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Running With Wolves
Anger
My father stares at me with angry, black eyes. I see the lines in his teak wood colored face; they make the hoods of his eyes droop, causing him to look tired. His lips, I imagine, are tainted in fire. He slurs out words. I have no idea what he is saying. The whiskey smell flows out of his mouth and into my nose. I make a face. My father’s eyes flicker with a renewed sense of anger; it is as if he forgot why he was mad at me, like the alcohol made him forget his train of thought. His fists pound on the table. My eyes grow wide. I do not know what he is capable of in this state, but then again maybe I do.
He slaps me across the face, and I fall to the floor, barely missing the glass panels of the china cabinet. my nose bleeds onto the wood floor, a rusty color that surrounds my head. I look up, barely able to think, and I see Harper, my little sister, staring at me with tear filled, wide eyes from the other side of the doorway. Her lips quiver. I say little prayers in my head, hoping that my father wouldn’t turn around and see her, as he plummets his foot into my ribs. My breath is taken from me. I remember now what I did to cause all this:
***
I had met my childhood friend, Ben, in the wheat field behind our house, a place I knew we wouldn’t be seen. He had said some nice things.
“Audrey, you are so beautiful.” He had said, holding me close to him.
“I love you.” I responded, and we kissed. It was just an innocent first kiss, nothing to get too worked up about. I was so excited, but that excitement was shattered by a sharp crack of thunder. We had both looked behind us to see my father barreling down the hill, screaming curses at me. He pulled me to the house by my hair as Ben watched in pure horror…
***
And now I’m here, bleeding on the floor. My first kiss is ruined. I hear my step-mother’s car heading up the driveway, the car door slam, and her heels hitting the pavement. The click, click, click of her walk is all that is saving me. I know she cares for me. I know she will save me. I have no breath as she walks into the room. I see her eyes travel over to me as she walks into the room; they grow wide…
He slaps me across the face, and I fall to the floor, barely missing the glass panels of the china cabinet. my nose bleeds onto the wood floor, a rusty color that surrounds my head. I look up, barely able to think, and I see Harper, my little sister, staring at me with tear filled, wide eyes from the other side of the doorway. Her lips quiver. I say little prayers in my head, hoping that my father wouldn’t turn around and see her, as he plummets his foot into my ribs. My breath is taken from me. I remember now what I did to cause all this:
***
I had met my childhood friend, Ben, in the wheat field behind our house, a place I knew we wouldn’t be seen. He had said some nice things.
“Audrey, you are so beautiful.” He had said, holding me close to him.
“I love you.” I responded, and we kissed. It was just an innocent first kiss, nothing to get too worked up about. I was so excited, but that excitement was shattered by a sharp crack of thunder. We had both looked behind us to see my father barreling down the hill, screaming curses at me. He pulled me to the house by my hair as Ben watched in pure horror…
***
And now I’m here, bleeding on the floor. My first kiss is ruined. I hear my step-mother’s car heading up the driveway, the car door slam, and her heels hitting the pavement. The click, click, click of her walk is all that is saving me. I know she cares for me. I know she will save me. I have no breath as she walks into the room. I see her eyes travel over to me as she walks into the room; they grow wide…