Chapter Twelve
When I got home mom was home but dad was still gone. She said he had to make a delivery and it would take him about a week to get there and back because it was across country. She seemed both happy and upset about it. I was only happy. She also told me she got promoted to store manager and that meant she would be putting in more hours too.
It wouldn't be much longer before school would start up and I would be enrolled into my new classes. She said it would be good for her to have more hours to occupy her time since she would be alone most of the time again. My only thoughts were that it would be no more time alone than she has now since I stayed gone all day anyway. But I knew she was just trying to get away from dad. She didn't want the fighting and hell to return either, at least not from his end. She didn't care if she caused the hell.
At least I still had some summer left and my shed to go to. When school starts it will just be another place to be instead of here, and I was OK with that. But I still had plenty of time to enjoy the rest of summer before it started anyway. Then it hit me. I would be home alone with dad now. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and scared. If mom took on more hours then there would be no one here with me to keep dad away from me. I started wishing school started now and not in a month. September could not get here fast enough now.
Over the next few days my nerves were a mess. I was so worried I would wake up to mom gone to work and dad home from his delivery. I would get up and fly out of the house before I could find out who was home. I knew when I got back home mom would be there too, so I waited it out till then. I did not want to take that chance. Not after what he did the last time we were alone together. I also started carrying my knife with me all the time again like I used to do when we lived in the city and ventured out alone. So far my doing this has worked. When he was home, by the time I got back, so was mom.
Supper in the evenings were more quiet than they used to be. I could tell tension was building up between them and they were fighting again. So far no big blow ups like before, but still, they were fighting. Dad was drinking again too. You could smell it on him, and there were a lot of beer cans and bottles in the trash now. There were even a couple of big bottles of alcohol in one of the cabinets.
I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up during supper just waiting for the explosion. So far it hasn't happened, but I could tell it would be sooner or later.
One morning when I got up and was about to do my dash out the door, dad was already up. I froze in fear as he stood at the end of the counter in the kitchen blocking my way to the door. Mom must have already left for work, because she wasn't there. He gave me an evil kind of half grin and asked me where I thought I was going in such a hurry. I just replied outside. He never moved from his spot though. He knew he had me blocked. Then he asked me if I knew just how much trouble I caused him with "my little stunt". All I could think was you did it to me, I didn't do it to you. But I didn't say a word. He said that people that like to cause trouble always pay for that trouble sooner or later.
I immediately put my hand in my pocket around my knife. Then he kind of stepped to the side as if saying I could try to get by if I dared to. I just stood there though. I was young, but not dumb. When he saw I wasn't going to take the bait and try to rush past him, he turned and walked to his recliner to sit down. That's when I made a run for it. Before I knew it though he spun around swung at me as I went past. He landed a blow to my shoulder, but I didn't let it stop me. I kept on running and made it to the door. He was quicker than I thought he would be though.
Next thing I knew he held the door shut with one hand while he grabbed me by the back of my shirt with the other and threw me into the air. I landed hard on the floor right between the end of the counter and the wall. Before I could even get up he grabbed me up off the floor. He dragged me over to the couch and threw me onto it. He then grabbed the front pocket of my jeans and pulled my knife out of it. He laughed at me and asked me if I really thought I was big enough to use it on him. Then he back handed me across the face.
Just like last time, I could smell his breath. I knew then that he was up because he had just got in from a delivery and he hasn't gone to bed yet. Instead he chose to stay up and drink and wait on me. Mom must have already left for work before he came in, or else I am sure I would have been woke up by fighting from them. He told me how easy it would be for him to snap my neck for causing him so much trouble. He could tell I was scared. I was shaking and tears fell of their own will down my face. When he saw that he had me completely scared he let out a laugh and left the room. He took my knife with him. I got up and ran as fast as I could and disappeared into the safety of the woods I loved so much.
