Rearview Mirror

Chapter 4

Prologue

David and Jeffrey Knight didn’t care much for women. No, they thought women should be in the background of life. David Knight was going to make sure his daughter knew her place if it killed her.

“You best respect your brother and me. Unless you like the pain,” David yelled at his eighteen-year-old daughter lying sprawled out on the kitchen floor bleeding. Her brown hair matted to her head with blood. He raised his large fist and swung it down, connecting with her left forearm as she raised it to try to hold off the blow. She heard the bone break from the force of his movement.

“David, stop,” cried Karen Knight, his wife. “She’s just a young girl.”

“No, she isn’t. She’s a woman and old enough to know her place.”

“Yeah,” Jeffrey Knight yelled. “Don’t forget about those losers she hangs out with, Dad. Make her pay for them, especially her ‘friendship’ with that Nicole chick. Something isn’t right between them.”

“Jeffrey, you stay out of this.” Karen glared at her twenty-two-year-old son.

“Woman, you will not speak to him that way.” David reached back and slapped his wife with an open hand. “I run this house, and you will do as I say.”

“M-mama, please, stay out of this,” Amber pleaded from the floor. “I’ll b-be okay. I can’t handle you being hurt because of me.”

Oh, baby girl, you are so brave. “David, please stop this now. She’s paid enough.” Karen again tried to put herself between her husband and her daughter but was shoved aside.

“I’ll say when she’s paid enough. Jeffrey, go get the belt.”

“Yes, sir!” Jeffrey left the room almost skipping he was so happy that his little sister was getting the beating she deserved. He’d prefer to be the one giving it, but if she was getting one, he was pacified.

David and Jeffrey took turns swinging and hitting Amber with the belt. David enjoyed the sound of the leather hitting her skin, while Jeffrey loved to make the buckle hit her instead. He hated Amber and loved it when his father gave him the opportunity to beat on her. Jeffrey was ruthless in his hits and kicks.

“E-enough,” whispered Amber, hoping for the pain and beating to stop.

“You think you’ve had enough?” David asked as he took the belt from Jeffrey. “Where is your place, girl?”

“N-nowhere, sir. I’m not to be seen or heard.” Amber spit out blood as she coughed out the words.

“Clean yourself up, then clean up this mess you left on the floor.” With that, David roughly grabbed Jeffrey by the collar and dragged him out of the room, leaving Amber and Karen alone.

“Baby girl, why do you push him? You know how they are.”

“I w-wasn’t pushing. I was late by accident. I was with Nicole…”

“You need to leave here. You need to run away and never return.”

“Mama? Y-you, don’t want me here?”

“Baby, I love you and there’s nothing more than I want for you to be safe. Here isn’t safe. You need to pack a bag and run away. Run far away. I can’t save you if this keeps up.”

“I d-don’t want to leave you here. You know he’s going to take it out on you.”

“Yes, but it’s better than me watching him and Jeffrey take it out on you. Now go clean yourself up, pack a bag, and get ready to sneak out tonight after they fall asleep.”

Amber nodded her understanding and made her way into her room. Where would she go? Where would she be safe? What damage did they do to her tonight that she was going to have to live with? So many questions, so few answers.

Amber boarded the train, one bag on her shoulder, the other in her good hand. Because it was late, there weren’t many people getting on, for which she was grateful. Amber found a seat in the back row and rested her head on the window.