Haunted

The deal

        My breath completely left me but I forced myself to listen to the conversation. “I want her brought to me in two weeks’ time; all her belongings will be brought to her after that. And whatever happens to her will no longer be of your concern.” He sounded commanding and in control. Nothing like Frank who was always blustering and yelling. I liked the way he spoke and his accent as well. I couldn’t pinpoint it exactly but it was soothing. That thought was frightening, a man was going to take me away from everything that I ever knew and I found his voice appealing. I was definitely going insane.  “If you have no further objections I will leave you. However before I do, what exactly is your answer?” I could imagine Frank’s head nodding up and down as he said the words that destroyed anything I thought I might feel for him “Yes, yes you can have my daughter.” I snuck up back to my room and I silently let the tears fall as I lay awake in my bed.

            I woke up the next morning with a sort of melancholy that can only be described in tragic romances. I folded my blanket and placed on top of my cot and I went downstairs to eat my meager rations that were supposed to be my breakfast. I was surprised that instead of a small bowl of cereal and an apple, I got pancakes and waffles and orange juice along with some toast and milk. To make it even better I had honey drizzled all over my pancakes and waffles. I looked up to Mama and that’s when I knew. She had heard the conversation as well and this was her way of telling me goodbye. I held back the tears and hugged her tight, not knowing if I would ever see her again. I ate all my food and I went back upstairs to pack my meager belongings in a small knapsack. It was safe for me to leave because Frank was at work. But I couldn’t do it, not without my mama. I went downstairs again and saw Mama weeping I knew that she had to come with me. “Mama,” I began “Come with me, come with me, come with me please!” She raised her head up to look into my face “I don’t think I can.” She whispered. I had to make her see reason “Mama, he’ll kill you and he’ll kill Steven.” When I mentioned Steven I knew I won. She would do anything to make sure Steven was never hurt by Frank again. She sucked in a great big breath and exhaled noisily. “All right I’ll come but how are we going to tell Steven?” “He already knows.”  

   Our heads snapped towards the front door and there was Steven with his dirty baseball cap on his head and his favorite book in his hand. “I packed up all my things along with Mama’s.” I was so amazed I could barely get the words out of my mouth “How?” He grinned at me “I can hear amazingly well remember?” It was true, Steven always knew when Frank was coming and he would move in Frank’s way so he couldn’t hit me or Mama. It was eerie but it did save me from a beating a time or two. “Well let’s go.” I took one last look at the place that had been my home for the past eighteen years and I felt…sad. It wasn’t a happy home, but it was where I grew up. I would miss it.  

*Hey second chapter. Comments would be appreciated.