Safe and Sound | Marina

Chapter 1:

A Flashback to when Siena was 10 years old:

Siena's POV

I was riding the bus on my way home. I had the best day at school. We finally had recess, and we were so pumped. It rained for like a week straight. That's probably one thing  I hate about living in LA. Anyways, my best friend, Alyssa, and I played freeze tag with a few others, and it was much fun. After that, it was about 2 hours before school was officially over. Today was a good day. I had lots of fun with my friends, and I couldn't wait to get home to my parents and tell them all about it.

The bus then came to a stop and I hugged my bestie Alyssa and waved goodbye. As I was walking down the steps I saw my mom, Amy, wave to me from the steps of our house. I ran to her, while she was waving at the bus driver. When I finally reached her, I gave her the biggest and tightest hug.

"Hi bean, how was school today," she asked as we walked into the house. I begin to explain to her about the lesson we learned today and told her about all the fun we had at recess. In most of my storytelling, she makes me a PB & J sandwich with a glass of milk. With the crust cut off, by the way, there's no other way to eat it. Once she handed me the plate, the phone started to ring.

"Hello," the older woman said as she was picking up the phone. She whispered to me, "It's daddy bean, go eat in the living room." She had a concerned look on her face, but I just brushed it off and walked into the living room, and finished my second lunch. She stayed on the phone for about another 10 minutes. When I walked into the kitchen my mom's face was against the wall and she still had the phone held up to her ear, I heard yelling coming from the phone and sniffles from my mom's nose.

My mom noticed I had walked into the kitchen and motioned for me to go to my room. Before doing what she said, I put my two dishes in the sink. I made my way to my room and started to do some of my homework, and watch TV.

Later that night, I helped her prepare for dinner. Tonight it was spaghetti, one of my absolute favorite dishes that we make together. I heard a truck pull up outside and bright lights shine through the window. I knew it was daddy. He walked into the house and slammed the door so loud, it shook the house and my mom, and I. He walked straight into their bedroom without even speaking. Which never happens. Daddy always speaks to his little girl.

"Mom, did dad have a bad today because he didn't eve-," she cut me off by putting her finger over her lips and saying "Not tonight bean, just finish your dinner, wash up, and head to bed. Okay?" As she kissed my forehead I nodded my head.

I finished my dinner, rinsed my plate, and showered. I had already said good night to my mom. She was sitting on the living room sofa watching her soaps. As I walked down the hall, I thought to myself:

I can't go to sleep without saying goodnight to daddy.

I quietly opened his door and saw that he had downed a whole bottle of vodka and half a bottle of beer. He reeked of alcohol, it was really disgusting. Being the daddy girl I am, I still proceeded to walk into the room. I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, but as I was leaning over he jumped up.

"What are you doing," he questioned with a raspy voice. With a very shaky voice, I answered, "I was kissing you, goodnight dad, sorry I didn't mean to wake you." As I leaned back up to walk away, I felt a grip on my wrist. "Dad you're hurting me," I said as I was trying to pull away. "DON'T EVER COME AND BOTHER ME WHILE I AM ASLEEP YOU LITTLE BRAT," he yelled.

I could hear my mom race to her room, but by the time she got there, he demanded her to leave. "Dad you're hurting me," I said again with tears streaming down my face. He then slapped me across my face and I fell to the floor. "Go to bed now," he said while drinking the rest of his beer.

This was all because he had got fired from his construction job for drinking and smoking while he was working.

End of Flashback:

Siena's POV

I had one of the worst days at school today, and I had to come home to a very abusive and aggressive so-called father and a very tired and weak-less mother. My "dad" continued to abuse me after the first incident when I was 10 years old, and he lost his job. He didn't even get another job after that. He just sat at home demanding my mom and I, to this and that, all day long. It was exhausting. And if something wasn't right he would beat us, or wouldn't allow us to eat for as long as a week.

Come to find out, he had been abusing mom since they been together, but I didn't find out until I was 13 years old. I always questioning ed myself, why didn't she take me and run? Why did we stay? Thoughts like this rambled in my head for years and they still do to this day.

As I walked through the door I put on this half-ass smile and spoke to the both of them. I went straight to my room after. I never ate unless I was at school because my dad hated having us in the kitchen in general. The day went by pretty fast. I took a shower worked on some homework and ate some snacks that I had hidden in my room with water. After finishing a show, I got in bed to go to sleep facing away from the door. Hoping no one was to come in.

I was surprised and glad my dad hadn't bothered me all night. I heard my door open... I spoke to you soon. I heard the door close and thought whoever it was left— I was wrong.

I could tell by the smell of alcohol it was my dad, I pretended to be asleep and didn't move, and kept my eyes shut. I felt him crawl into bed with me, which made me very uncomfortable. I moved slightly trying not to make it obvious that I was awake. I felt him press himself again me, and he was naked. Omg, is this about to happen?! I tried to move but he pulled my body closer and pulled my pants down. He then inserted himself in and began to push me back against him. I tried to move or scream but he held me down and covered my mouth. I gave up trying to resist and just laid there. I was crying and hyperventilating so much, I thought I was going to die.

He let himself out of me and — all over my back and butt. It was disgusting and I was traumatized and shocked. This person is supposed to be my dad? I heard him leave and close the door. I heard another door close allowing me to believe it was to the master bedroom. I sprinted across the hallway to take a shower. Crying the whole time, I was in there for what felt like seconds, but was an hour. As I returned to my room I pulled my pillow on the floor, because I couldn't stand sleeping in the bed again. I cried for hours until the sun rose. It was 7:10 am when I glanced at the clock.

As I laid back down, thinking I had a few more minutes before I had to go to school, I saw matches under my bed, and a light ball went off in my head.

I hate my life, I hate my so-called fuckish way of a family. I hate that man the most! 

I'm exhausted and I'm tired of hurting myself to please him. My so-called mom is on the brink of death and he doesn't care. The longer I stay here, the more I will turn into her and I don't want that to happen. Enough was enough. I had to set a fire.