FicWad

I knew from the second I walked in the front door there was something wrong. My first clue was the broken picture in the hallway. I walked into the living room to see overturned chairs, pillows everywhere and beer bottles lying on the coffee table.

I should have known he wasnt going to stop I thought to myself. My dad had been sober for less than a month, and I could tell it was hard for him. He walked around the house grumbling to himself, and at times yelled at me for no reason at all, but I figured it would be well worth it in the end. But now he was back to his old ways and there was nothing I could do about it.

I walked up the stairs to my room and out my school bag away. It was going to be a long weekend. I went to turn on my radio when I heard soft cries coming from my parents room.

"Mom" ? I called softly down the hall. I heard the cries stop and I walked towards their room. I peered in and didnt see anything so I walked into their washroom.

"Hey honey", my mom said wiping her tears away. "How was your day?"

"It was fine. Mom what happened?" I asked noticing the cut on her hand and the blood all over the counter.

"Nothing. I just cut myself while making salad. It was an accident. Why dont you go and do your homework honey. I'll have dinner ready soon."

I ignored her and went downstairs and surveyed the kitchen. There were vegetables on the cutting board, and the knife was laying next to it with blood on it. There was a broken glass on the floor and water everywhere. It was easy to assume that she had been making a salad when my father attacked her.

I climbed the stairs two at a time and re-entered my moms washroom as she was cleaning all her blood.

'Mom, you need to make him stop this."

"Stop what honey?" she said avoiding making eye contact with me.

"You know what mom. I live here, I know what goes on. Im not that clueless." I left her room and went to mine. I slammed my door and called my boyfriend, Liam.

"Whats wrong Riley?" he asked as I started to cry.

"I need you right now Liam. Can you come over please?" I could hardly get the words out of my mouth.

"Why?"

"Please just come" I pleaded. As I sat on my bed, I looked at myself in the mirror. My mascara was slowly running down my face, but I didn't care.

"Riley, I cant. Im really busy right now. I can come later tonight."

"No never mind. Dont bother." I hung up the phone. I wanted so much to call my best friend Jen, but I couldn't because she was in New York visiting her mom. She was the one person I could almost always count on, but right now when I really needed her, she was unavailable. I laid down on my bed and tried to steady my breathing. I felt so alone.

I must have been lying on my bed for what seemed like an hour, until I heard a loud noise coming from downstairs. I walked over to my door and opened it a crack so I could hear what was happening.

"Why the hell arent you making my dinner?" I heard my dad yell. I could tell he was still drunk from before, if not more so.

"Please dont yell." my mom said calmly. "Your daughter is upstairs."

"Ill do whatever I damn well please. This is my house!" he yelled even louder. "Now make my food."

"I was just doing that Chad."

"Dont talk back to me bitch. Just do it!"

I could hear my mom getting out a pan, and then suddenly there was a crash.

"Please dont. Please." I heard my mom whimpering, but he did it anyway. I heard a huge thump and my mom started crying again.

"Dont tell me what to do!" He was practically screaming now. "Get up. I said get up!" Yet again there was nother noise, and my mom started crying even harder. I couldnt take it anymore so I ran down the stairs nearly tripping and went into the kitchen. I stood in the doorway and say my mom lying on the ground. My dad stood above her, red faced, and he looked like he was going to kick her.

"Stop it!" I yelled at him. "Dont touch her."

He turned to face me. "Get out. You shouldn't be here."

"I live here dad. You have to stop this."

My dad walked towards me, and yelled at my face, I could feel spit spray it. "Leave."

"NO"

My mom yelled "don't" but he did it anyway, just as I knew he always would. I heard my mom screaming at my dad, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. I sat up straight and stared at them, my dad getting angrier by the minute. I got up and walked over the phone. I picked it up.