Home is where the heart is

Prologue

I hide under my bed waiting for the screaming to stop. Vases shatter, holes are punched in the walls, and furniture is thrown across the room. I grab my stuffed animal Mimzy and stroke her head, whispering soothing words in hushed tones into her large ears. Over in the corner lies her favorite dress. I reach my hand out and quickly grab it so I don't make the floor boards creek. It's blue with little yellow flowers all over it and a white lace collar. I slip Mimzy into the dress and button up the back. CRACK! I wince as my dad slaps my mother so hard it sounds like a whip."It's all right Mimzy. You're safe. I've got you." My mom is thrown up against the wall with a thud, breaking a picture frame in the process. I start singing you are my sunshine, which is Mimzy's favorite, and softly pet her head. Tears silently fall from my eyes but I wipe them away. Mimzy needs me to be brave for her. She'd get even more scared if she knew that I was too.

Then all at once the noise stops. Keys rattle and I hear my mother say something in an indifferent tone. The front door opens then slams shut. My mom must have left to go see her pothead of a boyfriend. I hold my breath because I know what's coming next."Taylor? Where the hell are you?!?" Screams my dad. I push Mimzy up against the wall so he won't see her and cover her eyes with a piece of dryer lint. "Answer me dammit!" He slams his fist on the table and it echoes around the walls of the house."Don't be afraid Mimzy. I won't let him hurt you. You'll be alright. Try to go to sleep for me, okay?" I lay her down and make sure her face is turned towards the wall. I put an empty monopoly box and an old rug in front of her to act as a barrier and slide towards the front end of the bed. I hear him stagger up the stairs in a slow manner as a glass bottle clinks against the wall at each step he takes."You stupid little bitch get your ass out here now!" My hands shake as I try to maintain my cool. I remind myself that Mimzy is trying to sleep so it wouldn't be a good idea to have a break down right in front of her.

My doorknob rattles. Breathing gets harder and harder each time he shakes it. I look back at Mimzy and know that she's sleeping which gives me a half sense of relief. The door creeks open and the smell of alcohol and cocaine hits me with full force. He takes one step into the room. "I know you're in here!" He shouts. He opens my closet and looks around. A frustrated sigh escapes his lips as he kicks the door shut. I try not to breath as his feet move closer and closer to my hiding spot. Suddenly, his hand grabs my wrist and pulls me up from underneath the bed. "I called for you, you stupid little slut!" He spits the last word out with so much venom it makes me shudder. His angry red face is inches from mine and a vein sticks so far out in his forehead I'm afraid it will fall out onto his shirt. "You should've answered me!" The next thing I know his hand connects with my face. Stars dance around in my vision as he throws me to the ground. "I guess I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson." He smiles maliciously as he tries to grab for my pants. I try crawling away but he is too fast. His arms wrap around my torso so hard I feel bruises sinking in already and I know that this might be the end.

But then just as I think he's going to rape me, his grip loosens. I quickly crawl under the bed again and watch as his hold body starts swaying. He uses the wall for support and pinches the bridge of his nose but I guess it isn't enough. The next thing I know he's laying face first on the ground. I look at his face. His disgusting, worthless, ugly face. 'I hope he's dead,' I think to myself. He starts to snore so I crawl out from under my bed and drag him down to the living room. I leave him there on the floor and head back up to my bedroom.

Mimzy is still asleep so I gently pick her up and place her in a box filled with blankets in my closet. I crawl into bed and get under my covers. My wrist hurts so I look at it and see it has a big hand shaped bruise. If I turn it on its side they look like tree branches. 'More like branches of hell,' I think.

Tears fall down my cheeks as I look up a at my ceiling. "Tomorrow will be a better day, Taylor. Tomorrow will be a better day."