Unwanted

A fresh start

I took a big sniff of fresh air, inhaling the scent of pine cones, dirt, and bark into my lungs. And out. Exhaling with a smooth breath of courage and happiness, slowly lurking around my body. Pride was all I could understand right now, and it made me feel confident, it made me feellike I could do anything, I could conquer any obstacle that avoided my path to victory. I would travel around the world... I will travel around the world, and I'd do anything to make sure John is out of my life, and this time, for good.

I plunged my boots into the first pile of dirt that became a path to my journey, squashing the twigs and leaves underneath the pointed cylinder-shaped studs lurking beneath my shoes. Walking towards a path that had been swallowed by dirt and mud, I started to realize this place looked awfully familiar... c'mon... think... think... my mind was blank, until I saw that tree.

Oh my God. A sudden burst of pain invaded my eyes as salty water began to create tides underneath my pupils whilst I continuously stared at the tree. Then came the flashback. I heard whispering, giggles, and saw a small oil lantern inside a olive green tent with a blanket of leaves on top. My eyes zoomed closer near the tent, and I soon saw two figures, one small, one big."The princess said to the witch, 'I've had enough, my prince is here to save me and there is nothing you can do to stop me!' then the witch who was awfully angry, took a big silver sword and tried to attack the princess!"I tried zooming into the tent, but something caught my eye first. Oh Jesus, that tree again. I tried to examine the tree, and then move on into the tent, but that's when another interruption occurred. A small shadow in the distance appeared in front of the big pine tree, "HAYLEY, ENOUGH! GO TO BED!!" A sudden burst of rage invaded my head as that shadow grew bigger and turned out to be John, thumping on the grassy grounds like a giant with anger issues, snapping twigs and kicking rocks that were in his path. "But Mr Stephens, let my Hayley get to listen to the end of the story, it's her favorite, and you know she can't go to sleep without a bedtime story!" 

"Yes, yes! Bedtime story bedtime story! Daddy, bedtime story!!"

"No, Peterson, go send her to sleep, your wife is married to me now, so the child is mine, or should I say...ex-wife? ...HAYLEY, GO TO BED!"

"Mr Stephens, I don't understand why you should be so rude in front of MY daughter" My dad crouched out of the tent and stood up in front of John, towering him as his height overpowered John's, and that's where you could see a little trace of fear in his eyes and throat. Gulping, making his adams-apple bobble up and down, John said,

"Don't try to get your little shitty height into this conversation, I'll tell MY wife about this, and that stupid girl is my daughter now, I don't understand why you're still looking after the little shit when you could be with girls every fucking night" My fists curled into a tight knot, my teeth grated against one another, and my head was just wishing I could've punched that asshole if I wasn't so young.

"Have you got any trace of your blood in Hayley's? Well then, here you are trying to be rude to my daughter, yet you have the audacity to do it near me? You have some courage Mr Stephens, what kind of an example do you want to set to your children...hah, if Marylin ever wants to even sleep next to you... don't worry Hayley, I'll read it tomorrow I promise, just go with Mr Stephens he'll take you home to bed, I love you." Then he gave John that one cornered eye i'll-kill-you-if-you-don't-take-care-of-her look. I stared at the 'little' version of me, as I tried to hold hands with John, but he pushed my hand aside with his dirt-covered fingers, tugged at my arm and said "Come on then, ugh." The 'little' me stumbled onto the ground, but my somehow faded happiness at life pushed me back up, and I replied with a soothingly happy "I'm fine!" I looked back at my dad, who faded into the tent; you could only see his shadow across the tent, crouching inside, hand on his head, and sighed. 

The flashback ended as a small salty tear swam across my cheek and fell onto the moist, muddy ground. I wiped away my tears, and my unhappy face soon turned to an angry one in a millisecond. I bit my dried lips, licking them and tasting the sour tear from the bottom of my lips. My fists curled, into a tight and firm ball, as I took a big and deep sigh. "No... no... NOOO!!!" My voice echoed across the woods as I took on foot in front of the other, plunged the boots into the ground, and ran towards the tree. "fuck you... fuck you... FUCK YOU JOHN!" Tears came back to my eyes, souring my lips again, and I whipped my fists through the air and onto the tree. Again, and again, as pain bolted and plunged into my fists and nerves, I punched the tree, over and over again. A circuit of pain around my whole body now. My legs kicked the tree, my head hit the bark on the lowest branch, and I screamed. I screamed and I screamed and I screamed so loud I couldn't even hear the footsteps running at my direction, closer and closer, but not quick enough; I ignored the bursts of uncomfortable pain and hugged my arms around the tree's trunk, I took a deep breath, and swam through the breeze of cool air and hit my head on the trunk. Crack. The bark where my head had aimed at had broken and tumbled onto my silky brown hair, stained in blood. My legs stopped. So did my head. In fact, so did my whole body. 

I tumbled to the ground, leaning against the bottom of the trunk, and that's when the footsteps reached me. "Oh God, a-are you all right? H-hello...uh... h-hello?? ...Oh Jesus, I guess I'll have to carry her there"

And that's where I woke up in a tree house.