Rugged To The Core

Chapter 25

I'm slightly pessimistic about human nature, about how close it's possible to bond with those around you. Dying alone is a deep fear for most people. I'm not scared of death but I'm scared of dying scared. Maybe everything else in life comes from those two points: the separation anxiety of childhood and the ultimate fear of dying alone.

~ Jonathan Trigell

Song for chapter: Human By Christina Perri

Lucky

"Have you lost your mind!?" My father's backhand landed on my cheek, almost knocking me off my feet.

"What was it I said about not speaking to my guests?" I heard father ask but chose to ignore him, my cheek stung as I caressed it with my right hand. "I told you... to shut your bloody mouth!"

"...that bullshît you told the Chief, what were you trying to prove, huh!?" He barked in my ear, making me jerk. "What were insinuating?"

"Are you not my product!? Don't I have the right to teach you lessons?" He then clicked his fingers as if he had just remembered something. "How did your sister sustain that injury?"

I refused to say anything, I kept my lips sealed, bracing myself for the blows.

"This child, you connived with your mother to tell me that bull... Ah!" He wrapped his long fingers around my neck and slightly yanked me up so I was standing on my toes. "You made a fool out of me! Do you realise how stupid I looked!? That woman ridiculed me! Me, Philip Ajibola Adekunle!"

     The more he yelled, the tighter his fingers wrapped around my neck, I coughed and wrapped my hands around his wrist, trying to release his hold on me.

God, please, no, I've got school tomorrow!

"Daddy, I can't -" breathe... I croaked out, my throat was beginning to feel like sandpaper, my eyes were already misty, I felt my consciousness drifting away. "please..."

"Good girls don't speak unless they're spoken to! Only prostitutes exhibit such insolence." My father said through gritted teeth, he shook his head and continued. "You really are ill-mannered and unrefined...Just like a bloody whore!"

He released his choke hold on me and I gasped for air, breathing through my mouth. But then my father slapped me so hard I fell, sitting on the floor, I tasted blood inside my mouth. "Know how many whores I see on the streets? Every night, I see them, and they even have the guts flag me down." He scoffed.

There he goes again with the talk 'bout prostitution...

"Each time I see them, I always see you amongst them. There, amidst them, I see you looking right at me, taunting me with your eyes." My father was someone else right now, he wasn't here in the flesh, I felt the aura around him, his darkest and true persona had taken control. "I won't let you mock me, I won't let you bring shame to my name!"

I coughed. "Daddy, Please..."

"Shut up!" He growled.

     With one hand, my father picked me up by the hair, he drove his fist into my stomach, I screamed in agony as tears streamed down my cheeks. It felt like he had broken through my skin and buried his fist deep inside my gut. This continued for a while until I could no longer take it.

     In a desperate attempt to escape this without a broken rib — that had happened in the past, I came up with an idea, one I knew would instantly end this torture, I didn't want to miss tomorrow's test.