The Guardian

Chapter Four

I was my seven year old self again, sitting on the couch with my mother, watching her favorite movie. My dad burst through the door, both of us jumping at the sudden slam.

“Good evening,” he slurred, looking much younger than the man I saw today.

“Hi James,” my mom said, the fright apparent in her voice.

“Alison,” he said, approaching me, a fake fatherly tone in his voice. “Isn’t it past your bed time?” I looked at the clock, and slowly nodded. Truthfully, it wasn’t past my bed time. I had learned to simply listen to him, even if he was wrong.

I kissed my mother goodnight and walked over to the stairs, slowly walking up them, but stopping half way. I peeked my head through the bars supporting the banister, praying I wouldn’t be seen. I just didn’t want to go to sleep yet.

My father approached my mom, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. He put the water bottle he was holding to his lips, taking a swig, followed by an obnoxious “ahh” after he swallowed the liquid.

“James what are you drinking?”

“Oh, it’s just water babe,” he said, a devilish grin on his face.

“James we discussed this,” my mother said sternly, trying to take the bottle from him, but he hit her hand away, spilling the bottle of his beverage (obviously not water) all over her lap.

He came closer to her, stroking her face with his hand.

“Not tonight, James.”

“Come on, babe,” he slurred, tugging on her shirt and kissing her neck.

“I said no!” she said harshly, moving out from under my father. Frustrated with her, he slapped her across the face. Hard. It sent her flying onto the floor, where she cupped her cheek in pain.

“Dad!” I shrieked, quickly covering my mouth, realizing what I had just started.

He turned to face me, the fury glowing like fire in his eyes. “Get upstairs! Now!” He yelled, his voice booming through the house, the sound waves bouncing off of every wall.

Terrifying thoughts were spinning through my head as I sprinted up my stairs in search of a place to hide. Thankfully, his intoxicated mind handicapped him from moving at his full speed, so it gave me time to curl up inside the hall closet. But his heavy, drunken footsteps had gotten louder and louder as he approached me.

“James!” My mother’s voice shrieked from downstairs, and I could hear her rushed footsteps fly up the stairs after him.

I winced as I heard another slap and the sound of someone’s body hitting a wall.

“Please god, please,” I mumbled quietly as I heard my father calling my name.

“Alison? Alison sweetie where are you?”

I started to panic, my breathing heavy as I braced myself for the pain to come.

I guess it gave me away.

I heard the doorknob turn as the door creaked open, my father’s face coming into view as he whispered: “I think I found you…”

I jolted awake, breathing heavily as I left my dream world and reentered reality. I was sitting up on the couch, the light from the TV illuminating the living room. I glanced at the clock. 4:23 AM.

“Ali are you okay?” Niall asked, looking startled. I had almost forgotten he was here. I looked at my best friend, whose tired, blue eyes were full of concern, and just began to cry. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed small circles on my back, assuring me that it was okay and that it was only a dream. But it wasn’t just a dream.