Half a Lifetime Adrift: Her Shattered Life

He gripped a whip tightly in his hand, pointed it at me in fury, and roared, “Get on your knees! You're always running around outside and never coming home. What do you think you're doing? You're a girl, and you should know better than to be so disobedient!”

His sudden bellow startled me. My legs went weak, and I fell to my knees against my will. Before I could explain, the whip came down on me like raindrops. I was wearing a thin dress, and every strike sent a stabbing pain through my legs. I tried to dodge, but there was nowhere to go. All I could do was grit my teeth and hold back my tears.