Mirabel woke up to a loud noise coming from the living room, her room was few walks away from it.

　　She had slept off hungry the previous night though it was a normal thing at home, but it wasn't something she enjoyed.

　　She sat up rubbing her eyes gently, "What's that noise she mumbled" her head felt heavy, she tapped her head, their was an unbearable she always got when ever she skipped meals.

　　The early hours of the day was always a lazy one for the eighteen years old girl. Most times she wished she could sleep all morning and wakeup at noon or maybe when she feels like. Her square shaped room seemed to rotate in circles , "not again" she mumbled staggering while trying to stand. She held the wall while dragging her body up from her bed.

　　A louder sound came from the living room again, it was more like a scream or maybe things been shattered on a tiled floor, the exact kind of noise one would have to endure at the fish market.

　　Within a minute, the noise was clearer and heavier, it was her parents again. She wasn't sure if she should cry or just run away, she was really getting tired of the whole drama.

　　Mirabel most times wakes up to her home as a war zone, sometimes an isolated desert or a dirty market place, she grew up that way.....

　　When she hears people say "I woke up to a beautiful day or I slept like a baby" she wondered what that means.

　　It wasn't a perfect life for her, but she couldn't change her family even if she wanted to. Alot of times she wished she could but she loves her mother dearly.

　　" What's going on?" She asked admist fear. She was close to the door which led to the hall way.

　　She heard her mother screaming on top of her voice.

　　She hurried to the living room holding firm to her night gown only to meet her father hitting her mother continuously.

　　Her eyes widened in pain, she hated the sight of her father abusing her mum. "Does he really enjoy doing this" she thought aloud with tears crawling down to her jaw.

　　"Dad!" She called out in caution. Marbel was the last person Maxwell would ever listen to, his clothes were drenched in sweat, it was more like a man who has being doing hard work all day,-Of course, he was doing the hard work on the body of a weak woman.

　　Julie was struggling so hard to free herself from his strong weight over her body while he continuously landed heavy blows on her face and body.

　　The living room was stinking of sweat and irritating odour.

　　Marbel ran to her dad holding him by the arm....

　　" Leave my mum alone" she cried out. Poor Julie, her fair face was covered in red blood, her lips and eye lids bled badly, she looked weak and almost dead, her clothes torn apart, she was almost naked.

　　Maxwell slapped Marbel. It sounded more like a hammer brushed her face, it was heavy and loud enough to wake a dead man.

　　She fell roughly on the floor hitting her head against the wall, Marbel fainted. Julie screamed loudly when she noticed blood dripping from her daughter's nostrils.

　　"Maxwell you want to kill my daughter and I"...... Julie cried out, "what have I done to deserve all these?" Maxwell wasn't listening neither did he notice that Mirabel had fainted, he was more concerned about feeding his anger by beating Julie to stupor.

　　*

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　　*

　　*

　　"Isn't that noise coming from Mr. Maxwell's flat," kate asked.

　　She looked curious.

　　"What do you care?" Ruth snapped.

　　" Don't you want to know what's going on and at least help if necessary?" Kate asked.

　　"I bet you wouldn't want to try, the last time I did, I almost ended up in jail, trust me, you don't want to take such risk" Ruth replied.

　　Kate left mouth agape, "I don't understand".

　　"Mr. Maxwell is my neighbor and as well a police man, he feels he has the right to do as he so wishes, I went there to help on a certain day like this, I met him hitting his wife, he ended up making me pay for his crimes, I got arrested the next day." Kate chuckled... "No... no, you can't be serious Ruth, tell me you're kidding."

　　" Why should I ? I tried explaining to the police that I only went to help cause he was hitting his wife, but Mr. Maxwell told his colleagues I assaulted his wife and got her badly wounded." "Oh! Damn! That man is a monster," Kate cursed. "

　　"You can say that again girl'...Ruth snapped.

　　"What about his wife? Didn't she try to defend you?" Kate inquired. Ruth stood up laughing softly. She walked to the kitchen opening the fridge gently.

　　Kate followed behind.

　　She brought out a can of orange juice, "do you care for some?" She inquired. Kate nodded.

　　Ruth poured in enough juice into two glass cups, quickly she took one of the cups and took a long sip, she took a deep breath while dropping the cup on the kitchen table.

　　"Julie was just helpless, I guess he black mailed and threatened her if she acted other wise, I don't know what he really told her but trust me girl... that woman is in deep shit." Ruth said.

　　" I'm really so sorry for her, someone needs to help her" Kate said looking anxious, she took a sip from the glass, hoping it calms her nerves.

　　"Kate, no one can help Julie, the last person that tried died mysteriously before the court hearing," Ruth was looking sad now. Kate's eyes widened, "what happened??" Ruth stared at her surprisenly.

　　She moved over to the living room and slumped into a seat.

　　"Come on Kate, you don't expect me to know everything, do you?"

　　Kate sat beside her. Ruth turned to her. "Kate I'm pretty scared and tired, I really plan on moving out of this apartment, I really don't want to loose my life for nothing." Kate laughed, "Mr. Maxwell might be a monster but definitely not a killer, else he would have killed his wife first since he hates her that much, come on.....he is a damn cop."

　　Kate pushed Ruth slightly laughing more. "Yeah...yeah... a cop you said" Ruth mumbled lying on the couch.

　　The screams got louder, she turned around covering her ears with throw pillow... "Damn.... That man is a real beast".

　　*

　　*

　　*

　　*

　　He stood right in front of Ruth's door, her apartment was the closest to his. "Oh really... This bitch has being saying crab about me", he thought aloud. Kate opened the door, she was startled to see a middle aged man, hairy and good looking right in front of the door. "Hey"...she stammered.

　　Ruth noticed Kate was standing at the door for too long.

　　" Who's there Kate?" She asked heading for the door.

　　Ruth opened the door wider and lo and behold! the one whom she feared the most was standing right there.

　　" Oh.... Mr..Mr....Maxwell... It's you" she stammered. "Kate... , I mean she's my friend..." she introduced placing her shaking hand on Kate's shoulder.

　　"Oh... Really? you have got a beautiful friend" he complimented with a cunny smile. He brought out a pack of cigarette from his back pocket, lit it and puffed the smoke to their faces.

　　" I have got my eyes on you both... Stay away from my family Ruth! " He thundered pointing fiercely at them.

　　He left hurriedly.

　　Ruth shook in fear...

　　"No no no... I really can't take this anymore" Ruth said admist tears walking back into her apartment. Kate slammed the door. "Ruth ,their is something more you should worry about..... I think Mr. Maxwell over heard our conversation." He did whaaaat??? Ruth screamed, she was devastated. She threw her self on the couch, holding her head.

　　*

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　　*

　　Julie dragged herself from her pool of blood, the white couch was clothed with red blood stains here and there. Beautiful Mirabel lay lifeless, more blood dripped from her nostrils.

　　She reached out to her daughter, placed her head on her laps...she ran her hands across her face.

　　"Mira...bel" she called out, her voice was shook with anxiety and while she was helplessly weak.

　　Julie was helpless,she cried until she lost conciousness.

　　Mirabel woke up with a migraine to meet a quite room...it was far from the usual.

　　The rays of the sun raised it's self directly into the living room through the open windows.

　　For a moment she was confused, she tried to remember what happened to her while fighting the migraine, her hand was on her forehead for a while.

　　When she realized her mother was lying beside her...,quickly she stood up...

　　"Mum..mum..." She called steadily shaking her. Julie wasn't responding.

　　Mirabel forced herself up, she dashed into the kitchen.

　　She walked back into the living room with a bowl of water.

　　A loud knock came at the door....Mirabel was startled.

　　The bowl of water dropped from her hands, her heart beating rapidily........ The knock came again, it was louder this time........