Beginning to Thrill of the kill

I was playing with my trucks when I heard his car door slam. I swallowed the lump in my throat and scurried over to hide under my bed. I knew he didn't like seeing me around mommy. It reminded him mommy didn't really love him. She loved me.

I could hear the front door slam and his footsteps leading to the kitchen over my hammering heart and panting breath. He was here. I had to be quiet. If I just pretended I didn't exist maybe he wouldn't hurt mommy again.

When I heard his footsteps stop short I knew something was wrong. That's when I remembered my toy truck downstairs. In the hallway, a reminder of me. I reminder that she didn't love him first. She loved me and my daddy, not him.

"Laura!" he roared.

I heard my mom's footsteps, timid and hesitate. She could feel it too, the air of danger surrounding the house. We were in trouble, and it was all my fault.

"I can explain baby" She tried to sooth him with her melody like voice. "I-I-" her words were cut off by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. He hit my mommy, once, twice, three times.

"I didn't want to do this Laura but you leave me no choice"

I heard his footsteps heading in my direction, towards my room. His heavy steps were followed by my mom screaming at him. I heard her run, trying to save me but it was too late. They were in my doorway. He was in my doorway.

He had brown shaggy hair and a thick beard. His white t-shirt was stained from the factory he worked in. His hands, I knew fit around my throat like a tight glove. His eyes scanned my room and landed on me. I was huddled under my bed, praying he wouldn't hurt me too much. I didn't want to explain to the teacher why I had more broken bones, more bruises, more cuts.

He stepped towards me.

My mom held on to him in a vice grip, trying to stop him. She turned his attention to her fragile body. Her blonde hair was lose around her shoulders, framing her face. Her blue eyes were wide and afraid, but she held her ground.

He threw her against the wall as I screamed for her. He kicked her ribs as I scrambled out from under the bed.

"Run!" She yelled at me as he landed a blow to her fragile face. Her nose became a fountain of ruby red blood.

"GO!" She yelled again on a gasp.

I ran.

That night I stayed shivering under the crawl space of the house. I tried to block out my mom's screams, but I still heard them. Tears streamed down my cheeks with every pain filled scream she let out. I buried my face in my dirty hands and cried for my mommy.

When I saw his car leave, I scrambled out of the crawlspace and ran towards the front door. The porch steps creaked under my naked feet. I pushed open the door and ran to her bedroom. She always hid there after he left. She would stay there and cry, holding herself tight.

I saw her on the bed.

I ran and screamed her name but she didn't move.

"Mommy wake up" I cried. "Wake up mommy, he's gone. It's William mommy wake up!"

I crawled into the bed and wrapped my mommy's cold arms around me like a blanket. I laid my head on the pillow and hugged her to me, wrapping my hands around her neck. Her neck was sticky. I pulled my hands back and looked at the red colour covering my hands.

"Mommy you're bleeding!" I cried "I'll get a Band-Aid and call the hospital. You'll be all better"

I ran to the washroom and got a truck band aid out of the sink drawer. Mommy always used them on me to make me feel better. I ran back to the bed and moved her pretty hair out of the way.