Page 85 of The Moment Promised

Unlocked. My neck begs to twist, to look back at Finn, to run. Ignoring it, something inside me tells me I have to do this.

Not just for my mom, but for that little girl who couldn’t stand up for herself all those years ago.

Maybe it’s the adrenaline junkie that craves danger or maybe I need closure.

I open the door and the lingering presence of my father barrels into me like a bulldozer. I don’t see him, but I feel him. An uneasy chill trickles down my spine, and then I hear it.

Heavy boots clunking against the hard wood floor. Right above me. They move further away, toward the stairs, and that’s when I see them.

Black.

Leather.

Boots.

Please Daddy, don’t! I want to shout.

“Get thefuckout of my sight!” His voice is directed at my mom, it’s shaking the walls, or maybe it’s me that shakes.

I hug the corner, hoping he won’t see me, but equally hoping hedoessee me. Maybe if he sees I’m watching he won’t do whatever he’s about to do to her.

My mother uses her gentle voice, the one she uses on me when I’m hurt or upset. “Jason, baby, please just calm d?—”

A gasp leaves my mouth, but I quickly smack it shut.

Mymother. Myfather.

His hands, wrapped around her throat.

No.

His muscles are sobig. He looks sostrong.

He is going to kill her.

I turn. I run. I run so fast I forget about the step right behind me.

The loud thud of my body falling turns my father’s angry grunts quiet.

I can’t move. My body lays across the bottom of the stairs unmoving,paralyzed.

His boots thud against the floor, getting louder.

Louder.

So loud that I finally can move again, so I run.

I bolt up the stairs, careful to watch my steps, he is right behind me.

My mother shouts something from below us, but I can’t think to make it out right now. A terrified shriek escapes me when I reach the top floor, my quiet footsteps get drowned out by his heavy ones.

Light rain versus ground shaking thunder.

Innocence versus violence.

But I beat him. I make it to my room before him. I quickly slam it shut, twist the lock. I slide open the window.

The tree branch is so far away… Maybe if I were bigger I could reach?—

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