Pain (L.H)

Unexpected letter

I got up at nine in the morning and made breakfast for my father

"Did you hear anyone coming through our front door last night?" Dad asked.

I gulped slightly "uh no I was asleep" I lied.

Dad shrugged and ate his toast. He seemed pretty calm this morning. I wasn't feeling that hungry since the visions of Luke laying falling on the pavement in blood replayed in my head.

I felt sick.

I turned on the TV. The news was on. Dad and I both listened to the news. Me sitting away from him of course.

"Loud noises and muffled yelling were heard all over Curl Street last night as the worlds top dangerous gang known as Gang Bloodhound were aiming at their targets, a gang with an unknown name. These people are aged between 18 - 40

Two 26 year old men from Bloodhound and three 19 year old men from the unknown gang have been found dead. Police have been searching for these gangs for three years and still haven't seen any sign of the people in these groups. Please report to police immediately if you have seen the scene on Curl Street last night or have any sort of contact with these people"

My body completely froze.

Gangs?

Curl street?

Last night?

Shit.

Luke is one of those people. My father immediately rose to his feet. He turned the tv off and pulled my hair so my head flung back.

"I am going out until lunch" he said "don't try anything Jazmine or you wont see the lights anymore."

I nod my head rapidly. He let go and walked upstairs to get changed.

He dressed into a black long sleeve top and black jeans. He put his black boots on before he walked out into the cold breeze. I was left here alone. I rubbed the saw spot of my head where he pulled me hair and walked up stairs to get changed.

It was -8 so I chucked on multiple layers of clothing. I brushed my ombred hair, re applied foundation to my bruises and face, did some finishing touches so my face wouldn't look plain, grabbed my phone and walked back down stairs. I grabbed a red apple and sat on the couch scrolling through things.

I heard knocking echoing through the house. Someone must be at the door. I walked to the front door and opened it revealing a man with a yellow suit and hat.

"morning miss" he said cheerily and smiled widely.

"morning" I said trying to be enthusiastic like he is.

"Letter for miss Jazmine Parker" he said and took out an envelope.

"That's me" I said and he gave me the envelope.

"Have a good day miss" he said and walked off.

"You too" i said and shut the door. I ripped open the envelope as I walked into the lounge room and took out a letter as I sat on the couch.

Jazmine,

You were there.

You were there on Curl Street.

You saw everything. The shooting, the yelling.

You ran back home remember? After your little chat with Luke, the leader of gang unknown, who happens to be our target.

Don't think we didn't notice. We did.

You were a fool to come out late at night Jazmine.

- Gang Bloodhound

I gasped and threw the letter down to the ground. Panic ran throughout my body. They knew I was there. They knew that I knew Luke. They knew who I was.

Shit.

What do I do?

I can't go out there. My father was coming in three hours and if he notices I am gone who knows what he is going to do. A flashback replayed in my head. The one that I dont want to remember.

I was only nine years old. I needed to ran away from this place. I was growing weak as the beatings went on and on. I grabbed my carry bag and filled it with everything I needed. I grew independent at the age of eight. I snuck out at eight o' clock at night while dad was sleeping to sell books in nursery homes and read them to the elderly. I earned money that way.

I ran down the stairs after I finished packing. I opened the door and outside stood my father. 

Panic washed through out me.

"Where are you going?" he asked angrily

I didn't know what to say. He threw my bag of clothes away and started to beat me with anything he could find.

I didn't cry, I just screamed.

I couldn't be afraid of anything. It was my promise to mum. I had to battle through life without fear. He started to use wooden spoons and vases. Anything that he could find. I then black out after multiple bruises filled my body and cuts were on my face.

I snapped out of my flashback. The cuts left scars and the bruises luckily faded. I sat on the couch with my head in my hands. All my childhood was ruined by my my father.

My only childhood memories that I have were reading books to old and unstable people in the nursery homes and apartments and my one and only friend at my pre-school.

I had an idea. If I wanted to re-live my childhood I can. It would only take one and a half hour at least.

Maybe I could get some help, just maybe.

I couldn't call the police. I nearly died the last time I did. That's the whole reason we moved away from Portland. My father changed his name from Steven to Phil. He also changed all his details. He got a haircut and has his fake spray tans done each week. He's stupid, plain stupid. What fifty year old man has a spray tan?

Someone will find him soon. I know it.

I smiled at myself as I ran up stairs to make sure I looked okay. I fixed things that I needed to and walked over to my drawer to grab some books. Some were notebooks that I'd write in myself. I ran to my cupboard and decided to take my mum's designer handbag to put my books in. My mother used this bag when she was teenager she once told me.

I walked down the stairs and grabbed the spare key off the hook. Hoping that if my father came early home he wouldn't notice that it was missing. I looked at the clock in the living room. It was 9:15am. I was sure I was going to be fine.