Mali

Chapter Tweleve: Past

"Hey, honey, you in there?"

I jolted up, it was mom. Damn it.

I looked over at Ryder who looked nervous, "I need to hide.", he mouthed to me.

I pointed to my closet. He ran over and shut himself in.

"Yeah?", I said, "I was sleeping, what do you want?"

The door swung open and mom walked through, "I was just wondering if you wanted some breakfast that's all."

The bruise on her eye was still there, more purple and blue then the night before. Still makes me just as angry every time I see it.

"Uh-Yeah, sure. I'll come out in a bit.", I said closing the door.

I waited and listened as I heard her foot steps get further and further away.

"Alright, you can come out of the closet.", I said pulled them open.

He stumbled out with a heap of my clothing. I never actually hang my clothes up, so it doesn't surprise me that this happened. But, now I have to put it all back. Again.

I helped him to his feet, "Okay, I'll go out and distract my mom while you sneak out the front door.", he nodded his head and we proceeded with the plan.

I carefully opened the door and went ahead. She was back on the kitchen cooking something else this time. From the smell of it, it was probably blueberry muffins. My second favorite breakfast food.

"Hey, I'm gonna go out again, my friend and I are going to the movies.", I said trying to be as calm as I could through this lie.

"Cool, what movie?", she asked.

God damn it, why must parents ask for the details!!

"Oh, uh, I think she said St. Vincent. The one with Bill Murray?", I said keeping my voice from raising. Like I always do when I lie.

"Okay, do you want some money for it?", she asked in her normally sweet way.

"No, I think their parents are going to pay for it.", I said slowly backing away to the door.

But, before my mom could talk, I heard something much more worse.

"Who the hell are you?", it was my dad.

I looked out into the hallway and it was my dad vs Ryder. Ryder was backing away slowly as my dad got closer. He had his fist raised and he was going to pound on Ryder. My father's a big man and unfortunately has a lot of strength.

"Take it easy, I'm a friend of Zara.", Ryder said trying to reason with him, but you never reason with him.

This only made him more angry, he charged for Ryder. Ryder dodged him by running past him, as he hurled himself forward.

He stumbled back to face us. This time my mom was out in front of us.

"Leave them alone!", she screamed, but it wasn't enough. He pushed her out of a way like nothing.

His face bright red and if he could there would be smoke coming out of his ears. He was obviously still drunk from last night. He probably was even drinking this morning with all the alcohol stains on the front of him.

Ryder now, stood in front of me, staying between me and him.

He charged once more. Fists back into the air, but this time Ryder fought back. He punched him in the face, and father stumbled back. He started growling in even more anger charged with more force. Pushing Ryder into the wall. Ryder started struggling as father choked the life out of him.

I ran up and started hitting him from behind, "Let go of him.", I screamed. My weak punches did little to this massive giant.

That's when it hit me. I looked back down at my hand and thought of the small flames I created yesterday, but the anger I felt was a lot more then I have ever felt before.

Every beating on me on my mom, all the nasty things he's said and done, and every single time he could have been a father, but didn't came back to me all at once.

The small fires I previous had made was nothing as the flame grew and engulfed my entire hand in fire.

And, just as I had practice on that tree, that stupid tree. I reached back and as hard as I could let go. I watched as the ball hit him in the side. I watched him as he flew back and hit the floor with a thud. And I watched him as the alcohol stains lit and his shirt burned.

I ran over to Ryder who was kneeling in the ground choking for air. My mom was laying in the kitchen crying, but I couldn't run over and help.

I turned back to Ryder, "We have to get out of here.", I said to him. Helping him to his feet. He shook his head once more, and we were out of there.

We ran out the front door and sprinted down the uneven roads. We had to get out and get out fast. But, the fact that I may had very well killed him didn't set in until later.

I didn't care thought, he was a horrible man and he was going to kill Ryder. I wasn't going to let him kill my teacher, or anybody as a matter of fact.

He deserved to die.