Shaking, I unlocked the door and swung it inward. I got in, took my shoes off and tiptoed my way to the stairs. I stopped halfway through after hearing his scream.

” where the hell were you??”

” I was at school, ”

”Damn it!” He yelled, throwing the bottle of wine he was holding; breaking it, and making me wince. The next moment, I feel his punch on the side of my jaw, making me topple down the stairs and fall on my back. He comes down, and before I could say or do anything, he's kicking me in my stomach. Hard! I start crying. There's nothing else I could do.

After a good seven minutes, he

gets tired and stops kicking, rubbing his forehand under his chin while panting.

”SHUT THE HELL UP!!” he screams and kicks my arm.

” Get up. NOW!” I get up and ignore the throbbing pain in my stomach which was hurting most.

He takes his car keys out of his back pocket and walks out of the front door. I follow him, the chilly wind rustling my hair. The sun was still up, but it was starting to get dark. It must be around 4:30 pm right now; the latest I've ever been outside. Well, maybe not ever, but since my mother left. Left and abandoned me...and my father, but he's never cared, and wouldn't ever. I would have left too if I had the choice, but...

”Get in!” I do as he says, and close the door after getting in. I'm shivering, but that doesn't matter right now.

He stops the car after what felt like hours. It was fully dark by now. He tells me to get out. I do. I look around to see just grass. I hear two doors closing, and I turn around to see my dad holding a baseball bat in one hand and a shovel in the other. I feel the colour draining from my face, ” d-dad..?”

He grins. Ooooooh noooo!! I shake my head. And he steps forward. I run for it.

”COME BACK HERE!!!”

He runs after me. I'm in pain. I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning. I feel like puking...

I trip, injuring my knees, but I don't have time to do anything to it just yet.

I can hear his footsteps, loud, which means that he's very near. I turn my head.

Oh my God. He's, like, 7 meters away. I'm slowing down. Noo! I have to hurry. But he catches the end of my hair, pulling me back. He starts cursing and swearing at me. Then he pulls it even harder, making me fall. He sits on me. Then I could feel his sweaty fingers against my throat. He squeezes, and I . . . Can’t . . . Br . . . e . . . ath . . . . .

He's still swearing . . . I can hear him . . . but . . . it's getting . . . Qui . . . ter . . .

” d-da-d” he makes a weird noise that I can't identify. . .

” I...l-love...you...”

He retreats his hands.

”W-what?”