Haven POV
***
"You know the rules, recite the one you broke and the punishment" Charles taunted. He reeked of alcohol and drugs his dirty unwashed wife beater had holes in it and it was discolored. I stared at the walls of the basement memorizing the cracks as I numbly spoke the words.
"I flinched" the words sounded robotic leaving my mouth like someone else was talking for me.
"And what is the punishment for flinching brat?"
"20 lashes"
"And..." he urges.
"10 for every scream during the lashes" I hugged my arms into my body my shirt cut to reveal my back. I pulled my knees to me my toes feeling like ice as my back stung.
"What number are we on?" he asked.
"10"
"And why did we stop?"
"Because I stoped counting"
"Yes, now 10 more start counting" I heard the whip pull back and I closed my eyes.
*Thwack*
My body jerked forward from the impact, my body screamed but I kept my mouth shut. I felt the warmth of my blood pooling, my skin repeatedly pulling apart. "11" I whisper.
*Thwack*
"12" I hear him start to pant as he grunts with every swing.
*Thwack*
This time the hit sounded like you were hitting the inside of a watermelon, it resonated through my brain as I open my eyes and stare at the wall unmoving. "13" I start to separate myself from this. I think about Paul and I playing in the yard, mom cooking dinner and making desert. My dad flirting with her while she cooks.
*Thwack*
"14" I start to make a list of things that made me happy. Like I always do when we come down here.
*Thwack*
"15" My old friend Ria that lived next door coming over to play with me. Her dad was African American his parents immigrated here 2 years before I met her. She was so pretty her dark flawless skin that she said looked like dark chocolate. Her long brown and pink braids that her mom spend hours doing. Just for her to say she wanted blue braids instead.
*Thwack*
"16" My brother playing hide and seek with me and always losing. He and I played together all of the time. He read me stories to go to sleep at night and he even taught me to ride a bike without training wheels.
*Thwack*
"17" I felt the tears and the scream at the tip of my tongue I begged my body to hold on. My back now probably smeared in blood as the iron smell of it mixed with his sweat filled the air. Family game nights after Saturday Brunch.
*Thwack*
"18" I willed myself to keep going my back now stinging but numb. I breathed in deeply, the cold air around not helping my wounds. Mamas dance and cooking spectacular. Her teaching me how to ice cakes and make cookies.
*Thwack*
"19" My dad throwing me into the pool and squirting me with water as we played water tag. The smiles my family wore, the fake smile my father had. Before he started to show who he really was after mom left.
*Thwack*
"20" I whispered in relief, I waited for him to leave and shut the big light leaving the small lamp.
"You'll stay down here for 2 days, you stopped counting and this is your punishment, supplies is by the table, take care of it and shower I have a friend coming on Thursday. And clean the tools the bin, cloth and soap are on the table." I nodded and he closed the big door and locked it. I tried to move slowly but my wounds cracked and stretched caked with the blood he repeatedly smashed into it.
I took a deep breath and stood ignoring the pain. I walked to the shower which looked much like a prison shower. Just the head, no walls for privacy. I grabbed the towels and undressed. I heard the tv blaring from upstairs. He never hears the screams after he leaves. Thats why he loves this basement so much, thick concrete were the walls and the door was industrial.
I timidly turn on the water and step into it. A piercing scream rips through my throat as the water meets the open wounds. Eventually the stinging goes away and I work on washing the blood away. The red water pools at my feet as I wait for it to run clear. I lower myself to the ground and crouch in a fetal position as I let the water wash away the pain.
For the first time for the first time in 5 years I let myself cry. I graduated a week ago, but that meant nothing, just that I was no longer putting my father in danger for being caught because I was going to school. "You'll never leave me" he said his words echoing through my head like the ringing of a bell.
"You're mine forever" he had growled.
I buried my head in my knees and sobbed. Tears streaming down my face in angry fury as my sobs and pain filled cries, my answerless prayers and pleads fell on deaf ears. I promised myself this one cry but as my tears started to dry I turned off the water.
That is when I felt the scariest thing I have ever felt I felt myself go numb.
I walked to the cot and laid down pulling the thin rough blanket over my tiny frame. I laid there in a scrunched up position for what felt like forever. Then after a while I felt my eyelids grow heavy and finally close.
Happy 18th Birthday Haven.
***
"Hey kid are you okay?" Smith asks me. He told me his name some time ago. I was lost in memories but I nodded. "Alright".
I felt something inside of me ache and strain. I felt myself die that day and that is something I will never forget.
YOU ARE READING
Her Breaking Point
RomanceHe had rules for a reason, or thats what he said. I did something wrong I got punished. I spoke out of turn, I got punished. I looked at him or ate without permission, I got punished. Haven thats what they named me funny isn't it? Ironic really. The...
