I slowly opened the door and slipped inside, clicking it shut softly behind me. I made my way up the stairs carefully, avoiding the nails. I was making good progress when I stepped on the creaky floorboard.
"Danny? Is that you? Tom?"
"Er, no Dad. It's me, Gemma."
"Who? ..Oh, yeah. Come in here then, stupid, not seen you in ages."
I swallowed down a dry lump that had lodged itself in my throat. Mum split up with Dad a few months ago, and got a new boyfriend. Dad couldn't accept that, even when he was banned from entering the house. Of course he still came, and when he did, there was usually a nasty scene.
Careful not to anger him, I made my way smoothly into the living room. He was sprawled out on our cigarette stained sofa, a cigarette in one yellow stained hand, a crumpled can of beer in the other. His hair was spiked up and he had dark shadows inder his eyes, his breathing husky.
"Well don't just stand there, come and give your old Dad a cuddle!" (he was far from old, he was thirty). I forced out a smile and pushed myself towards him. I crounched next to him and awkwardly put my head next to his, immediately wrinkling my nose as smoke fumes mixed with alcohol drifted up my nostrils.
"Missed me?" he slurred, throwing an arm around my shoulders.
"Er, yeah," I mumbled.
"Good girl. Where's your Mum?" His gripped tightened, squeezing my shoulder roughly, and I winced.
"I-I don't know..." I stammered. He growled and I squeaked with fear.
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"I'm warning you..."
"M-maybe she's out with Chris? I honestly don- don't know."
He grunted and grabbed hold of my hair and pulled, and I felt a stabbing pain in my head. I winced again and pulled away. He pulled back. Hard.
"Stop, please!" I whimpered. He growled and the next minute my head cracked the floor.
"F***ing stupid girl!" He shouted and kicked me in the side of the face. My face erupted into pain, my head throbbing, having aquired its own heart beat. He stomped out and I started crying, face stained with a mixture of tears and blood. The door slammed.
*************
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The Woods (unfinished)
Teen FictionGemma Jones does not belong. Her family are alcoholic drug users who enjoy making her life a misery. People shove past her at school like she is invisible. She is a lonely teenager, with no one to make her feel welcome in the world. The only place...
