Prison Chic #1st book of the Chics series (EDITING)

chapter 14

“Joanna! Joanna! Come out, come out wherever you are.” Joanna’s mom called, and Joanna hugged her knees tightly to her chin, trying to hold her breath so her whimper won’t give away her hiding. 

“Sweetheart, how about you rest, and I’ll look for her. Hmm?” her father’s shaky voice came next. “She must me scared. How about I handle it.” He said, trying to convince the stoned woman to go back home.

“I’m her mother Albert, I can find her. Fuck of.” Her mother’s drowsy voice shouted and Joanna flinched.

“Maria, love, please let’s go home.” Albert begged.

“Not before I found that little brat. How dare she hide my Vodka?”

Joanna hid the bottles because she thought it might make a difference if she stopped drinking so much, instead, it made her mom more angry. And she had to hide or else, her mom would lock her again in the….

“There you are!” her mom yelled as she pulled her up by the back of her collar. “Mom, I’m sor..”

“Shut up, you little shit!” her mom barked at her, her eyes red as blood. Suddenly, she smiled, a very yellow smile. “You do know what will happen to you.”

“No, no please mom..”

“Maria, how about we leave her play for now?” Albert said to her mom, touching her arm slightly to release Joanna, but Maria slapped his hand away.

“No, the only way she’ll learn if she is punished.” She said, still holding Joanna by the collar. Joanna was crying and begging all the way home, but nothing changed her mom’s mood, only making it worse. And once they got home, Maria shoved Joanna into the dark, cold wooden closet and locked her inside. And all Joanna could do was shrieking and pleading….

“Joan! Joan! Hey, man, are you alright?”

Joanna pushed the hand that was on her arm and sat up quickly in the bed. Just then she realized it was Hank, and it was dark. Damn it, she woke up in the middle of the night again, and this time she woke Hank too.

“ummm, what time is it?” she asked, rubbing her temple and feeling ashamed. Was she screaming when Hank woke her up?

“I don’t know, past midnight for sure.” He said quickly. “hey, are you in pain or something?” he asked in concern.

“No, I’m fine. Bad dream, that’s all.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. It’s nothing. Sorry I woke you up.” She said, looking at him. He stood there, on the ladder looking at her. She knew he was concerned. “You can go back to sleep now.” She said, raising her brows. “O.. okay, you sure you’re fine?”

“I’m fine.” She said, reassuring him.

“Alright. Good night.” He said slowly.

“Night.”

She looked forward, at the stack of her books blankly. Why did she have to remember that memory when she was seven? It was horrifying. Damn it. Her mom had to torture her even when she was dead.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She looked around and felt everything was closing around her. she drew her knees closer to her face and ley her forehead on her knees, and with difficulty, went back to sleep.

“Buzzzzzzz.” The annoying morning sound woke her up. She was still sitting, her knees hugged to her body. Hank was already awake, and taking a leak. Joanna stretched her arms before she pulled her suit from beneath the books and climbed down the ladder.