Chapter 1: ANNA, 1999

I remember that evening very clearly, all these years afterwards.
I remember him holding me close, and whispering comforting words into my ear. I remember how he told me he would never let anyone hurt me ever again. I remember how he rocked me gently until I fell asleep because he knew I didn't want to leave. How I didn't want to be alone.
I look at him now, searching for that person who told me how no one could hurt me. Now he was hurting me, but this was a different kind of hurt.