The Escape to Find Happiness Part 1

It had been a hard life for young Moira; she had lost her mother to bone marrow cancer which had took her by surprise and now she was left with the brute she called her stepfather. Moira was just 15 years of age when she had to take her mother’s place from cleaning to in the bedroom. The step father was called Robert, he’d won guardianship of Moira although she had protested but due to her age she didn’t have a leg to stand on; she was a minor and needed someone to take care of her.

Robert was a drunk and very violent. If Moira didn’t cook him a meal to his standards he would hit her, but the thing that haunted her mind the most was his sexual abuse. Most nights he would take her and if she struggled he’d hit her or even tie her in place. The more he drank the more violent and rough the sex was. Moira hated her life, she’d contemplated suicide but she knew she was stronger than that and she knew her mum would want her to blossom and succeed in life.

Bullying had now begun; Moira’s stepfather wouldn’t let her bathe unless she completed all tasks to his standards and his drinking got so bad there was barely enough electric or gas, but Robert made sure he kept himself and his clothes clean leaving Moira with nothing. What was the norm to everyone else was a privilege or even maybe a luxury for her. Not one that came along often. She started flunking classes and her grades had dropped massively, she was such a smart girl and had a bright future but all that was slowly turning to hell. All her best mates had turned against her, they wouldn’t even be seen in the corridor with her.

It was Moira’s 16th birthday, not one person popped round to see the birthday girl. She was alone in this empty world she had begun to know so well. She laid back on her bed and replayed how she had imagined her 16th. Most girls plan their wedding their whole life, Moira planned her 16th; it was going to be the best 16th birthday party on the whole estate. She imagined a 5-star hotel room, the whole class of year 11 would be there enjoying a lavish 3-course meal in the most beautiful, elegant room. It would have a marble dance floor which had been buffered until it had the perfect shine. The room could fit at least 150 people in it, maybe more. It was set out with lace table runners, ivory bows on each seat. It was the most luxurious room Moira had ever seen. When the party came to an end she would rent a deluxe room fit for a queen and request an extra double bed and a single. She’d have a pajama party and only a hand full of her best mates would be there including the lad she was secretly in love with. Moira dreamt she’d play Seven Minutes in Heaven with her crush and that’s how she’d let him know how she felt, but as she drifted back into reality the horror came to light that that’ll never happen. Tears stung her eyes as she began to weep into her pillow. Everything had gone so wrong from the moment her mother passed, she got left with an abusive stepfather and lost all her friends. How could anyone cope with what she’s had to endure.

It had been 4 months since Moira’s 16th, she had a plan on how to get away. She would forever hate herself for the decision but she didn’t know what else to do, she was going to become a working girl. Robert had passed out due to his alcohol intake. Moira knew it was now or never to begin her journey of the escape to happiness.