Trapped in The Happiest Place on Earth

Chapter 16

Sixteen

I scream in terror as my body falls and slams against every step down the mountain. I cover my head with my hands only to realize that I'm too late to save myself from injury. Blood flows freely from my fingertips and down to my arms with every bounce. I close my eyes in fear, wondering how much longer this going to go on before I die. Pain comes from everywhere. From my legs. From my arms. And agonizing is the pain that comes from my from my head.

I begin to say my good byes just when I stop falling.

The pain is too much.

The world ceases to blackness.

                                                            ***

Images begin taking form in my mind as I sleep.

“Dad, why can’t I go?” I hear my twelve year old self ask desperately. I sit on the edge of my old princess bed, on my knees, looking at my dad with begging eyes.

He looks younger, I notice. His brown hair is more dominant and his blue eyes look clearer than I've seen in a long time.

“Because,” He says kindly, kissing me on the forehead. “Your mother and I need you here.”

“But, it's just  sleepover. A single weekend,” I counter, pushing him away. “two days- a mere forty-eight hours.  It’s really not that big of a deal,”

“We’d miss you too much,” He insists, walking towards my door.

Just as he’s about to slip out, I pout, “But Michelle and Abby get go!”

My dad ruffles his hair and stairs at me like I know that this is not going to change his mind.

“Well that’s good for them.” He says shortly.

“But Dad,” I whine.

He crosses his arms sternly. “Mickey, no amount of whining is going to make me let you go. You aren’t going to that sleepover. End of story.”

I cross my arms, frustrated that he’s treating me like such a child.

“I’m twelve years old!” I scream, as if this is news to him. “I’m old enough to spend one weekend away from my mom and dad.”

He shakes his head and says seriously, “That’s for your mother and I to decide, and you’re not ready. You will be here for movie night, with the rest of your family, like always.”

I start to say something, anything, to get him to compromise but nothing works.

“If it’s any consolation you may choose the movie.” He bargains.

“Like what?” I yell, much louder than I should. “Bambie?”

“If you want,”

I moan. “All I want to is to go to one-“

“Mickey Jasmine Porter, you are not going anywhere. You are to go to be quiet and go to sleep right now or you’ll be grounded to your room all day tomorrow.”

I cross my arms. “You might as well ground me for the whole month,” I say stubbornly.

He stops in his tracks, definitely not expecting me to talk back to him in such a manner.

“What was that?” He says sternly.

I mutter to myself. “At least then I won't have to go on our stupid trip to Disney-"

“You are grounded for the week,” He says, not letting me finish.

“Fine!” I scream and he closes the door on the way out. I hear Eric cry from my mom’s room and feel guilty for yelling so loudly.