Charlie

Chapter 4

"Where have you been?" Dad said with the same stern voice he always had.

"Tommy and I went down to the river after school."

"Is that Doc Calloway's boy?" Dad asked expecting an answer quick.

"Yes sir." I said with a small tremble in my voice while I was walking up the stairs to my room.

I tossed and turned in bed. I tried so hard to go to sleep but nothing was working. All I could think about was her. Her smile, her laugh, the way that her beautiful blonde hair flowed as she walked. Cassie was such a beautiful girl and yet I still never really knew how to talk to her. I can't understand how Tommy does it. He can talk so easily as if it is no effort at all. I wish just one day I could be like Tommy at least with the ladies.

I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Three loud knocks on my door that sounded as loud as gun shots. Bang! Bang!
"Open this door right now Charlie!" Dad yelled.

I opened my eyes scrambling to my feet knowing that I had over slept. I walked toward the door slowly knowing that I would have to face the inevitable. The wrath of my dad. My hands were shaking and body was tensing as if it was preparing for what was to come. I knew I had messed up. I knew that it was my fault I had overslept.

"I'm sorry da-." I say while opening the door.

Before I could finish my sentence the door burst open hitting me in my shoulder and knocking me to the ground.

"Please dad don't!" I yell while he strikes my side with his belt. It felt like a hammer was attached to the end of it.

" Shut up Charlie! You know better than to try and sleep in all day!" Dad said breathlessly from swinging his arms so much.

I lay there in a trance knowing that he is continuing to hit me but I can't feel it. A numbness comes over my body as I curl up in to a ball and try to protect my head. I can hear the thuds as the belt finds its random targets on my body. It seems like I've laid here forever.

I hear my door slam shut and my father murmuring words that I cannot comprehend. My adrenaline is lowering and feeling is beginning to creep back in. I feel what I believe is blood on the back on my head, but I can't tell because of the dizziness that I feel. I know dad means well, he just wants me to listen better, I can't get Cassie off my mind though and I'm afraid of what dad might do if I told him I stayed up because I was thinking about a girl.
I was dizzy and light headed, I closed my eyes and went sleep. I woke up and slowly raised up from the floor. I feel like a train wreck. My back hurts so bad from the lashes that the belt had left behind. I make my way over to the bathroom to take a leak but have to stop and sit on my bed for a moment from being so weak from this morning's event.
I finally make it to the toilet and lift the lid. I feel a burning sensation and concentrate on the stream of urine. It's bright red! Blood! I'm peeing blood. He must have really done a number on me.
I'm just glad it's Friday so I will be able to go to school on Monday. It will give me some time to heal up and dad to cool off.
I slowly make my way back over to my bed and lay down. I can hear my stomach growling but I wouldn't dare walk in the kitchen, especially after losing breakfast two days in a row. I eventually close my eyes and go to sleep.