Dreaming of a Chance

Cigarettes and Rain

The sky was dark and comfortless, small rumbles of thunder grew closer as she got up from the bench. The wind sent a chill down her spine as the old gate of the park creaked open with a gentle push from her. She put in her headphones to try and drown out the loud noises that were closing in around her. Rosie felt the cool rain begin to fall from the deep gray clouds as she put on her lavender hoodie. She pulled the hood over her head to try and keep herself as dry as she could, the rain falling more heavily as she walked. The path home wasn't long but it was long enough for her to get soaked. The lavender hoodie deepened in color as the rain soaked in, making her feel much colder as the wind swirled around her. She begins to walk a bit quicker as the wind picks up, the trees around her shake and leaves fall to the ground rapidly. She quickly gets home and stands in the portico to shield herself from the rain since she didn't want to go inside just yet. Her chest felt heavy as she reached for the handle, knowing what awaited her inside. She turned the handle slowly as the intense smell of cigarette smoke hit her nose, by now she'd grown used to not only smelling it constantly but also carrying the smell wherever she went. She shut the door behind her quietly as she heard the television on in the living room. She knew when she left the entryway she'd find him in his usual place, sitting in his chair with beer bottles scattered around him. She walks in and as she had predicted, there he was. Her father sat in a dirty white shirt and his boxers, taking a drink of his usual beer as he watched something she had no interest in. A cigarette was lit in an ashtray that sat on the table beside him, he picked it up and brought it to his dry lips as he took a drag. The table was covered in cigarette burns, ashes, and the pack he was finishing off. When he heard her enter he looked up and a sly grin crept along his lips as he spoke. "Hey darlin' why don't you get your daddy another beer?" he says in his typically cynical voice as the grin widened. She shudders at his every word but nods, "Yes sir" she says in a soft voice. She didn't want to anger him because she knew he had already been drinking so she wasn't sure what he would do to her. She goes into the kitchen and gets him a beer, taking out a lime and cutting it into wedges like he usually asked her to do. She pops the bottle open and shoves the wedge inside the bottle for him before bringing it over quickly so he didn't get mad. She hands it to him with her head lowered as to not make eye contact, she'd made that mistake once and she wasn't about to make it again. "Well thank you, now tell me somethin'. What the hell were you doin' out so late?!" He began to raise his voice which shook her to her very core. When he raised his voice it meant she was in trouble and she would get whatever punishment he saw fit at that moment. He grabbed her wrist harshly and pulled her closer to him, tightening his grip on her as he spoke sharply, "You were out with someone weren't you, you little whore! You're just like your mother, aren't you! Just a stupid little slut out doing shit with boys!" he yelled as he pushed her away, standing up and placing the beer on the table with the cigarettes. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her down to the floor as she began to whimper, the grin returning to his lips as he got closer to her. "Ah you aren't scared are ya? If not, you should be!" he said as he raised his hand, making her flinch and tense up. He smirked knowing she was afraid but he still decided she needed punishment. He then raises his hand and slaps her across the cheek, the sudden force causing her to lose her balance and fall back onto the floor. The intense sting on her cheek almost felt as if it was on fire, she felt her eyes begin to water because she knew this was only the start of his torment.