Into the ring

1-Away from him

I dedicate thes book to my best friend Kat,  the main source of inspiration I have and without whom this book would have never been written.

Katharynna's pov

I could hear him snoring loudly from the room next door and I knew,  from how drunk he had come home that night,  that there was no waking him up.  It was now or never. 

My little brother,  Noah,  was standing by my side,  sucking his thumb,  his free hand clutching his teddy bear. His eyes were wide,  alert,  as he drank in each of my movements. Thick lashes framed his eyes,  which were still glassy with tears.  That was the first time that my father had hit my baby brother.  And I swore to myself that that would be the last time.

Everything had been ready since weeks.  With money that I had saved up from the wages I had earned while working as a waitress at a nearby café and the money that my mum had left us before she died of breast cancer,  I had saved just enough for two plane tickets to California,  the rent of one month to a furnished apartment I had booked online and some additional cash to keep us going until I found myself a job.  I needed a new start,  away from the abusive man I called my father,  where I could offer a normal life to Noah and myself.  A new school,  a new life,  new people, a new home...

I zipped up my backpack,  which contained the bare necessities for my brother and myself. Clothes,  toothbrushes, etc... Not to forget the rest of the money.  A few thousand dollars to pay for our schoolings. I had also sneaked in the most precious thing I owned: a pair of boxing gloves.  I remember a time when my mother would teach me to fight after school hours.  I had gotten good and I could defend myself if it would ever come to it. 

I checked the the time: already 3 a.m. Our flight was due in two hours.  I slung my backpack on my shoulders, pulled a jacket on myself and Noah since it was cold outside and silently got down the stairs,  with Noah in my arms.  I unlocked the door and opened it.  My father had always been a heavy sleeper and his deafening snores would cover the noises we made.  I stepped outside and breathed in what seemed to be a completely different air.  An air of freedom...

After having walked down a few streets,  I hired a taxi to take us to the airport. Little Noah was fast asleep in my arms,  still cuddling with his teddy bear.  He looked so innocent, just stepping into the world.  Why did he have to go through so much pain at such a young age? I vowed to my mother that I would protect him,  even if it would mean depriving him of a father.

I laid him down gently on the backseat,  his head settled on my lap. After a few minutes,  we reached our destination.  I paid the driver and got out of the taxi,  carrying Noah.  Once there,  we went through all the formalities.  In the mean time,  Noah had awoken and was holding my hand,  staring at the people around him with interest,  occasionally pointing things out to me,  a dimpled smile illuminating his face. For the first time since my mother died,  he was genuinely happy. It was all that mattered to me. 

Once we were done,  we sat in the lobby and I showed him an airplane through the window.

"See?  We'll be going in one of those and we'll go flying through the sky, " I told him.

"Like birds? " he asked me,  his eyes dancing as he giggled.

"Yes, like birds, " I answered,  laughing.  Free like birds...