No More

Please!

    The entire ride home I was beside myself. I was stuck between a rock and hard place. I knew what awaited me at home. It’s always the same, a whip, a cane, a belt, tied or untied, there is never any in between.

    ‘Please’ I prayed to who ever was listening. ‘Please save me from this.’

    When we arrived at the house dad put the car into park leaned over and spat in my face, “You have 30 seconds to get into the house and stand in front of the cross”.

    ‘Sapphire?’ I asked softly, but no reply ever came. I sighed heavily and went inside. I did as I was told and went and stood in front of the Saint Andrew’s cross. I hung my head in my usual pose and waited for what was to come.

    “Hmm…” hummed dad. ‘Don’t just stand there get on with it already’. Why does he make me stand here    like this forever? Just tell me what to do and get it over with.

    “Take off your shirt and pants” dad commanded me. Slowly, I unbuttoned the plaid flannel and let it slip from my shoulders. ‘Just look down think about your happy place. Ugh, what is a happy place? I know!’ Instantly I started to think about a beautiful woman with long, dark hair, that turned into fire when the sun hit it just right.

    While in my daydream about a woman I made up and hoped looked like my mom, dad took my left arm and pulled me to the cross. ‘OUCH’ thunk my head bounced off the middle of the cross which has turned dark due to blood and age.

          “Hahahahahahah. Where did you go? Do you think your daydreams can save you from me? Hahahahaha! Or maybe I am starting to bore you. Am I boring you Sammy?”

    Pulled out of my happy place, I stared at the floor. Dad grab my left hand and cuffed it tightly to the top right hand side of the cross so that my back was facing him. Immediately, my breathing and heart rate increased. He slowly walked from my left to my right side and repeated the process. He then went to my left side and grabbed my left ankle and drug it to the bottom right of the cross, and then repeated this process on my right side.

    I started to breath so fast that I was hyperventilating. My heart was beating so fast that it felt as if it would explode. “Shut up you stupid w***e! Who was that snot nosed brat who was falling all over you Sammy? Why the f**k was I called to come get you?” His answer was my breathing which if it was possible in it’s panting state started to come out even faster.

    “ANSWER ME YOU STUPID b***h!!”