8 years earlier
"Ow daddy!" I say as he smacks me to the ground. "Shut up you whiny baby!" he exclaimes. He kicks me in my ribs and calls me more names. He's drunk. My mother run in the room screaming. "James!! Please stop she's only 7! You're drunk stop ple-" She can't even finish her sentence before he smacks her too. "Shut the hell up! I didn't ask you how old she freaking was!!! You need to know your place!" he screams. He yanks me up by my hair and whispers very scarily "take yo ugly self to bed." Then he drops me to the floor. I hurts all over but I don't wait for him to change his mind. I run up the stairs to my room and i shut and lock the door.
I hear a slight knock at the door. "Ariel baby? Are u okay?" I know it's my mom. i get out of bed and unlock the door. She opens it and we look at each other. You can see where my dad hit her. It's a ugly purplish red bruise on her face. I could also see that she was crying. She picks me up and holds me while we both cry. I'm only seven at the time but i know that this isn't how life is supposed to be.
In the morning when i go to the bathroom i finally realize how bad i look. My left eye is purple and swollen shut. I have nail marks on my face. i lift up my shirt and i see the bruises from where he's kicked me. I've seen enough i go downstairs to see if my mom made any breakfast. But my heart stops when i see who's downstairs.
It's my father. He's throwing food at my mom telling her how awful it is. "Honey I'm sorry I'll do better i promise" she cries. He punches her in her mouth. "Did i ask u to freaking speak?" he yells. I don't know what to do I want to help my mom but I don't want to get hit either. I run to the phone to call the police but my dad spots me and runs after me. I'm not fast enough. He grabs me by my hair and yanks hard. "where do you think you're going?" he yells. "I was just going to the bathroom" I wimper. "Oh to the bathroom? I'll help you" He still has me by my hair as he drags me to the bathroom and smashes my face against the mirror. It hurts so bad. I taste the blood. Then he lifts up the toilet seat. "let's go for a swim" my dad says. Then he shoves my head in the toilet. I can't breathe. I'm squirming trying to get air but he won't let me up. When i was sure I was done for he let's me up. i gasp for air. "I know you were trying to call the police. if u ever try that again. I'll kill mom. and that's a promise".
