Luka: Shattered Past

1st January 2010

Dear Diary,
                   We celebrated New Year's Eve yesterday. Dad didn't come home for Christmas but he came back in time to celebrate the new year. It didn't really go well. As mom went out to get food, my dad drank a lot again and entered our room. Juleka's toy accidently tripped him over while she was playing. He was about to hit her, but I quickly intervened and took the blow. It hurt for a while but I was fine. My dad forced me to hide in the storage closet so mom didn't see the bruise on my face. For the rest of the day I cried and felt really sad. After Juleka told mom where I was, much to dad's dismay, my mom got angry at him, leading to a very violent argument as I held Juleka crying in the room next door. My new year's resolution is to hopefully have a better life where I don't have to be afraid anymore.

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The apartment was quiet, the siblings were watching new year specials on TV while their mother was searching if there was enough food in the kitchen to make a meal with.

"Dammit." She hissed to herself. "I'll have to go out and get some."

Just as she was putting her coat on and about to tell her children to lock the doors and keep the phone near them constantly in case of an emergency. They heard the front door open and heavy footsteps echoing down the creaky hallway.

The children panicked, their mother signalling them to hide. Luka grabbed Juleka's arm and quickly hid behind the long worn out sofa as they couldn't reach the bedroom in time without confronting him.

He appeared in the doorway of the living room, appearing as a complete mess.

"If you don't mind me asking, where the hell have you been Julian?!" Their mother sneered, clearly angry with their father.

"Don't start that shit with me Anarka, what does it matter to you?! I'm a grown man. I simply couldn't stand you anymore and had to get away." He harshly remarked back.

Anarka while hurt wasn't going to argue with him knowing the kids were in the room.

"Fine, listen. There's no food so I'm going to rush out and get some. Do what you please but don't bother the kids." She demanded.

"Whatever, just go already so I can be in peace!" He protested as he sat on a seat and changed the channel on the TV. Anarka gestured to the children to quickly go to their bedroom as their father was again too hazy and distracted to notice.

Juleka played with her first ever doll that she got for Christmas a few days ago, whereas Luka was reading through a guitar book that he asked for Christmas so he can better himself when playing it again hopefully soon. Both were inexpensive gifts, but that didn't matter. They deeply cherished the gifts nonetheless.

Out of nowhere, their father completely drunk burst into the room in a scary state.

"Where did you little shits put my cigarettes?! I had them in my drawer, who took them?!"

Luka bolted out of his seat, attempting to calm his father down. "We don't know dad, we haven't seen any unused cigarettes around! It's not here!"

Julian was about to go straight for Luka when he unexpectedly tripped over Juleka's new doll that she dropped out of fright. His eyes went blood red.

"You dropped that there on purpose, didn't you?! You, YOU!-"

He raised his hand, ready to strike his young daughter who was crying furiously and scared out of her mind.

"NO!" Luka screamed and rushed in front of her. Juleka didn't receive the blow.

Luka was struck across the face, his head colliding with floor. Juleka squealed in terror and went down to check on her heroic brother. A huge red mark stung across his check, forming a bump which was certain to turn purple soon.

"Oh shit, Anarka is going to be pissed. You little idiot!" Their father snatched Luka out of her arms and dragged the young and near tearful boy to the storage closet.

"Stay here! I don't want your mother seeing that bruise. Don't you dare get out!" Before Luka could protest he slammed the door shut and locked it. The boy tried to open it but to no avail, he instead collapsed and broke down crying for what felt like hours. He eventually cried himself to sleep.

A while later, little Luka stirred and woke up to light as the door was unlocked and opened. He saw a tall figure, afraid that it was his father again until he heard the figure's voice.

"LUKA! Oh my god! My baby!" His mother shrieked, her eyes portraying both upmost worry and violent anger, the latter not directed at him. She immediately picked him up and held him tight. Scared to almost let him go.

"Mom... I'm sorry..." Luka cried out. Anarka in an instant retorting with-

"No, no sweetie you did absolutely nothing wrong, Juleka told me what you did, that was very brave of you. Oh my sweet child. Did your father do this to you?"

The young boy sadly nodded. His mother's expression turned deadly.

"Juleka has an ice pack for you. Both of you stay in your room, lock and barricade the door." She said almost robotic. Giving him a kiss on the forehead and speeding off. Luka knew what he started. He rushed back to the bedroom.

"Luka! Are you ok-!"

"No time Jules, we gotta lock and block the door. Mom said." Luka ordered.

The two children fulfilled their mother's wishes, huddled together as they fearfully listened to constant yelling and glass breaking. The two adults swearing back and forth. Their mother threatening to call the police, their father threatening to hurt them even more and make them go homeless as it was his apartment.

Luka tried to breath in and out, trying to distract himself with happier thoughts while Juleka sobbed uncontrollably in his arms.

It was a long night.