My New Daddy

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

I layed quietly in my bed trying to listen for any sounds.  My stomach growled loudly, demanding for me to eat something.  I was sent to bed without supper after I refused to eat what was made. The taste of the cauliflower dish literally made me gag. Frank was irate as usual so I wasn't allowed to find myself something else.

I wanted so badly to sneak into the kitchen for food.  The problem was that even if Mother and Frank were sleeping,  the kitchen was practically right next their room.  Not being able to handle it any longer, I tip-toed my way through the house and to the kitchen. Deciding my best course of action would be to find something that I could just grab and bring to my room without having to use the microwave or anything, I looked  through the cupboards. 

Settling on a strawberry Nutrigrain bar and a package of Blueberry Poptarts I went to close the cabinent.   At the last moment the handle slipped from my fingers and the cabinent closed with a bang. I froze. Fear coursed through my 11 year old body and I couldn't move.  A door opens down the hall. The bang had woken someone up.   Things seem to go in slow motion as i recognize Franks heavy footsteps coming my way. I grabbed my food hoping to hide it before he could see and ran to my room.  If I could just get there in time and pretend I'm sleeping maybe I'd be okay. 

I dive for my bed, slipping under the covers along with my little food stash. It's to late. As I'm in the process of covering up Frank enters my room.

"What do you have?" It's more of a bark than a question and I want to cry.

My heart is pounding as I try to play dumb. "I don't know."   Yeah, real smart-I think.

Frank makes his way to my bed and rips the worn blue comforter completely off and throws in on the floor. His face turns red as he instantly spots the food I'm not supposed to have. "You ungrateful little bitch! You think you can refuse to eat what I worked so hard on and get away with eating this crap?!" he practically screams.

I'm trying to search for a good answer as he grabs me by my hair. My screams seem to echo in the silent house. Someone had to of heard that. Someone has to save me this time.   Unfortunately my silent pleads do nothing for me. Frank pulls me off of my bed by my hair and lets go.  As I fall to the floor my head bashes against my wooden bed frame. Everything goes black.

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I remember waking up with a splitting headache.  I was still on the floor beside my bed. Frank must have left me once I blacked out, deciding it was no longer fun when I wasn't conscious.  I didn't move. It was as if I thought moving up to my bed would let him know I was awake.  The sun was shining bright through my curtains but I had no clue what time it was.  Would Frank be awake? Would my Mother? Oliver?

I'm not sure how long I was laying there for before I heard it. Shouts were coming from the other side of the house. One I was certain was Frank, the other must have been Oliver.  My mother screams as a loud crashing sound shakes the house. I could tell they were getting closer to my room as more crashes followed.  Just as I stand up my bedroom door is ripped off of it's hinges by my step-father and Brother come flying through it. Watching in terror I try to climb onto my bed to get out of the way.  Screaming echoes all around me as they both slam into my dresser.  I didn't realize the screaming was coming from me until my Mother entered the room silently yet in a panic.   She tried yelling for them to stop as my Brother was trying his hardest to defend himself from the ape of a man. 

It happened so fast. I'm not sure how much of it I can understand to this day.  Frank wrapped both of his hands around Olivers neck and my mom lost it. The next thing I know Oliver is on the floor trying to catch his breath as my Mother had the front of Frank's shirt clenched in her hands.  To this day she swears his feet lifted off of the ground, but I cant be sure. All I know is adrenaline and the fear of your own childs life being ended can do a lot to a woman.  I do remember her looking up at Frank and staring him right in his eyes and threatening, "If you ever lay your hand on my kids again I WILL END YOU!"

Frank was in shock. In fact I think everyone but my mother was.  She let go of him as he continued to just stare and she looked back at my brother and I.  "Lets go. We'll come back for your things," and she calmly walked out of my room.

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"Brooklynn, Oliver, grab a bag with some clothes. You're all coming to stay with me," my uncle tosses a small bag to the both of us.

Right after my mother walked out she had called my uncle to come get the three of us. Oliver and I stayed in her room with her as she walked around packing a suitcase.  Oliver wouldn't admit it but he too was afraid to go get his things in fear of Frank coming back.  None of us knows where he went but we all heard it as the front door slammed shut and the car tires spun as Frank took off.

I stood in my bedroom looking around at the things scattered about my floor and the door that was broken during the struggle.  I had no clue what to grab.  Who knew how long it would last this time.  Who knew how long my mother would hold her ground before she came crawling back.  Finally, I decided to just grab some essentials. Clothes, books, music, and my things from the bathroom I shared with my brother.  Things were going to be better now.  At least for a little while.