The Winding Road

Chapter 1

"No! You can't make me!"
I run upstairs and into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. Flopping onto my bed and wrapping myself in blankets, I can hear my dad screaming hysterically at my mother. I turn on my side trying to block out all the noise. It's hard for my mother and I, having an abusive father.

#INFORMATIONAL FLASHBACK#

For as long as I can remember, dad was always a kind, gentle man who loved mom and me and looked out for us, but a few years ago, his brother, Uncle James, died in a car accident. After that, dad would go to the club every night. Mom and I would sit at dinner discussing school and normal family things, we worried about him. Terribly. He never told us where he was going...

Every night we'd sit in suspense, waiting for him to return home. He would usually arrive home as a normal drunk. But one day, about 4 years after the crash, he was later than usual. Mom and I waited up for hours but he did not return. Eventually mom told me to go to bed, so I walked upstairs and climbed under the covers of my flowery pink duvet. As I was on the verge of falling asleep, I heard something stir downstairs. I heard my mom greeting my dad with relief in her voice. But that relief turned into fear and I heard something smash. I knew something was wrong but I was too scared to get out of bed.  I fell asleep, blocking the sound of smashing glass out of my head. I woke up the next morning and walked downstairs, only to find my mother lying on the floor in a puddle of blood. Her whole body was blue and there were two broken vases on the floor. That's the day we realized that he had changed. The loving father that I had once had was gone and had been replaced with an abusive alcoholic.

#END OF FLASHBACK#

I wake up shivering, my blanket is on the floor and my windows are still open. I listen closely for signs of movement downstairs but there are none. As I sit up my phone pings. I reach over and grab it before it can ping again. I unlock my screen and scroll through my notifications...

[New Messages
James Rogan (6)
Missed Calls
James Rogan (8)]

"Damnit James." I say quietly as I open whatsapp and start to read...

*hey Sam*
*hello?*
*Sam*
*Answer me*
*You ok*
*Saaaaaam*

I sigh, "You're such a loser," I whisper under my breath.

*Meet @ corner in 10*

I get up quickly and walk to my cupboard. Grabbing a pair of tracksuit pants and a hoodie, I walk to the bathroom. I get get dressed and brush my teeth quietly in case someone is still home. While I'm brushing my hair and tying it into a messy bun on top of my head, my phone pings again...

New Message
James Rogan: *k*

I sit on my bed again and start putting my sneakers on. While I'm tying my laces I hear my dad in the kitchen.

"Crap, he's here."

Now it's time for plan two. Since my dad is in the kitchen and I don't feel like being punched or worse, I open my window and look down to the garden floor below me and figure out a way down. When I've planned my escape, I grab my phone and put it in my pocket. Then, making sure my door is locked, I climb onto my windowsill and sit with my legs hanging outside. I take hold of a tree branch that sticks out above my window and jump. I land with quite an unpleasant thump on the grass but am quickly back on my feet. I run quietly to the gate and manage to climb over it without making too much of a noise. And then, I run.