Date: 1 January 2022

It was 11 pm. People were busy on the streets. People partying like no one mattered, and crickets flying in the air. My mom and I were on our way to fetch our dad. I put on my phone flashlight, shining our path as we navigated through the muddy road. At this time, no such thing as an Uber or Bolt existed.

We were two girls thrown into the wolves.

As soon as we found dad, the men who helped him starting becoming aggressive. For the first time in my life did I ever take words, "I would die for my daughter" seriously. Tears threatened to spill, but I buried them, just like the daughter I am.

As soon as it hit 00:00, the crickets went out in full intensity. It was the start of the new year.

The start of 2025.

My grandma moved far away, and all my other family members were far away from us. A wonderful way to start the year - with pain, isolation and trauma.

It was that very moment that I resolved it in my heart to never go out the house... ever again.

And I never did.