Noah

April 4th 2002

"Robyn? Robyn?"

"Hm? What?" I glanced up.

"I told you to wash up."

"Oh. Sorry, dad, I didn't hear you."

"Well then get your fucking head out of that book and go do it."

"Sorry." I said quietly, getting up and putting the colouring book down. I headed into the kitchen, where washing up was stacked up on the sides.

I ran a sink full of warm water and started washing each of plates, staring out the window at the back garden. Forbidden land.

"Robyn?" I heard a voice call from the living room.

"Yeah, dad?" I shouted.

"Did you fuck up the TV?" he called. I felt my heart beat a tad faster.

"No, didn't touch it." I said.

"Well someone did." he said. "It's not working properly."

He came into the kitchen, putting the remote on the table.

"Maybe it's just the batteries..." I said hopefully.

He shook his head. "It ain't the controller. The actual TV ain't working." he narrowed his eyes at me as I did my best to look innocent. "You've been watching TV again, haven't you?"

"No, I didn't-"

He charged over, grabbing me by the ear. "What have I told you about watching the TV?" he snapped.

"Ow!" I shouted.

"Answer me."

"You said I'm not allowed to watch the TV 'cause it's bad for me." I said in a single breath.

"Right... but you ignored me and decided to watch the TV anyway." he said angrily.

I had two choices: own up and hope he let me off, or continue lying and hope he let me off.

"I didn't, dad, I swear." I said.

"You're lyin' now, too? I thought I raised you better than that, Robyn."

"No, dad, I didn't watch the TV!"

"You're not a very good liar." he said, shoving me on the floor. "I told you not to watch the damn TV and you ignore me, then lie about it? I ain't having that in my house, Robyn!"

"Please, dad." I said desperately, realising that I'd taken the wrong route. "I wouldn't want to watch the TV anyway."

He huffed. "Stop lying to me, Robyn, I see right through your lies. I've told you before, you're not allowed to watch TV. You haven't seen the things it does to kids. Brainwashing."

"I didn't-"

"STOP LYING!" he shouted, suddenly furious. "I've told you, it's only going to make things worse for you. You know what happens when you fucking ignore what I tell you."

I felt my lip wobble. Before he could react, I jumped to my feet and darted towards the stairs. For an old, mentally unstable drunk, he was surprisingly fast as he hurried after me, pounding up the stairs just behind me.

I headed straight for my room, but he caught me before I got there.

"You know," he said, grabbing me around the waist and hoisting me easily into the air. "Some people say that you shouldn't hit your kids. How the fuck else am I meant to discipline you? You gotta learn the hard way that you can't break rules or do bad things. One day, you'll understand. You gotta learn that the world ain't always goinna just have a go at you and send you to your room."