The destroyer of my crop top is a killer.

Chapter 1

The yellow ball of fire changed to hues of orange then almost tangerine. She watched the sun set at the horizon, spreading its largeness into a grateful sky. The mauve of the dusky sky intensified and in just a while, the biggest star had set giving way to thousands of others. Eliza watched keenly as the silhouettes of birds flew towards the horizon to a place they called home. Eliza was lost in a magical place we call imagination. Oh how she wished to be a bird who flies towards the horizon. Soaring high in the sky, the wind blowing against her face. But then again if wishes were horses, beggars would be riding.

The slamming of the doors was a confirmation of a confrontation about to begin. She slowly walked down the old, wooden, mahogany stairs towards the racket. She peeped from behind the baby blue wall in the kitchen to look at a scene which had become a routine for the past month. Ever since her uncle passed, her father wasn't the same. Each  night he'd come home drunk, abused her mother and went to bed. Today was different, he seemed like he had drank more than usual. She looked up at the man she called her father. His eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. He staggered at every step he took. Her mother noticed it too as she backed away from him. One step, two step and she came to a halt. Today's fight was about brussel sprouts. If Eliza hadn't already hated them, now she did. He raised his hand up in the air and with a crashing slap he landed on her mothers' cheek. The first time he ever slapped his wife. A gasp escaped Eliza's mouth. Her mother's eyes landed on her. "Go up to your room" she said softly. Balancing tears, she went up and texted the person she trusted the most, her therapist, Karen.

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A soft vibration came from her phone beside her. Karen turned to look at it. She was enjoying a peaceful self care day. With an activated charcoal mask, she saw who the text was from: Eliza. She immediately opened the text.

"They're fighting again. But now its worse. He drank more than usual and this time... he raised his hand" 

Karen didn't know how to react or reply. She wasn't in this field. She was a criminal psychologist but she made an exception for Eliza. She saw her younger self in her. She knew what she had to say. What she needed to be told when she was younger. 

"Sit down. Let's take deep breaths. It's going to be okay. Im here, you're safe. Do you feel safe right now, do you need me to come there? It's alright.  These feelings are perfectly normal and its okay to feel them. You feel like you're angry or scared and that's okay and normal. I need you to relax and feel free. I'm here for you."

Karen knew that abuse was the beginning of something disastrous. In Fact she had seen it with her own eyes. Growing up in an abusive household took a toll on her. At the young age of seven Karen went through something no seven year old child should ever have to go through. Her father was on hard drugs and came home high. One slap advanced to many more. Soon her parents were divorced. Her mother went into depression and her father was sent to jail for illegal use of drugs. The next thing she knew she was admitted to Rosie Posie home for children. Her past was similar to many more. But her mind took her to a guy she knew: Jordan