Page 50 of Collided

The next day, I buy some of the items, for the rest I use the internet at the library to order those. The librarian is kind enough to let me use her computer.

It’s late in the evening when I arrive home. I see a shadowy, tall figure trying to open the door with what appears to be a key. The lights are off in the house so I can’t make out his face. The door opens, and he switches on the lights. Turning around he closes the door but stops when he sees me.

It’s Dad.

Fear possesses me. My hand tightens around the handles of the bag as if my life depends on it.

Dad leaves the door open and gestures to me to come inside.

Everything in me wants to run the other way. It’s getting late and the streets are a dangerous place to be out at night. Especially when addicts and perverts roam in the shadows of the alleyways. So, I have no choice but to go inside.

Taking slow steps, I enter, and he closes the door behind me. I’m about to run upstairs when he grabs my wrist and pulls me to him. Leaning over me, he glares down at me with his wild red eyes.

“Where is the money?” he asks. His breath stinks of alcohol.

“There isn’t any,” I lie.

Dad squeezes my wrist. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not.”

He hauls me into the kitchen and lets go of me. He stomps to the refrigerator and searches for the money but comes up empty handed. Curse words leave his mouth as he bangs his fists against the door of the appliance.

Dread seeps into my bones. I stand like a statue in front of him.

“The money is supposed to be here. Where the fuck did it go?” he asks me in a menacing tone. I cower in fright.

This won’t end well for me.

“You should know where Mae put it.”

I see the Scotch bottle sitting on top of the cabinets. I have no idea why Mom put it up so high, but it looks like a golden ticket for me to get out of this situation.

“I don’t know about the money, I swear. But there is Scotch.” I point to the bottle, and he turns to look at it.

He takes the stool and stands on it. “You were of some use, pathetic girl.”

This is my chance.

I sneak upstairs. From the corner, I watch him leave without looking back at me—not that I wanted him to.

Hurrying downstairs I lock the door—not that it matters, he has the key.

I return to my room. Switching on the lamp, I look at the bruises on my wrist and cringe at the awful sight of them.

If someone sees them, they’ll know someone assaulted me. How do I tell them it was my father? The man who’s supposed to protect me now abuses me, because he needs money for his booze.

I’m confused, scared and alone. I don’t know what to do. How to make him stop from coming here. When he was gone, I thought he was gone for good. I thought it was forever.

I was so relieved. He was done hurting my mother and terrorizing us.How wrong I was.

The nights are chilly due to the giant forest and greenery surrounding the town. Tall cliffs and rocky hills add to the topography, you can see the whole town from up there. That’s also where the rich people live.

I’ve always wondered what life looks like when you stand on the top and look down. I imagine it must be beautiful, seeing the lights and buzz of the town.

I pull the edge of the blanket over to my chin and snuggle into it. Picking up the book from beside my pillow I get lost in the words that work like a bridge. They take me from one place to the other.

An escape that I desperately need.

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