Hurting and Afraid

Someone Save Me

      Clary rolled over in bed and checked the clock. 5:30 am. Valentine, her father, would be up any minute she knew but she had only gotten 4 hours of sleep. Slowly she dragged herself out of bed, she knew what her punishment would be if her father's breakfast wasn't ready when he woke.
   Clary lived alone with her father having no idea where her mother was. Jocelyn, Clary's mother, had left when her daughter was merely ten years old. One day Clary woke up and her mother was simply gone, not even a note left in her place. After that her father turned into the monster he is today.
   As Clary cooked the bacon she heard movement come from upstairs and froze wishing the food would stop sizzling for just a moment so she could concentrate her hearing. She wouldn't have strain her ears for long however because just then Valentine's booming voice echoed through their appartment
  "CLARY, GET YOUR WORTHLESS ASS OUT OF BED AND MAKE ME BREAKFAST NOW!"
   "I'm already cooking it father." Clary quietly yelled.
   "THEN WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG!?"
   "Well you're up earlier than you usually are"
   "ARE YOU SASSING ME!? WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THAT ATTITUDE OF YOURS!?"
   By now Valentine had made it down the stairs. He grabbed clary by the arm and twisted it backwards forcefully making her cry out in pain.
   "You don't speak to your father like that. After all I've done for you. I could have left with your mother but I stayed here. For you! And this is how you treat me?! Sassing me!?"
   He grabbed one of the long wooden spoons that was sitting on the counter and jabbed her in the ribs with it. Then he released her arm and slapped her across the face.
   "Maybe next time you will respect me, yes?" He shoved her to the floor "im going to work to make money so I can provide your fat ass with more food. Oh and I'll be getting breakfast on the way. I'm not eating that slop"
  Once her father was out the door Clary burst into tears clutching her side and her cheek. It didn't always used to be this way. Before her mom left everything was happy and normal. She cried harder thinking of how different everything could be and she found herself hating her mother. Hating her for leaving, for leaving her with him, for leaving her with cuts and bruises and lies. She collapsed against the floor where the cool tile felt nice against her swelling cheek and before she knew it she had fallen asleep.