Kitty Willow

Chapter 1

I heard a great thump, followed by a wail of agony. Part of me wanted to come out from under the bed to see what happened, but I knew I would regret that. I never want to be around him when he's angry, but this time it almost sounds like he's purposely hurting himself, I wonder why. Maybe it's because he can't find me to take out his provoked behaviour on. Maybe this time he's so angry that he has to hurt himself instead of me. I'll never truly understand why he'd ever want to hurt anyone, especially me. Whenever I try to question it, I find myself in the same situation as before; hiding under my bed waiting for him to calm down. It's not that I'm scared of him or anything, it's more that I don't want to aggravate him even further, so I feel it's best for me not to be around him when he's like this.

I heard another thump, this time no shriek or vivid reaction followed, just a long exhale as if he was relieved or something. I gently lifted up the bit of the quilt that drooped over the edges of my bed and peered out. My door had been removed permanently before so I had a perfect view from under my bed into the living room, where my father was. I could see him clearly, he had his head in his hands and he was curled up tightly in the middle of the living room floor. I could see that his suit had been tampered with or something. It had small rips everywhere and a huge hole on the left leg which completely showed his knee. His tie had obviously been flung onto the sofa, that too seemed to have small rips in it. He remained on the floor, motionless, for around 40 seconds until a creak from the floorboard under me startled him, also startling me. He shot up off the floor and stood straight up, his face was scrunched and crimson red. His head then darted in my direction and I rapidly let go of the quilt that was revealing my hiding place, and shuffled my body backwards so that he might not notice me. I heard the sound of stomping footsteps storm into my room. I lay dead still under the bed, trying not to breath loudly or cause the wooden floor to creak.
"Kitty, I know you're in here" he bellowed immensely.
I felt a lump in my throat emerge and I clutched tighter onto Wallaby my teddy bear. I heard him rummaging around in my room for a while, until the room suddenly fell quiet. I thought that he had gone, but I didn't hear him leave my room. The silence started to take it's toll on me, I felt extremely vulnerable and agitated. Then the part of the quilt that I had just let go of suddenly jerked upwards. His hand darted through and grabbed my arm. I screamed panic-stricken! He started dragging me from under my bed. His hand was grasped around my arm so tightly that there way no way I could fight myself free. He hoisted me up onto my feet and despite my utmost efforts to free myself, I just couldn't escape him. Besides, I hold no authority in this house whatsoever.

He kept grasping my arm as he drew his face up to mine and yelled in my face;
"You go to knew extremes everyday don't you?"
I didn't respond, he shook my arm in an attempt to make me say something.
"You answer me when I'm talking to you" he yelled, louder this time.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that" I replied timidly.
He scowled immensely and I felt his fingernails dig into my arm.
"You're hurting me" I cried.
"You realise that you are never going to get a husband if you disobey and complain" he threw back at me.
"But I wasn't complaining" I chuffed.
"If you keep talking back to me then you won't be having dinner tonight"
I didn't reply, I had already missed 3 days worth of dinners this week and didn't want to risk a fourth night. He let go of my arm aggressively, leaving scratch marks on my arm. I tried to make a break for it but he grabbed me by the shoulder and shoved me onto the floor.
"You're supposed to be at school, why are you here?" His tone of voice settled down a little bit.
"But it's Saturday" I said.
He shot me a disoriented look.
"But what about Saturday school? I thought Diana had sent you there today."
"She said that I need to have a break on Saturdays" I said longingly.
He scrunched his face up again enraged.
"I am the only one to tell you when you can have a break, where is Diana?"
I gulped, I didn't want Diana to get in trouble. Even though she was right, she didn't deserve to get yelled at for wanting what's best for me. Diana is the only one who really cares about my well-being even though my dad just pays her to turn me into an "acceptable woman". She's the closest thing I have to a mother.
"She's hanging up the laundry I think" I lied.
"Well if you see her tell her that she must speak to me as soon as possible" he demanded me.
He then gave me one last menacing look and stormed off into the kitchen.

I sat on my bed for a while until I could see that he was completely out of sight. I then felt it was only right that I went and told Diana that father was coming for her. He had shouted at her many times before and even threatened to fire her, but he had never actually done it. However, this time I feared that he might actually do something to her because he's usually so defensive over my future and he believes that he's the only person that should be able to decide that. In my head I knew that I should be the one to decide my own future, just like my two brothers Leo and Franklin. They were allowed to go to proper school and decide their own futures, why shouldn't I get to do that too? I will never understand.

I leaped from my bed and discreetly made my way over to Diana's little room. Her room was almost next to my room, just like every other room was in this bungalow. It only takes me 5 strides to get to her room, which is very convenient for whenever I need to talk to her about something. Her door had also been removed, by my dad. He removed both of our bedroom doors because he wants to know everything we are doing, and he thinks we don't deserve privacy. It sounds horrible but really I'm kinda used to it. I have created a blind spot in a little corner of my room which I use whenever I need to get dressed.

I peered into Diana's room, she was in her usual place, sat on her little stool staring out of her tiny circular window which had been stripped of curtains, again another thing my father did to violate our privacy. She was stood up straight with her hands clutching each other behind her back. She was wearing her work uniform still, which was just a plain cotton dark blue dress that reached her ankles, and a white apron which was tied neatly around her waist with a bow. It had frilly little lace details around the edges and a matching hat which was wrapped over her hair, tied securely around her chin.

She hadn't noticed me yet. I always feel rude for disturbing her when she's like this. She's obviously thinking very deeply about something, not sure what, but she probably never has any time to think, due to all the chores she's doing and all the punishment she receives from my father. So I feel it's best to allow her to have some time alone. It's what she deserves.

Just as I turned to head back to my room, her kind face turned in my direction. Her soft, unique green eyes locked with mine.
"Come in dear." She said feebly.
I slowly allowed myself into her room and sat myself down on her hard bed.
"What's he done now?" She said sweetly, even though I could see that she obviously wasn't okay.
"How did you know?" I said hesitantly.
"I could hear everything" Diana uttered, shuffling her stool closer to where I was sat.
"I'm scared. I think he might do something to you!" I shuddered.