Miss Tyson

Chapter 8

This chapter contains acts of abuse and violence that may be triggering for some readers. If you cannot take these sorts of behaviors, skip this chapter. Thank you.

2002, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
"Bring me the lighter, Shay." Richard said as his diluted eyes stared into the little girl's soul. The chair made a squeak sound as he moved, he hasn't gotten off it since yesterday night.
The lighter was right next to him, but life was escaping his entire being for years to the point where he no longer knew what is where.

The little girl held it with her tiny hands and reached his vacant hand when his other was snatching a whiskey bottle.

"I said bring me the lighter." The lifeless man said clenching his teeth. The girl gave him the lighter and closed his hand so the lighter wouldn't fall off. The cigarette pack was empty, she didn't know what he would do with it.

"Where are my cigs?" The man asked impatiently.
The girl didn't know what to say. Her tiny body was shaking. Her eyes haven't dared to look away from the ground.
"Shay, where are my cigs? Did you steal them again?" The man was starting to get angry. He still wouldn't move out of the chair. It made the girl relieved somehow, knowing he wouldn't move away just yet.

She found it difficult to speak. Her mouth couldn't form a straight word.
"I don't kno-w." The girl squeezed her eyes and flinched when she felt air brush her face. He was starting to move.

"You don't know? Then who knows?" The man stared at her, watching her pockets. They looked empty, but he wasn't able to look clearly.
"Get out." He said, and with that she fled.

She ran off to her bedroom where her mom was lying down on her bed. She held her hand and sat on the ground with tears streaming down her face. She looked under her bed, and she saw the flask belonging to her dad lying there, so she sighed. She didn't like it when her dad drank from this particular flask, she didn't like her dad when he drank. It was only a matter of time before he notices his flask gone.

"Shay!" The man yelled. He noticed a bit too early. Her frail body got off the floor and walked quietly to the drunk man again.
"Where did my flask go,Shay?" Richard asked. He was angrier now. He knew she took it. He just knew. The thought made him even angrier. His feet dropped to the floor as he stood up and walked towards her. She flinched again but didn't dare to run. He crouched down to reach her level and stared at her.

"Well? Aren't you going to bloody tell me? Or are you going to lie and say you don't know?" The man asked once and didn't wait for an answer before his hand lashed on her cheek. "You like stealing things, eh? Well that'll teach you not to steal my cigs and my flask. They're worth more than you and your mother combined you worthless ungrateful brat." He said as her bottom lip quivered.

Another slap was printed on her cheek and he started yelling even louder. "Say something will ya? You deaf or what? I'm talking to you." Richard, her father, looked her in the eye with his own red eyes.

The girl looked at him back, but in a different way. She noticed his disheveled hair, his stained shirt and baggy pants. Even after everything, his hand hasn't released the last bottle he gulped down his throat. "He looks like a mess." She thought. She was too busy truly looking at how wasted he looks that she didn't reply to him, which resulted in a push that got her to fall down on the ground. Shay composed herself and got up, giving him a look, and left to her bedroom again locking the door.

"Mum, are you awake?" Shay nudged her mom because she meant comfort to her. Every time an incident happens she goes to her mom. Even though her mom is as helpless as she was. Rebecca opened her eyes and looked at her kindly.