Behind the Scars

six...

He looks frantic as he hurries to dress me, as if clothes can cover up his crimes. He's yelling at me, to help myself, that I called the cops, that I'll pay. I'm trying to hold myself up, only my strength seems to be burning out like an overused candle. My vision is blacking out and my numbness has worn off. 

As I ease myself into a sitting position, I hear the getting closer. I see my dad in the middle of the room, fumbling for something in his jeans. 

Just as the door opens black appears in my vision as I see my dad has a gun pointed at me and the police have guns pointed at him. 

I gasp at the site before me, adrenaline coursing through me. I seem to lose all my pain as I pull myself back against the wall. 

"Dad..." I say shakily, as I feel my back against the cold, metal wall of my room. 

"Don't you move!" my father shouts, "You either *looks at police in the doorway* any movement from anyone and I will shoot her!" 

An eerily somber silence washes over the room....

"Don't shoot. Okay. My name is Officer Pierce. We can figure this all out, but I need you to put the gun down." Officer Pierce says cautiously.

My dad lets out a hearty laugh, "Figure all this out, Don't shoot," my father says mockingly, "You'll just shoot me, or lock me up!" 

"Sir, please just put the gun do-" Officer Pierce begins.

"Just do it. Just shoot me," I say, interrupting them.

"No. Sir, there will be worse charges. Do not do anything. Just put the gun down," the officer replies.

But my father's not looking at him, he's looking at me. He's looking at me longer than he's done since I was little; but this time there isn't a glimmer of hope or love. My father looks at me with dull eyes, as if he can't remember who I am or what I'm doing there. He turns his head to the cops, and turns it back to me with a look of pure rage.

"I hope you have to pay for what you've done, you bitch," he says and before I know it, a boom echoes the room.

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