Coming Clean

Fights, Drugs, and Secret Worlds

    This was my fourth-grade year, I was doing well and had lots of friends. I had two best friends Alyssa and Danielle, who were older than me although most of my friends were.
It was Wednesday night so I would usually go to church, but not tonight. I was at Alyssa's house with Danielle we had made up a Secret World named Dalyssa (Da-lissa) it was truly one of the best things in my childhood. In Dalyssa we had everything lined up perfectly we each had our own bungalows to "live" in, and even had children from the neighborhood come to Dalyssa and hangout. During the spring we brought food (that didn't require refrigeration) out with us and had a legitimate pic-nic or "town meeting". As I walked down to the third house on the street, to ask my father if I could skip church for one night and spend time at Dalyssa. I noticed something odd three cars were lined in front of the house, and multiple people were threatening my dad. I quickly ran to him and simply said;
"Dad, can I stay at Alyssa's tonight?"
"Yes, yeah, sure just please get out of here now!" he said with terror in his eyes and a trembling voice.
"Haha no sir' my boys wont hurt her, were just here for you." the large man said with a smirk on his face.
"Billie please leave." my father said as he was punched in the face.
"DADDY-" I was cut off as someone grabbed me by my waist to take me away from the fight. I kicked and screamed as I finally got loose, I ran to the tall man kicking and punching him trying my best to get him off of my dad, he grabbed me by my shirt and laughed at me as I screamed. My dad tried to hit him but was being held back. My dad said that the only way he would be safe is if I went away, so I ran and ran to Alyssa's house as fast as I could.

•••
It was later the next day I hadn't gone to school, nor had I seen my father since he told me to run. Finning I saw his car pulling into the neighborhood. He got out and ran to me giving me a big hug. I was confused because I wasn't sure why I was receiving such a hug. We went home and he pushed me on our outside swing, everything was ok.