Chapter 5 One night , when I came back from my night shift , the kitchen counter had the usual leftovers , but also , remarkably , a watermelon . A watermelon … I couldn't even remember the last time I'd tasted watermelon , and I couldn't help stealing glances at it , but I knew it definitely wasn't bought for me . So I just kept my head down , picking at the leftovers on my plate . Somehow Darlene had entered the kitchen without me noticing . Without warning , she slapped me hard across the face , sending my plate crashing to the floor . As always , she immediately launched into accusations without giving me a chance to explain : " You worthless brat ! How did I end up with such a lazy , greedy , clueless piece of trash for a daughter ! " " I felt sorry for you and specially saved those leftovers , but that's not good enough for you , is it ? You had to eye the watermelon I bought for my husband and son , I ought to smack that mouth right off your face ! " She raised her meaty palm and began slapping my face repeatedly . After just a few blows , my vision started to darken , but worse , my stomach began to cramp violently . A wave of nausea overwhelmed me , and ignoring my mother's stream of insults , I broke free and rushed to the bathroom where I started vomiting . Hearing my repeated retching , Darlene began raging outside the door . " You shameless little slut ! Have you been sleeping around with men ? " " You're nothing but bad luck ! Young and already so promiscuous - ugly and filthy too ! Who's ever going to want you ? If you can't get married , how am I supposed to get money from your future husband ? " Still screaming , she burst into the bathroom , grabbed me by the hair , and began violently hitting my face and the back of my head . I couldn't tell which part hurt worse . A cold sweat broke out on my body as dizziness and ringing in my ears overwhelmed me . In my dazed state , she forcefully dragged me back to my room and threw me onto the floor . She searched my body until she found my phone and took it , then spat venomously as she left : " You're staying right here for the foreseeable future . You can come out when that bastard child in your belly starves to death ! " Sure enough , nobody came to check on me the next day , or the day after that . Looking at the new steel door that I had no hope of breaking through , I realized she was absolutely serious this time . Suddenly another wave of intense stomach pain hit me . I curled up on the bed as my consciousness began to fade . Am I going to die ? But I don't want to die . Why should I be the one to die ? A powerful surge of hatred gave me the strength to crawl to my feet , though my calves trembled uncontrollably . If I didn't get help soon , I would die right here in this room . With what little strength I had left , I rummaged through my belongings until I found a plain white t - shirt . Using scissors , I pricked my finger and wrote " SOS " on the shirt in blood . The apartment complex was densely populated - if anyone saw it , I could be saved . I dragged myself to the window with the bloodstained shirt , desperately waving it to attract attention , until waves of darkness overwhelmed me and I collapsed unconscious on the floor . I don't know how long I was out before I heard the sound of an electric saw cutting through the door . My vision was completely black - I couldn't make out who had come , only that someone was speaking close to my ear : " Don't fear . We're taking you to the hospital ! "