"I am so sorry Bit. You fell off the bed and it’s such a deep cut,” exclaimed Lisa.

Bridgett nicknamed Bit, has been Lisa’s friend for quite long. Bridget’s condition drew the two girls together even though Bridget is never willing to talk about it. Not even to Lisa.

"My friend, it worries me that you still wear this same long face yet you can’t open up to me. You are being unfair to yourself,” Lisa says.

Bridgett is a sad girl. She never concentrates in class; she is always worrying about something that she has never told anyone at school. Bridget is always punished for late coming and she is always shabby.

"I guess I have the oldest uniform in the whole wide world,” Bridget once told Lisa, on sports day.

Lisa gave her friend some of her many pairs of school socks though Bridget never explained why her uniform was so old.
Once again Bridget has a deep cut on her arm, she only tells Lisa that she fell off her bed, and Lisa doesn’t believe it.

After pleading with Bridgette to no avail, Lisa chooses to involve a few more friends. With the help of teacher Magaret, the girls brain storm on how to be friendlier to Bridgett so that they can get information on what is worrying the 13 year-old girl.

"Here Bit, some juice for you,” says Lisa. As she selects her words carefully, Lisa tells Bridget about her family, about how her parents used to fight in the past and about her nagging big sister.

"At least you have a mother. My stepmother has made my life a living hell,” Bridgett sobs.

Lisa listens carefully; she doesn’t want to lose any part of the conversation.

"I wake up at 4:00 a.m, do all the house work, bath my siblings and prepare breakfast,” narrates Bridgett.

Lisa discovers why Bridget was so sad. Bridget’s father worked upcountry and barely knew what happened at home. Therefore, her stepmother mistreated Bridget so much.

She beat her up on a daily basis, sent her to the shops in the night, all by herself and she also told Bridgette that she was dull and ugly.

"I can’t stop remembering the day she burnt my fingers, blaming me for eating a banana without her permission yet my sisters and brothers do that all the time,” says Bridget.

This time Bridget’s step mother had thrown a sharp kitchen knife at her, that’s why she had the deep cut.

"She said that if I reported her she will have me dead, please don’t tell anyone,” says Bridget.

Lisa, five other girls and teacher Margaret choose to report Bridget’s case to Child Rights activists. Meanwhile, teacher Margaret adopted Bridget, since she has no kids.

Bridgett’s step mother was finally put to justice for all the evil she had done.

"Speaking out is the best. I am happy for you Bit,” says Lisa.

Ends