High tide

Chapter 4

"ENOUGH!!!" My mom screamed at my dad. Even though their rooms were at the end of the hallway, I could still hear their fights.

"WHY DID I EVEN MARRY YOU?!?!" My dad screeched. "PENNY WAS A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN YOU!!" I heard a pillow smack something. Then a low groan escaped the room and flowed through my door to me. I freaked and ran to the room they were fighting in.

When I reached the door, I opened it with a loud creak. As soon as the door opened, I regretted it. I looked into the room and a horrified feeling crept over me. Laying on the floor, unconscious, was my mother, with my father hanging over her, breathing hard. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!?" I screamed at my dad, who was obviously drunk.

"I did what I had to." He whispered almost too quietly for me to hear him.

I ran past him and held Mom's head in my lap. "Get out!" I shouted at my father. "I said, get out!!" I pointed toward the door. Slowly, he walked out the door. "Mom?" I asked. "Are you ok?"

She didn't answer.

----------------------------------------------

I chewed on my lip while I sat in the waiting room. I still didn't know what my dad had done to my mom, but it must have been terrible for it to cause something like this.

Sitting in the chair, I thought about all the good times my family had had together before my father had become an alcoholic. I remembered especially an old swing set that my dad had built for me on my fifth birthday. It had a small swing and a silver slide with a little step latter attached to climb up. But he had destroyed it. I still remembered that awful day. The day that had changed the course of my life...

The school bell rang and my seven-year-old self rushed out the front doors. I wanted to get home as quickly as possible, because today was my birthday party. Eight years old, I thought to myself. I am really getting up there! I turned the corner onto the street and walked briskly toward my home. It was the smallest house on the street, but that didn't bother me very much. It was home.

I entered through the back gate so I could immediately start setting up in the backyard, but as soon as I opened the gate, I could tell something was not right.

I dropped my backpack and headed straight inside. My father was sitting at the table, completely drunk and holding a full glass of wine. This was an odd sight for me because my father had rarely become drunk on any occasion before. "Ah welcome home dear." He said. He seemed almost angry. I decided I would have to be careful.

"Where's mom?" I asked, trying to avoid his eyes. When he didn't respond, I looked up and saw that he was staring straight back at me.

"She's out." That was all he said. I immediately knew I was in trouble.

"I have to set up for my birthday party now, so I'll just be in the backyard doing that..." My voice trailed off and I stepped backward as I tried to open the screen door.

"Oh, but don't you need my help?" He stood up and looked me dead in the eye.

"Um, no. Not really." I tried to smile to hide the fear that I was feeling.

His face completely exploded into a mask of rage and menace. "Of course you don't! No one needs me anymore. I'm not wanted, I'm not liked. Not even your mother appreciates me!" He left the table and walked towards me. My hands flew up to block a blow I thought was coming, but instead he brushed past me, threw open the screen door, walked up to my old swing set, and kicked it as hard as he could. The top beam smashed and the whole thing came tumbling down. I could see that I would not be having my birthday party that day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, so sorry! I literally haven't updated in forever!!! But there you go:) I hope you like the little flashback there at the end! I would love to hear and feedback, positive or negative, that you have and just keep on reading! I will try to update weekly now:)

REMEMBER:
COMMENT
VOTE
FOLLOW❤️

Love you all!
~iamnotoperfect123