Encountered cruelty and neglect on a daily basis from "summary" of A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
Every day was the same for me. I woke up to the sound of my mother's harsh voice, telling me I was worthless and didn't deserve to eat. She would force me to do chores while my brothers enjoyed breakfast. I would scrub the floors until my hands were raw, all the while knowing that no matter how hard I worked, it would never be good enough for her.
I was always hungry. My mother would give me scraps of food, if she remembered to feed me at all. Most days, I would go without eating until dinner time, which was usually just a small portion of leftovers. I would scarf it down as quickly as I could, afraid that if I took too long, she would take it away from me.
The physical abuse was constant. My mother would hit me, kick me, and push me down the stairs. She would burn me with cigarettes and lock me in the bathroom for hours on end. I was covered in bruises and scars, but no one ever seemed to notice. I would lie awake at night, listening to the sounds of my brothers sleeping peacefully, wondering why I was the only one who had to suffer like this.
I was always on edge, never knowing when the next attack would come. Every sound, every movement, sent a wave of fear through me. I walked on eggshells, trying to anticipate her moods and avoid setting her off. But no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to escape her cruelty.
This was my life. Every day, I encountered cruelty and neglect in ways that no child should ever have to experience. And yet, somehow, I survived.
