I wished I had money of my own. And a job. I wished I was normal. I would never fit in, I had missed out on the whole of my teenage life. I could never get them back.

Sighing, I took off my borrowed clothes and climbed under the duvet, waiting for sleep to find me.

// Author’s Note:: This chapter contains themes that may be upsetting or disturbing to some people, especially younger viewers. There is nothing too bad, but if themes of violence and abuse bother you, you probably shouldn’t read this. //

“Thank you,” I whispered as the man threw my rations roughly onto the filthy floor.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” he replied in is coarse, intimidating voice. He was growing irritated, I could tell.

“Thank you… sir.” My voice quietened further, barely even a squeak. He turned and left the room, locking the door securely behind him.

I looked around the room once I had eaten my cold meat, shoving it down my throat as fast as i could in fear of it being taken away. The food was covered in grime and dust from the floor, but I wasn’t worried about that anymore. What I was really concerned about was the blood all over my face; the cuts and bruises that never seemed to heal or fade. I immediately burst into tears, and the droplets mixed with the blood that had dried on my face. Red, bloody tears.

I wasn’t crying because of the pain, but because I was remembering a time before the abuse. Before I came here…

“Mum, can I go to the park now please? I’ve finished all of my homework!” I called out as I climbed down the stairs. “Me and Rosemary agreed to meet up there, I’m already ten minutes late!”

I ran into the kitchen to look for my jacket and Mum smiled at me.

“Of course you can, Ivory, sweetheart. Be back before dinner though, okay? We’re having my specialty, veggie stir-fry!”

“Yeah, great, Mum. Can’t wait,” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes, before racing out the door. I wouldn’t be that late, it was only a couple of minutes to the park if I ran the whole way.

I arrived at the gates, panting, my lungs heavy, and saw Rosemary playing on the swings. She was wearing a cute pink top which complimented her cheerful skintone perfectly. I was extremely jealous of her, she had a beautiful colour. I was just white. Sure, there weren’t many white berries around, but there was a reason for that. People preferred bright, colourful berries. Not white. White isn’t a colour. White isn’t beautiful. People didn’t fall in love with white.

I wished I could at least get away with wearing a colour, but I was scared of what people would think. A white berry wearing coloured clothing? Oh, what a scandal that would be!

I waved to Rosemary and went to join her on the swings. I smiled and apologised for being late.

“Mum wouldn’t let me leave until my homework was finished,” I sighed.

“Don’t worry, I know what Mums are like,” she laughed, “last one to the sandpit is a rotten blueberry!”

She suddenly jumped up off the swing and raced towards the sandpit. I wasn’t far behind her, but I was still tired from running all the way from home… so I lost. It didn’t matter, I’d still have plenty of chances to beat her.

“Blueberry, blueberry, you’re a rotten blueberry!”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, you won,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But come on, there are sand castles waiting to be built!” I leaped into the sandpit and began filling buckets with sand. Rosemary followed suit, and soon we were too busy making our sandcastles the best they could be to pay any attention to the time.

“Look, Ivory, my castle is star-shaped!”

“Oh yeah? Well mine has a flag.”

“Well my castle is prettier.”

“My castle’s bigger!”

“Mine has more shells…”

We argued like that for hours, building and comparing sandcastles was our favorite game. Rosemary was very competitive, and I guess I was too at times. Though neither of us were sore losers, we would always laugh and shout when we won. It was always dark before we finally left for home, and our parents sometimes threatened to ban us from seeing each other we got home so late.

“Get up!” the deep, angry voice of my kidnapper, Damien, woke me from my daydreams. I retreated back further into the corner, afraid of what might happen to me today. I couldn’t bring my eyes away from the floor, but I was sure Damien’s purple eyes would be full of hatred and anger.

“I said, get up!” his voice echoed around the room, so loud my ears hurt. I slowly began to stand upright, not taking my eyes from the filthy floor.

Standing was a struggle, I didn’t have any energy these days. All of my fat and muscle had wasted away over my many years here. I only got a single meal each day, if that. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t survive much longer in this awful place, the way things were going. Out of nowhere, my captor’s strong hands grabbed onto my shoulders.

He shoved me harshly against the brick wall of his basement. I winced as I hit my head, hard. I tried not to show any emotion, it just made my beating even worse. It annoyed him, made him mad. But it’s difficult to act like you’re not in any pain. To ignore your pain.

“Do you know what day it is?” he asked with a terrifying smile playing on his lips.

“I… uh… no.” Each day just blended into the next, I didn’t have any clue or indication as to what the date was. This just made him smile more. But it vanished very quickly, he never smiled for long.

“Well, my sweet Ivory, do you remember the day I took you in?” Oh Berry, I hated when he called me his sweet. It gave the illusion we actually liked each other or something.

“Of course I remember… it was my eleventh birthday…”

“Ivory, get up! You’re going to be late for your own birthday party!” my Mum called up the stairs to me.

“Yeah, okay. Just coming.” I shouted back and quickly made my way downstairs. I was so excited, this was going to be my best birthday party yet. Everyone from my class was going, and I was going to have a bouncy castle and everything!

I was wearing my new dress for the occasion. I looked so pretty! Well, for a white berry. I’d never be as beautiful as Rosemary, Skye and the others. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the dress, I did love it.

We left the house in a hurry because Mum had to pick up balloons from the shop on our way. I loved travelling in the car, we passed by so many different places, one colourful building followed by the next. It was like driving beside a rainbow. We finally stopped at the shop and I was told to wait in the car.

Yeah, right. Why sit inside a stuffy machine when I could run around in the sunshine and stretch my legs? So that’s exactly what I did, smiling at everyone who was nearby. I was one of the happiest, bubbliest, friendliest berries in all of Cocoaville, nearly everybody knew my name. Ivory Whisper Petal.

There was one man I didn’t know, though. He was dark purple in colour and looked… angry? Or lost, perhaps. Maybe he was here on holiday and didn’t know where he was. I decided to go and help him

“Hello! You look lost, would you like any help?”

He looked down at me. “What? No! I’m not lost. I don’t want any help, especially from a little brat.”

I admit I was shocked, but I was sure my girlish charm would win him over. Unfortunately, that’s not quite what happened.

After my useless attempts to sweet talk him, his face went an even darker shade of purple and his eyes looked as though they were ready to pop. I felt so bad for making him angry, I felt as though I’d ruined his day.

“Hey, you listen here little girl! You have no right to-” he started screaming at me before he realised we were in a public place. He then calmed down and smiled at me. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted. I’ve just had a really bad day. Come with me and I’ll get you a sweetie as an apology gift.”

Against my better judgement, and everything I’d learnt about ‘stranger danger,’ I followed him up the narrow alley to his car. I’d never heard of anything bad happening in Cocoaville, everyone was so lovely. He said he was giving me a sweetie, so I thought he was giving me a sweetie. And he did. The sweetie tasted really funny and it looked more like a tablet than a sweetie, but he just smiled at me so I assumed it must have some sort of fruity goo in the middle.

It wasn’t long before I started to feel woozy and sleepy. My mind went foggy and I couldn’t think straight. The last thing I remember before passing out was falling, falling. And the man not even trying to catch me.

I awoke to find myself in the passenger seat in a car, in the middle of nowhere. Where was I? Whose car was I in? After a moment of racking my brain for information it all came flooding back. The man. The purple man.

I looked towards the drivers seat. Sure enough, the purple man was driving. I started to panic. Where was he taking me? Why? What did he want with a little girl? I prayed to Berry that this was just a birthday surprise and he was taking me to my party, but I highly doubted it. We weren’t in Cocoaville anymore, that much I was sure of.

He suddenly looked at me. “Oh, you’re awake. We’re almost there,” he said in a gruff voice.

“Almost where?” Where are you taking me?” I demanded.

He didn’t answer, he just stared at the road in front of him. We eventually pulled over outside a small, isolated house which matched his skintone, and he dragged me inside.

“What are you doing?! Is this your house? Why did you take me here? My Mum won’t let you get away with this! She’ll come and get me, just you wait and see!” I struggled to get free but his grip was too strong.

He shoved me down a set of stairs into a cold, dark basement and said only two sentences before locking me in.

“I’ve been following you for a very long time, Ivory Petal. I wasn’t planning on taking you here until you turned sixteen but you made me angry today, you fudging little brat.”

“You can’t do this to me! Let me out!” I yelled as he locked the door shut.

“That is correct, my Ivory. It was your eleventh birthday. And today…” he smirked, “is your twenty-first birthday. You’ve been here ten years, my sweet.”

I gasped. Ten years? Had it really really been that long? I wondered how my Mum was doing. First, she lost her husband, when I was nine., and then she lost me. I’ve been missing for ten years. I wondered if anyone was looking for me anymore. If they even remembered who I was.

The thought made my tears flow harder and faster.

Damien’s voice turned quiet and seducing.

“So, now that you’re twenty-one, I wouldn’t feel guilty about going… further with you. Now there’s a whole lot more I can do with you, my sweet.”

I knew what that meant. I may have been taken when I was only eleven but I knew the meaning of what he said. I wouldn’t let him rape me, I wouldn’t. I glanced up at the door, noticing he’d left it open… I had a plan.

He suddenly grabbed my breast roughly, and a new found anger grew within me. I screamed and shoved him away with all my force. I think the only reason he stumbled was that my reaction was so unexpected, but I took that opportunity to run. He was too fast, though, and pulled me back.

He punched me in the face, hard, but I didn’t feel the pain. I was pumped full of adrenaline. I knew if I couldn’t escape now, my life would become a million times worse after this. Damien would make sure of that. I had to get out, I had to.

“Where do you think you’re going?” his voice was angrier that it had ever been. I didn’t reply.

“You can’t escape, you know I’m too strong for you!”

Another hit in the face.

I struggled and struggled but I couldn’t get free. He was smiling in spite of himself, laughing even. I couldn’t give up. If I gave up, my life wouldn’t be worth living. It wasn’t worth living as it was.

No matter what I tried I couldn’t get free. I just fell flat on my face on the stairs. But I picked myself up and continued to fight against his firm grip.

I had to get away. I had to do it.

I couldn’t do it.

I stopped fighting it. I wouldn’t be able to get free, no matter what I tried. Damien stood laughing. Laughing at me and my silly attempts at escape. Laughing at his plans for me. Laughing for the sake of laughing.

He slackened his grip on me for a moment, knowing he’d won, but I realised that this was my chance.

I kicked him in his privates and he yelped like a small puppy. Releasing his grip on me, he doubled over and I ran up and out of the basement. I figured he would be chasing me regardless of how much I’d hurt him, so I knew I’d have to run fast. Faster than I’d ever run before.

I probably wouldn’t be fast enough even then. I mean, let’s face it. I haven’t exactly had a lot of practice running while being cooped up, abused and half starved for ten years.

I managed to get out of the house but I could hear the sound of heavy breathing and the tap tap of footsteps behind me. I had to keep running. I forced my legs to keep moving, one after the other. Right, left, right, left. No matter how hard it would get, I had to keep sprinting. I wouldn’t stop, not for anything.

I could only hope for a miracle. Something to come and save me, before the exhaustion gets to me.

I don’t actually know if anyone is still following my blog, but I just wanted to let you guys know that I’m restarting Painting Petals! Last time I had to stop writing for a while due to sickness and exams, and then my laptop stopped working..

I lost everything from my legacy.

But now I’m back with a new computer and I’m going to be making a brand new rainbowcy, also called Painting Petals. It has a whole different plot and all new characters. The prologue should be up later today.

Oh and here’s a quick picture of the foundress, Ivory Whisper Petal.