Remembering . . .
By: Keela
January 14th, 2009
Prologue - It started out as what I call, The Perfect Saturday Morning. My mom was cooking breakfast with eggs, bacon, cheese omelets, sausage, biscuits, and waffles. Cereal filled bowls were set on the table. I sat at my favorite spot, mouth watering at the delicious smells in the room. My brother, Caden, was upstairs still sleeping. We usually have breakfast at nine-forty-five, and Cade’s always the last to join the table.
“Katie honey, can you go wake your brother up for me?” mom asked. Annoyed, I silently mimicked her words but obeyed. Since childhood, I sort of inherited the duty of being the one to wake up my brother so I answered, “Sure, why not.”
I got off my seat and casually glanced through the window. I noticed my Dad making his way toward the front entrance. I smiled excited to see him back from work. We’ve always had a very special relationship. I was Daddy’s little girl and he was my buddy, my best friend. I lingered around the kitchen.
“Katie, hurry please,” mom urged while scraping the eggs out of the pan.
I hurried up the stairs, running as hard as I could to get to Caden’s room.
“Caden?” I screamed, but no answer.
“Caden!” I repeated, banging and kicking the door.
“What?” He yelled opening the door with one hand gripping the side of his head.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Caden frowned.
“It’s mom!” I sobbed, and hugged him tight.
“What about her?” He hugged me back, concerned.
“She… She’s...” I sobbed some more.
“She’s what, Katie?” Caden urged firm but gentle. I took a deep breath and looked in his eyes.
“She’s making breakfast and wants you down there, now.” His hug loosened and fell.
I flashed a candid smile and laughed.
“Ha-ha.” Caden’s face showed a mixture of anger, frustration and exhaustion. He rubbed his eyes.
“That was completely uncalled for, besides I’m not hungry. So… yeah, Bye.” and he slammed the door shut. With a sigh, I turned away back down the stairs. I’ve always loved tricking my brother but his sense of humor is not quite what it should be, in my opinion.
As I reached the kitchen’s doorway, I heard my dad whispering to my mom. I expected them to be in an embrace, exchanging affection and sweet kisses. In past, my brother and I used to make gagging noises whenever they did but we’ve grown up so I decided to peak instead. To my shock, they weren’t in an embrace at all. My dad had my mom in a choke hold. His big hands had my mom’s tiny neck swallowed up.
“You don’t know what you’re thinking,” My dad whispered harshly in her ear.
“You can’t risk them. Don’t do this.”
“I have to.” She managed to say, coughing as the hold tightened around her neck.
“I’m not scared.”
“Well, you should be.” My dad took my mom’s arm and swung her around until her face met the wall. She whimpered, and a dimple formed in her cheek as she bit into it. I guessed she was trying not to cry. He then suddenly let her go and she slipped to the ground and hugged the wall, as if to seek protection.
Her eyes met mine and lingered for a heart beat. I had forgotten I was standing there, watching.
Breaking from my trance, I rushed down the hall, my vision blurred with tears, going straight for the wired home phone.
“Come on, come on.” I encouraged myself trying to focus on getting help. I was scared, and horrified that my dad would do such a thing. “Nine, one, one.” I whispered as I dialed the numbers. My mom’s pitching screams came from the kitchen. I froze.
“Hello?” A man asked. “Hello? Do you need help? Anybody there?” he insisted. I could not talk, my jaw was clenched and my voice deserted me. I shut my eyes closed, bit my tongue and tried to calm down so I could get some answer out the operator.
“Help me,” I managed to squeeze out of my throat, sniffing. Tears came back hot and fast.
“Ma’am? What’s going on?” He inquired genuinely worried.
“My… my Dad… he is hurting mom. Please help.” I sobbed.
“Stay on the line; we’re tracking your location. Help is on the way.”
“Please hurry, please” The little bravery I had, was slowly giving ground to fear. I’d never felt it like this. “Hurry,” was the last thing I managed to say before I was yanked by my hair and dragged into the kitchen.
“Who were you talking to?” my dad yelled at me.
“N-n-no one,” I stammered.
“Tell. Me.” He ordered, his face red with fury, millimeters from mine and breathing heavily.
“Was it the police?”
I shook my head, denying. The slap came hard and fast sending my back into the counter.
“Dad,” I pleaded, touching my face. I flinched when it stung.
He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the other side of the kitchen. He made me sit down on a chair and crouched in front of me.
“Katie, tell me now, honey.” He asked softly. His sudden change of tone was disorienting but the body of my mom not far away kept me focused.
“B-but I did.” I answered.
“No, you didn’t.” he shouted, losing his temper once more. He whirled around and went straight for the cabinets. I tried to get away; he caught up with me and landed a fist on my face. I cried out in pain and looked to my mom for help. She just sat there, shaking like a leaf.
“Mom?” I pleaded.
“Shut up!” my dad shouted, pulling out a cheese grater.
“Now, tell me.”
“Dad I promise you, I did. I wasn’t talking to the police.”
“Liar!” He took my wrist again and ran the cheese grater down it. The spikes of the grater scrapped off skin. I screamed as loud as I could, hopping someone would hear. Then I remembered my brother, still in his bedroom and gathered what was left of my strength, and then yelled, “Caden”. A strong slap landed on my face.
“I’m not falling for it, Katie,” Caden yelled back from his room.
“No!” I shouted. “Caden, Caden help me! Please!” My throat was sore. My dad sighed, turning me around and lifting up my shirt. My cry was a loud, ear-piercing, girly shrill when my dad sliced the grater harshly down and across my back, over and over.
“Stop it!” My mom screamed as she charged at my dad. He effortlessly knocked her back with his foot. With an unwavering strength and determination, she got right back up and charged again, getting the same blow every time. Annoyed, my Dad let me go temporarily to knock her out. I crumpled to the floor while my mom got her turn.
My back, bled. It hurt much more than the time I got knocked in the temple by a sixth grader when I was only in first grade. I couldn’t move and did I want to.
“Katie, what in the world is going on with you?” Caden yelled from the top of the stairs. Dad stopped when he heard Caden. He looked undecided, even sad, but it did not last. Receiving no answer, Caden then came down and froze in shock as he spotted me. He was too slow to react and did not see our Dad until it was too late. Dad ran up to Caden and slammed him into the nearest wall, leaving him unconscious on the floor.
“Dad no!” I begged and forced myself to sit up, ignoring the pain that raced through my body. My mom was not moving, I was alone and yet again the center of my Dad’s focus. He came up to me like a predator ready to close in on his prey.
“Night, Katie.” He murmured as he wrapped his fingers around my neck. My surrounding got foggy and far in the distance I heard sirens. My Dad’s grip tightened but I didn’t care any longer. Help was on the way.
“This isn’t over.” He muttered angrily.
“I didn’t think so.” I thought.
“I hate you.” I heard him spit at me right before I blacked out. The nightmare was only beginning.
x
By: Keela
January 14th, 2009
Prologue - It started out as what I call, The Perfect Saturday Morning. My mom was cooking breakfast with eggs, bacon, cheese omelets, sausage, biscuits, and waffles. Cereal filled bowls were set on the table. I sat at my favorite spot, mouth watering at the delicious smells in the room. My brother, Caden, was upstairs still sleeping. We usually have breakfast at nine-forty-five, and Cade’s always the last to join the table.
“Katie honey, can you go wake your brother up for me?” mom asked. Annoyed, I silently mimicked her words but obeyed. Since childhood, I sort of inherited the duty of being the one to wake up my brother so I answered, “Sure, why not.”
I got off my seat and casually glanced through the window. I noticed my Dad making his way toward the front entrance. I smiled excited to see him back from work. We’ve always had a very special relationship. I was Daddy’s little girl and he was my buddy, my best friend. I lingered around the kitchen.
“Katie, hurry please,” mom urged while scraping the eggs out of the pan.
I hurried up the stairs, running as hard as I could to get to Caden’s room.
“Caden?” I screamed, but no answer.
“Caden!” I repeated, banging and kicking the door.
“What?” He yelled opening the door with one hand gripping the side of his head.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Caden frowned.
“It’s mom!” I sobbed, and hugged him tight.
“What about her?” He hugged me back, concerned.
“She… She’s...” I sobbed some more.
“She’s what, Katie?” Caden urged firm but gentle. I took a deep breath and looked in his eyes.
“She’s making breakfast and wants you down there, now.” His hug loosened and fell.
I flashed a candid smile and laughed.
“Ha-ha.” Caden’s face showed a mixture of anger, frustration and exhaustion. He rubbed his eyes.
“That was completely uncalled for, besides I’m not hungry. So… yeah, Bye.” and he slammed the door shut. With a sigh, I turned away back down the stairs. I’ve always loved tricking my brother but his sense of humor is not quite what it should be, in my opinion.
As I reached the kitchen’s doorway, I heard my dad whispering to my mom. I expected them to be in an embrace, exchanging affection and sweet kisses. In past, my brother and I used to make gagging noises whenever they did but we’ve grown up so I decided to peak instead. To my shock, they weren’t in an embrace at all. My dad had my mom in a choke hold. His big hands had my mom’s tiny neck swallowed up.
“You don’t know what you’re thinking,” My dad whispered harshly in her ear.
“You can’t risk them. Don’t do this.”
“I have to.” She managed to say, coughing as the hold tightened around her neck.
“I’m not scared.”
“Well, you should be.” My dad took my mom’s arm and swung her around until her face met the wall. She whimpered, and a dimple formed in her cheek as she bit into it. I guessed she was trying not to cry. He then suddenly let her go and she slipped to the ground and hugged the wall, as if to seek protection.
Her eyes met mine and lingered for a heart beat. I had forgotten I was standing there, watching.
Breaking from my trance, I rushed down the hall, my vision blurred with tears, going straight for the wired home phone.
“Come on, come on.” I encouraged myself trying to focus on getting help. I was scared, and horrified that my dad would do such a thing. “Nine, one, one.” I whispered as I dialed the numbers. My mom’s pitching screams came from the kitchen. I froze.
“Hello?” A man asked. “Hello? Do you need help? Anybody there?” he insisted. I could not talk, my jaw was clenched and my voice deserted me. I shut my eyes closed, bit my tongue and tried to calm down so I could get some answer out the operator.
“Help me,” I managed to squeeze out of my throat, sniffing. Tears came back hot and fast.
“Ma’am? What’s going on?” He inquired genuinely worried.
“My… my Dad… he is hurting mom. Please help.” I sobbed.
“Stay on the line; we’re tracking your location. Help is on the way.”
“Please hurry, please” The little bravery I had, was slowly giving ground to fear. I’d never felt it like this. “Hurry,” was the last thing I managed to say before I was yanked by my hair and dragged into the kitchen.
“Who were you talking to?” my dad yelled at me.
“N-n-no one,” I stammered.
“Tell. Me.” He ordered, his face red with fury, millimeters from mine and breathing heavily.
“Was it the police?”
I shook my head, denying. The slap came hard and fast sending my back into the counter.
“Dad,” I pleaded, touching my face. I flinched when it stung.
He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the other side of the kitchen. He made me sit down on a chair and crouched in front of me.
“Katie, tell me now, honey.” He asked softly. His sudden change of tone was disorienting but the body of my mom not far away kept me focused.
“B-but I did.” I answered.
“No, you didn’t.” he shouted, losing his temper once more. He whirled around and went straight for the cabinets. I tried to get away; he caught up with me and landed a fist on my face. I cried out in pain and looked to my mom for help. She just sat there, shaking like a leaf.
“Mom?” I pleaded.
“Shut up!” my dad shouted, pulling out a cheese grater.
“Now, tell me.”
“Dad I promise you, I did. I wasn’t talking to the police.”
“Liar!” He took my wrist again and ran the cheese grater down it. The spikes of the grater scrapped off skin. I screamed as loud as I could, hopping someone would hear. Then I remembered my brother, still in his bedroom and gathered what was left of my strength, and then yelled, “Caden”. A strong slap landed on my face.
“I’m not falling for it, Katie,” Caden yelled back from his room.
“No!” I shouted. “Caden, Caden help me! Please!” My throat was sore. My dad sighed, turning me around and lifting up my shirt. My cry was a loud, ear-piercing, girly shrill when my dad sliced the grater harshly down and across my back, over and over.
“Stop it!” My mom screamed as she charged at my dad. He effortlessly knocked her back with his foot. With an unwavering strength and determination, she got right back up and charged again, getting the same blow every time. Annoyed, my Dad let me go temporarily to knock her out. I crumpled to the floor while my mom got her turn.
My back, bled. It hurt much more than the time I got knocked in the temple by a sixth grader when I was only in first grade. I couldn’t move and did I want to.
“Katie, what in the world is going on with you?” Caden yelled from the top of the stairs. Dad stopped when he heard Caden. He looked undecided, even sad, but it did not last. Receiving no answer, Caden then came down and froze in shock as he spotted me. He was too slow to react and did not see our Dad until it was too late. Dad ran up to Caden and slammed him into the nearest wall, leaving him unconscious on the floor.
“Dad no!” I begged and forced myself to sit up, ignoring the pain that raced through my body. My mom was not moving, I was alone and yet again the center of my Dad’s focus. He came up to me like a predator ready to close in on his prey.
“Night, Katie.” He murmured as he wrapped his fingers around my neck. My surrounding got foggy and far in the distance I heard sirens. My Dad’s grip tightened but I didn’t care any longer. Help was on the way.
“This isn’t over.” He muttered angrily.
“I didn’t think so.” I thought.
“I hate you.” I heard him spit at me right before I blacked out. The nightmare was only beginning.
x
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