FEEL

28. Heartmoor

Heartmoor ~ the primal longing for a home village to return to.

~ The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows ~

~°~

It felt like hours of my father stabbing the knife against the door. It was only by my luck that the door was so thick. However, by now, he's stabbed a hole as big as my palm and had attempted to feel for the key. I've never been so proud of myself in my life, because had I not thought to remove that key, I'd probably be meeting my doom by now. And the more I can prolong it, the better.

I don't know what time he eventually gives up. But little after the silence, I fall asleep on the floor.

My mother's voice draws me out of the uncomfortable slumber. She knocks gently on my door. “Aquila?”

“Ma?” I jump to my feet and start to move the bed. God, I'm so happy to hear her voice.

“What's happening? Why does the door look like this?”

The bed is back in place, so I start to move the dresser now. She calls for me when I don't answer her question, but I really just need to hug her right now. And get out of here.

Just as I'm putting the key into its hole, I pause. “Mama?” She hums. “Where is dad?”

She replies scornfully, “He's passed out on the floor, this drunkard. He was probably out gambling all night again.”

Poor mama, too tired to put two and two together. “Is he still holding the knife?”

“Knife-?” Just before she finishes the word, she gasps. Her voice is more awake now when she speaks next. “What's going on here?”

“Please just go hide the knife.”

“What? What are you saying, mntanam? Your father would never-”

“I know.” He could wake up at any moment and I just want to get out of here. Just until he cools down from his tantrum. I haven't the time for this conversation. “Just go put it away, please.”

Mama mutters incoherently in her mother tongue as she descends to the kitchen. With a deep breath, I muster enough courage to twist the key and unlock the door. I pause. Wait. Listen. Nothing. So, I slowly turn the latch and open the door. Wider, wider, wider and I'm still alive. I release a long exhale.

Then, I step out into the hallway. The moment I do, I'm grabbed, spun around and a hot hand collides with my cheek with a resounding slap. I lose my footing, landing onto the ground with my hands braced on the wood.

“Do you have any idea what you've done?!”

I can barely hear him. I don't think I'll be hearing anything for a while, actually. My ears are ringing too loud. The floor is red, too. Bright red, like blood.

That is blood, I realize. The floor is bleeding.

I frown. How peculiar. Maybe I lost a few brain cells. I don't think I've ever been hit like that in my life. Mama's voice cries out in the background, just below all of the loud ringing. I don't know what she's saying, distracted and squinting at the bloody floor to figure out where it was cut. More blood drips onto it and I realize it wasn't coming from the floor.

I lift my hand to touch my face. I realize right then that my cheek burns. My mouth tastes all metallic. Like blood.

Just before I could pinpoint where exactly it was coming from, I'm pulled onto my feet. The grip on my arm is vice. It reminds me of those blood pressure testers at the hospital, if they were to be made of metal. That last squeeze that makes your head all dizzy, that's what this felt like. I try to balance on my feet.