Bᵤᵣᵢₑd cₒᵣₚₛₑₛ

3𝘭𝘭 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨

TW

Alice sat at the dinner table, doing her homework as her mother was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Her father sat on the brown sofa chair in the living room, feet up and a cold beer in his hand as he watched the tv, mindlessly.

The young girl continued to write on her math times table sheet, she was having a hard time and set the pencil down, digging her nails into her palms, leaving marks in frustration. "Alice, Honey. Are you almost done?" Her mother sighed and set her oven mitts down, walking over to her daughter. Alice looked up and shook her head with a small frown. "I don't get it..." she mumbled quietly.

Her mother sighed and pushed a chair out, sitting down next to her as she took a look at her homework. "Oh, times tables...I'm sorry, baby. I don't know those ones." She frowned, brushing her hand through Alice's hair, making Alice sigh.

"It's okay...next time Lori picks me up, I can ask her for help." Alice spoke, pressing her lips together. "Don't do that." Her father suddenly said, making the two look over at him. "Why not, Derrick?" Alice's mother, Ruby, asked. "Because I said so. You want our neighbors thinking we gotta a dumb for shit daughter?! Bad enough she saw you applying for welfare." He spat, angrily. "Asking Alice about them bruises. What do ya say when they ask?!"

"Th-that I fell..." Alice answered quietly, looking down at her homework once again. "Damm right." He scoffed, taking another sip of his beer. "Alice, bring your daddy another cigarette."

She looked up at her mom as Ruby just stared at her husband in disappointment. "NOW!" he snapped, making them flinch. Alice got up quickly and grabbed a cigarette from the kitchen counter, rushing to her father and handing it to him.

He took it and suddenly back-handed her on the cheek, making her yelp and fall to the ground. "Next time I ask ya to do something, do it!" He gritted and placed the cigarette in his mouth. She nodded and stayed on the ground, as Ruby went back to the kitchen.

Derrick continued to smoke his cigarette and drink his beer, Alice sitting right by his legs in silence. "Alice." He gruffly said, making her stand up immediately. She turned around and lifted her shirt up, exposing her back. He took his cigarette and pressed the tip of it against her back, burning it and putting it out as she flinched and dug her nails into her palms, biting down on her lip.

He finished putting it out, throwing it to the side, the new cigarette burn on her back, adding to the collection of them along with scars.

She put her shirt back down and returned to the kitchen table as Ruby passed her, placing a plate of food on the fold table next to arm chair. Derrick picked up the food with a fork and took a bite, immediately spitting it out and glaring at his wife. "Is this shit burned?!" Derrick yelled, making Ruby flinch as Alice backed into a corner, shaking in fear.

Ruby was like a deer caught in the headlights as she looked at her husband in confusion. "What-no. I made sure-" she tried to say before he slapped her, making her stumble back.