"A broken heart is just the growing pains necessary so that you can love more completely when the real thing comes along." -J.S.B Morse

Love. Although a very simple word, not one that is given to many people. I-unfortunately-am one of those many people. I live with my rather abusive foster parents. I don't know my biological family is. I have been with my current foster parents for almost 2 years now. This is my 5th foster home in the last 6 years. To you it may not seem like a lot but to kids in the system it is. My name is Isabella Rose Romano, I am 13 years old (turning 14 on October 27). My last name and the locket that I have are the only clues I have as to who my real parents are. "Brat, you better get your ass down here now!" my oh so gracious foster mother, Larissa, yelled from the living room.

I quickly run down the stairs knowing what I have done wrong. I forgot to take out the trash after dinner. I know I should have remembered but I was doing homework. "Y-you c-called" I stutter out. "You stupid bitch you didn't take out the trash!" Larissa yelled. I look down at my feet suddenly finding my worn out white converses very interesting. I can smell the alcohol in her breath from where I'm standing, by now I've grown used to the smell of alcohol. "I know miss, I-I f-forgot I'm s-sor-sorry" I nervously stutter out, keeping my head facing downwards toward the floor. I only started doing this when I moved here since John and Larissa don't like looking at me, they say that my face is to ugly to look at. Now it has just become a habit when I'm around people. John and Larissa gave me a set of rules on my 2nd day here. There are four rules in total.

1.Never tell anyone about the abuse

2. Always be home by 4:00pm

3. Don't talk unless spoken to

4. Never try to run away

"You stupid bitch! You didn't forget you! I bet you did it just to show disrespect! I suppose that means you deserve a punishment, right?" as Larissa said the last part my eyes widened. I looked up from my converses and saw a sinister smile on her face. "N-no p-plea-please!" I pleaded as Larissa grabbed me by my light brown hair and dragged me to the punishment room. John and Larissa have everything they need in there to hurt me. Larissa opens the door with one hand while the has a fist fool of my hair. As soon as the door opens, I feel tears prickle my eyes as I know what is to come.

As Larissa throws me against the cold wall. She walks over to a box full of punishing equipment. Oh, how I hate that box. However, John is not home so at least the punishment won't be as bad as it would be if he was here. I then start to hear the sinister laugh that is often used while in the punishment room. I watch carefully to see what weapon she will use against me today. My heartbeat picks up and my eyes widen even more. As I see that she has chose not one but two devices of torture to use on me. The whip and a knife. I have learned over the time that I have spent here that however painful they might both be, the knife hurts more than a whip. Not by much but still more. Larissa proceeds to walk over to me. She stands in front of me then she grabs a handful of my hair.

"This will teach you to !" Larissa yells at me as I try to pull her hand away from my hair. Larissa then proceeds to kick me in the ribs. On the third or fourth kick (I lost count) I felt the wind knocked out of me. Larissa takes this chance to roll me over, roll up my shirt and make a small yet deep cut on my back. I scream in pain as I let the tears in my eyes fall down my face, onto the cold floor. She then continues to make more cuts along my abdomen and upper back. Larissa then puts the knife down and picks up the whip. I mentally sigh in relief as I know that she is finished with the knife. I now have to face my next obstacle, which is the whip. "Stand up you bitch" Larissa demands. I shakily stand up trying to maintain balance on my very wobbly legs. I turn around without being told as I know protocol by now. It's like torture not knowing when the blow is going to come and just standing there facing the wall.

I finally feel the blow as it strikes. I cry more, as I continue to feel the stinging feeling that I so wish I could just escape from. I then feel the same stinging again and again without fail. It felt like I was standing there for hours, although it was just minutes. Just feeling the harsh sting of the whip against my back and the crimson liquid leaking from the wounds the whips create. Eventually I hear Larissa's sinister laugh one last time as I hear the whip fall to the floor and the door close. I know I have to make my way back to my room. To be able to lock the door and have the feeling of safety the lock brings me. I walk as quickly as I can to the basement door and step into it. I immediately feel the coldness of the basement that I have grown so used to. As soon as I lock the door I walk to my worn out mattress that lies on the cold, hard floor of the basement. On it I have hidden away my stuffed bunny, under a pile of old clothes that I use as pillow. I can't sleep without my bunny. I don't know exactly where I got it from but I think it's from an old foster home. I gently lay down on it, doing my best to not hurt any of my new injuries or reopen the old. I finally find a good position and not even a minute passes before I fall into dreamland.

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This is the first chapter to my book 'saved.' I want to make this really short but if it's bad I'm sorry this is the first book I've ever made. But if you have any suggestions as what I could do differently, please let me know.