Stripped

The Hand

Lisa

9:00 p.m. As I'm laying in my bed I begin to hear noises in LeAnne's room. She's making loud disturbing noises. I hear banging on the wall. Boom! Boom! Boom! I close my eyes shut. Why was this happening? What was happening? Do I help? Can I help? All of a sudden, silence falls. Then I hear a door open and shut. I open my eyes.

One step. Two step. Three step. Four step. Five step, six. Bathroom.

Who was it? LeAnne? No. The steps were stern, heavy and loud. I couldn't put my finger on who it was.

Toilet flushes. One step. Two step. Three step, four...

Wait, the stepping stopped. Why? A shadow casted under my bedroom door. I cover myself with a blanket. Close my eyes. Time to think of a happy place.

Image of a couple having a picnic and a child running around. The man was..

Reality.

I feel a body pressing against mine. What is going on? The cover is pulled off of me. Don't open your eyes. I feel a hand, a cold rough hand rubbing down my stomach and slowly reaching down to my private.

I scream "Stop!" "Dont" I heard a whispering of "shh". I close my mouth. I want to open my eyes but I'm scared. My body won't let them open. What will I be facing? I feel my pants coming off slowly, and suddenly being dropped to the floor. "No!". The hand covers my mouth. I feel something inside me, IT HURTS. Tears are rolling down my face. "Please! Stop! Stop!".. "Mom! Mom!" She never came. The throbbing stops. I open my eyes.

I see a big male with a sweaty face standing over me.

Nicole

9:00 p.m. I'm under my bed with tears rolling down my face. He's coming. My heart is racing. Beating so fast. He always does this. Why doesn't my mother help me? I thought she loved me? Or.. That's what she says. His foot steps get louder. I close my eyes. He shouts "Where are you, little bitch?" Please don't find me. He opens my door.

I open my eyes.

Sh, don't make a sound. He'll go away. My eyes follow his feet as he drags his black leather belt behind him. No. His feet stop moving. I keep quiet. All of a sudden, he drops to the floor. "HA! I found you, come out now!" I feel his hand, his cold, rough hand grab my leg. "No!" I screamed.

He drags me out from under my bed. Flips me over. I can smell his breath. Stronger than last night. He hits me one time with his belt. It hits my face. I grab where it landed and started to cry. Tears started to run down my face. "Stop!" "Someone help!" No one came. He turns me over where my stomach faces the floor. He gives three more hits on my back side, I literally scream for my life. Why? He throws the belt back one last time. He lost grip and the metal part crashes into my mirror. It shatters. He yells out "Damn it! This isn't over!" He leaves.

It never is. I slowly stood up, and looked into the shattered glass.

Stacy

9:00 p.m. I feel it moving inside my stomach. Life inside me. Five months. My baby girl. I can't figure out a name for her yet. Don't even have an idea. I would name it after my mother but she doesn't deserve that honor. She gave up on me. Kicked me out. How dare she? My baby is to precious to be named after a woman such as she.

I hear the door open. He's home. I walk to him as he walks in. I give him a kiss. I smell perfume on his body. "Did you fix me dinner?" he said. "Yes baby, its on the counter" I replied. He walks in to the kitchen, and puts his plate in the microwave. Three. Zero. "So hunny, where have you been, I've been.." He cuts me off. "What did I tell you about asking me where I am, and what I'm doing? I know you remember last time." I shake my head in disgust with myself. "I'm sorry baby, I totally.." "Yeah whatever," he cuts me off again.

Beep. Beep.

He takes the food out the microwave and places it on the table. His phone vibrates in his pocket. He takes it out, looks at the screen and leaves the room. Who was it? I was tempted to go into the other room and see who it was but before I could he reenetered the kitchen. "So, who was on the phone?". "What?" He replies. "What did I tell you about asking what the fuck I'm doing? Mind your damn business!" He continued. The next thing I know, I see a plate flying at me. I duck. The plat hits the wall, and the food flies everywhere. He walks over to me, and grabs me with his cold, rough hand by the throat. His grip tightens. "I don't want to do what I did to you last time. Next time don't ask what I'm doing." "Please, let go.." As my sight blurs. He grins. I dropped to the floor.

I hear his foot steps walking towards the door. I close my eyes before tears start up. Door opens and then closes.

Alone. No. I have my baby girl. I grab my stomach and say "It will be okay. It was just an argument. He loves us. Especially you."

I pick myself up and grab the broom to start sweeping up the food that was strolled across the floor.

- Ending. I learned from my cousin to give a little talking at the end, to give readers an understanding on why I do the things I do. Or to thank them for reading. I want to say, I know this chapter is very short, and gives you questions that are un answered but please bare with me. -