Harrington

Home Sweet Home

The bell rings, signalling the end of the day, and I get up from the back of the class, people staring at my face as I walk past them. My jaw is cut and bloody, the lip slightly puffy. It stings and aches and throbs, all at the same time. And my body is bruised and bloodied from being thrown to the ground. I've had worse though, so I ignore the prying eyes and walk into the parking lot. I'm relieved that Steve has left without me, even if that means I have a long walk home. I know I'll be sore and limping, but it's better than riding with him.

So I begin walking, rubbing my scraped elbows and bruised side while holding back my reactions to the pain. I get odd looks from people — some troubled, some disgusted, and some amused. I decide to take a shortcut through the forest, away from nosy people. I turn off Cornwallis and into the trees, feeling my lip begin bleeding from me yawning too huge.

The single drop of blood drips to the forest floor, and I hear a shuffling behind me.

My gut instincts immediately tell me to run, but I look behind me through the shadows that the dense trees make, even though it's mid afternoon. My eyes adjust slowly, and a few metres away I can see a figure against the dim forest light. It's human like, but looks to have extremely long arms. I feel the urge to run, but my curiosity gets the better of me and I become that girl in the horror movies that everyone hates.

"Hello?" I shout, my voice shaking as the figure shifts. Another drop of blood falls to the forest floor and the thing suddenly roars. I scream, running in the opposite direction as fast as I can. My house isn't far, but I can't hear the thing chasing me. Nevertheless, I continue to sprint. I'm fast, and despite my clumsiness I don't fall while I sprint. So I watch the trees pass me in a blur, and can see the lights of my pool in the distance. I don't stop to look back, I just leap to my backdoor and open it, slamming and locking it behind me. Looking out the window, all I see is the still water of the pool lit blue in the soon to be evening light. My breathing returns to normal as I realize I've made a lot of noise coming in.

I untuck my hair from behind my ear so it covers my face in a curtain. Then, I turn around, my thoughts immediately taken away from the monster outside as I focus on avoiding the one in here.

I try desperately not to make any noise, but, just my luck, the first step I take creaks mercilessly, and I hear a shout from the kitchen.

"Liz?" My dad's deep voice comes through and I swear under my breath. I make a run for the stairs, but I'm suddenly spun around, face to face with the man I hate.

"What happened to your face?" He demands, and I see Steve leaning on the doorway behind him, a warning glare I know all too well.

"Uh, I fell down the stairs at school," Usually I am a good liar, but Steve's penetrating gaze distracts me. I quickly try and layer the fib, "I wasn't watching where I was going, and the stairs are concrete."

He looks at my eyes, which flicker to Steve's face quickly.

But not quick enough.

My father turns to face my brother, "You did this to her?"

I quickly try to save myself, "No dad, it wasn't that." He turns to look back at me, "I was...jumped on the walk home from school. Some guys. I'm fine though, really."

"I don't care if you're fine," he says, seeming to buy my new story, "I just wanna know what asshole did this to you."

Suddenly he grabs my chin and turns my face to the side so he can see the wounds better. Now I'm making full on eye contact with Steve, and I know he didn't miss the flinch or the small gasp that escaped my lips as pain throbs again through my face.