My Power of the Pen Stories

Week Seven Story

PROMPT: Tangled -- Remove the knots in your story.
TITLE: Ripped to Shreds
RANK: 1
WEEK: 7
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"Ow!" screeches a distressed masculine voice. I recognize it as my father's, and rush to my bedroom window in alarm. A string of foul language is heard shortly afterwards.

My heart is a horse racing along a track as I scan the yard for any trace of my dad. I don't see him.

What had happened?

"Olivia?" a small voice rings through the house, afraid. Crying. My eyes grow to the size of golfballs as I dart downstairs to find my little sister.

"Tori? Where are you?" I ask, my voice bouncing off the walls. I run from room to room in search of her.

"The back door! Hurry!" she sobs out. I find the back door and Tori and hold her close, her tears soaking into my white t-shirt. She points her trembling finger towards the holly bushes that border the house. My hands immediately drop to my sides. It's Dad.

My feet thunder across the porch towards my father. My ears are invaded by the sound of the whistling wind, pushing me in the opposite direction. I push against it, my determination winning against the forces of nature. I fall to my knees which press against the rain-soaked grass, wetting them. My brand new Hollister jeans. But I don't care. Not now.

My eyes scan my father's body, tangled in the prickly leaves of the holly bush. Scratches litter his arms and face, and his glasses lay shattered beside him. He sits there, almost unfazed. Anger wells up inside of me, boiling over like water on the hot stove. I know what he's done.

"How could you?" I spat, scrambling to my feet. He struggles to get up after me. "You said you weren't going to drink again! Now look at you. Bruised and battered because you fell into a bush, relying on your own children to help you. You disgust me!" I scream, pure venom laced in my words. And the sad thing: it's all true.

He manages to get up, stumbling left and right like a child learning to walk. His response: "Call the police."

I storm inside, and his giant footsteps follow me. I hear his mumbling of incomprehensible words, and I pick up the phone in outrage, the cool plastic making my fingers cold. The smell of alcohol trails after him as he makes it to the door.

And then I stop.

What am I going to do? I cry, tears suddenly spilling out onto my cheeks. I run my fingers over the numbers ", unsure of who to call, tangled in a web of many decisions. I realize that I am an adult figure in this destroyed household, to my little sister, to my drunk father...

To myself.

If I call my mother, she could well be fired for coming home. Or she could somehow be given a chance.

If I call an ambulance, then what? The possibilities are endless. They could arrest my mom. My dad.

"Hurry up, Tori," he slurs, calling me my little sister's name.

So I make a decision.

I dial my mom's phone number.

"Hello?" she answers after the third ring.

"Dad is bleeding," I choke out, and when I hear her gasp, I know she knows it is because he has broken his promise and started drinking again.

She hangs up. And I know she is on her way.

I grab Tori's hand and lead her away from Dad, his screams echoing in my head as he demands for us to help him. But I refuse. He shouldn't have picked up the alcohol that destroyed this family.

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This story is very meaningful to me because it is based off a true event that happened to me. Yes, my dad is an alcoholic and he has caused many problems in my family, and I've never told anyone until recently. It isn't healthy for me to hold this all in. I hate keeping secrets! I do really like this one. You? The question of the chapter is: What is the most meaningful story YOU have written? Comment!

-Olivia