I didn’t want to go home, but I knew I had to. Some things you just can’t avoid no matter how much you want to. I’ve learned that some things in life don’t have an alternative; they just don’t have the contrast of black and white. Sometimes you only have two choices: you either give in, or die fighting.

Part Three.

I tried to quell the shaking in my hands and legs as I opened the front door to my house and walked inside.

Please be asleep, I prayed silently as I set my bags down and began to untie my shoes. I became conscious of my panicked breathing and tried to steady it by inhaling through my nose and exhaling from my mouth. Just stay calm.

Suddenly I heard a noise from the living room. I jerked my head up and froze, staring at the figure walking into the doorway on the opposite side of the room from where I was. The figure then stood still and remained silent.

“Dad..?,” I whispered, hearing my voice falter and swallowing to try and keep my composure as much as possible. Without even thinking about it, I forcefully removed my remaining shoe and stood up slowly, almost as if I had been silently commanded to do so and obliged without question.

“You haven’t been completing your assignments, I hear,” he stated, his cold hard tone completely void of expression as he spoke to me.

“Dad, I.. I’ve—”

“Don’t you dare give me that load of bullshit,” he spat, suddenly more aggressive as he cut me off. I rendered myself to obedient silence.

“Do you think I have a reason to punish you?,” he inquired mockingly, knowing full well that a punishment was already in order. I didn’t answer.

Suddenly he walked sternly towards me. I backed up into a corner in fear as he pressed his face in close to mine and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt.

”Do you think I have a reason to punish you..?!,” he repeated angrily through gritted teeth as he watched me cower before him. “Huh, boy? Do you?”

I felt saliva spatter my face as he spoke, causing me to squint and subconsciously attempt to wipe it off with my hand, but he immediately grasped my hand with his free one, pinning it to the wall and causing me a sharp pain in my wrist. I flinched.

“ANSWER ME!,” he yelled and pulled me forward by my shirt, then in one swift motion, he shoved me up against the kitchen counter causing me to smash my head on the bottom of one of the cupboards. I cried out in pain and he took me by my shoulders and shook me, screaming obscenities to my face and tightening his physical grip on me with every passing second.

Then, just as it was all becoming far too much, he let go.

I stumbled to the floor, one hand immediately moving to the back of my head where I had smashed it on the cupboard. There was blood.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked back up at my father as he walked away, retreating into the living room without saying another word.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice quivering and barely audible even to myself. “I’m s-sorry..”

With the last remaining amount of strength I possessed, I slowly crawled towards the hallway that led to my room, allowing the tears to fall freely down my face as I moved as fast as I could on my hands and knees. My wrist felt as though it had been sprained and sharp pains ran down my back from when I was shoved backwards into the kitchen counter. It was all I could do to prevent myself from collapsing before even reaching my bedroom, but I made it eventually. Once I came upon the threshold, I gripped my door frame to use as an aid to help me stand.

Then finally, while barely managing to stay standing without holding on to something for support, I leaned back against my door to close it and with one trembling hand, I reached down for the lock.

“One day this world is going to end, dad.. then m-maybe you’ll see..,” I muttered to myself through tears and gritted teeth as I leaned my head back on my door and closed my eyes.


**