The lass

A rip in the t-shirt

It was meant to be a movie night. A movie night with family. Which, in the life of the lass, goes something like this:

Screams screams everywhere
Why the hell should she care?
They're family, she's reminded
But little do they act like it
Screams screams everywhere
With the wailing of a 9 year old
"Don't...Please stop" he begged
"I'm just as helpless, I'm sorry" is all she said...

As they were walking towards the parking lot, the lass and the brother behind an angry father, the brother spotted something that caught his eye. It was the escalator. The glee he experienced when getting on one was very evident on his face. He could not hold back his smile. He ran as soon as he saw it, releasing himself from the gentle grip of his sister's hands. "Wait!" She screamed, "he's gonna get angry now. Come here!" She tried to grasp his hand but it was too late. He was already on it. She sighed as she got in it herself trying to hold her little brother before he rushed to the other one in the next floor. She took him to the elevators and waited for it. When the doors opened, she was greeted by a frowning father. He came out of the electric box with fuming eyes and a scowl that she despised. He grabbed her by the wrists and started stomping towards the escalators again. Pushing her and tugging her by her shirt. Halfway to the place, he tightened his grip on her forearm and whispered "I'll kill you for what you're doing to him. Is this how you fuckin behave?!" His nails dig into her skin which, thankfully, were trimmed so all that they left were the red marks on her shoulder and her upper arm. She groaned in pain as he was looking for something else to hold on. "And what are you wearing? You shameless, girl!" He said as he gripped her shirt and pulled it hard. Hard enough to cause a rip and for her to wonder was her crime so big for her this to happen to her in public? Why was her own father abusing her in front of so many people with a sinister smile plastered over his face as if he enjoyed how hurt she was? She couldn't fathom why this was happening. But she secretly let a breath out as soon as he stomped ahead. It's a miracle I didnt get slapped and punched, today. The lass was too accustomed to this sort of treatment but when people were looking at her with questioning eyes rather than her father as if she was the real monster, her knees felt weak. Was she the real beast here? Deserving of all the punishments she was generously bestowed? She didn't know but that night, unsurprisingly enough, her father caused a rip not just on her t-shirt but something inside her too. The lass didn't cry. The pain was too surreal. The rip was unmendable.