Along Came a Luna

Chapter Eight

It had been a long day. Too long to fathom. The bell signalling the end of the day had rung and I slowly walked to the front doors. I opened them and felt the cold breeze smack into my face. I took a strained breath in and prepared myself for the long trip home. I looked to the sky and saw the moon eager to appear in a few hours. Why was my life like this?

Why me? I asked the moon. You probably think I am crazy, but the moon is probably the only thing that listens. The only thing that looms over me and won't die if my 'dad' found out I was talking to it...

I suddenly felt eyes on me again, so I searched the car park and came across the same guy that was staring at me in the cafeteria. Was there something on my face? Did I forget to cover a bruise? Did I put on clothes this morning? Oh lord. As a bunch of thoughts rushed through my mind, I saw his figure coming towards me. I looked down at my feet with the hopes that he would get the message. It's best to stay away, please don't talk to me. Please don't talk to me... I kept repeating the same message into my head but, like always, my wishes never come true. I saw a pair of shoes halt in front of my own, but I didn't raise my head.

"Uh- excuse me," I heard him say but I didn't know what to do.

"Hello?" he asked again clearly waiting for a response, but I stood still. I saw his arm come around from behind his back and I flinched. Whoops. I finally looked up to see his face was riddled with confusion, but I felt as something had clicked in me. I felt a strange connection between us as our eyes met once again. I must be losing my mind...

"S-sorry. I better g-get going..." I said after a long silence. I tried to walk as fast as I could with my injury down the path and swiftly turned the corner. I just hope to God that he will forget this. If anyone catches on to what happens behind closed doors, I'm screwed. I don't want to end up like my mother. All these thoughts started rushing into my head. As a kid, many would say I looked exactly like her. Naturally, I would take it as a compliment. My mother was stunning. But now, the last thing I would want to hear is that I am a lot like her. I'm not, right? I never stand up to my father, just like her. I just let him beat me, like her. I block everyone else out of my life, just like her. Maybe I am like her...

Like mother, like daughter.

I reached my doorstep and slowly turned the doorknob. I prayed that he was asleep. Please be asleep. I opened the door and stepped inside. At my feet lay 3 beer cans and I cringed. Where did he get the money to afford all of this? I hadn't gotten a job yet. I looked up from my feet and saw two very angry eyes in front of my face.

"Where the fuck have you been!?" He yelled.

"I w-was at school?"

"Don't smart talk me, you stupid slut!"

"But, you asked where I h-had been..." I felt a hard slap to the cheek and I collapsed onto the floor. My cheek automatically rushed with colour and I felt it start to throb.

"You fucking bitch! I know what I said to you," He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me up to face him, "You are meant to be here before I get back from the pub. By the time I get home, dinner better be made and ready for me to eat. Do you understand bitch!?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered and slowly looked back down to my feet that were dangling just above the floorboards. He dropped me onto the ground, a few strands of my hair ripping out in the progress. Just as I thought he wasn't going to do anything else, he roughly stomped my head into the floor. I couldn't hear anything above the throbbing except his eerie chuckle and 5 words I dreaded to hear.

"You're just like your mother."