I Am the Beast

I quickly make my way home, taking a shortcut through the woods. I can’t afford to be late again. I’m so hungry as it is.  I quicken my pace when I finally see a break in the trees. Just then a rustling of the leaves brings me up short. Startled, my heart begins to race, and my palms go sweaty. I turn to make a break for the opening, just a few feet away, when I see something coming at me. It’s so dark here in the woods, I can only see that the animal is huge and dark colored. I try to scream but it was too late. The animal launched itself at me, crushing me against the ground. It’s fangs are dripping with dirt and blood. I’m secretly wondering who its last victim was when it tears into my skin. I scream out, but it’s just a gurgle now. My vision blurs and my heart beat slows. Darkness covers my eyes, as I slip unconscious.  I expected to be dead. I was sure I wouldn’t have been able to survive such an attack. I had always been deemed as weak, and small. At just barely seventeen, I only reached five foot nine inches, and I was scrawny from lack of nutrition. So I was surprised when I woke up, alone in the woods. It was pitch black now, but I could see the glow of the back porch light.  I struggled to my feet. Everything hurt. I hurry to the house, and slam through the door. Closing the door behind me, and locking it with the deadbolt. Which seems stupid now that I think about it. The monster I had been attacked by couldn’t open doors. I chuckle to myself.  “What are you laughing at, boy?” my dad yells at me. I turn around quick, just as his hand comes flashing around, landing a red mark on my face.  “S..sorry. Dad.” I whisper. “I was making fun of my stupidity.” “Where the hell have you been? We’ve been waiting for you to cook dinner, and you come in laughing and making jokes.” he bellows. “I oughta beat the f**k out of you, but it looks like someone did it for me. So why don’t you get your dirty ass in the kitchen and fix the family some dinner.” I bow my head and mumble, “Yes sir.”  After I finish cooking dinner, I work on my homework while I wait for them to finish eating. When they are done, my father calls me to clean up the mess, and I do. I whimper as I stand there at the sink washing the dishes. My entire body aches like I have been stabbed a hundred times.  “Hurry up, boy.” my dad yells.  I ignore him but quicken my pace. I want to be done with the dishes, as bad as he wants me out of his sight. I know why he is like this with me. He says so on the regular. “Your mom was a wimp too.” he’d yell. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” “You look just like her, you dump shit.” I roll my eyes as I think about my mom. I usually don’t because it makes me cry. I was just six when she “ran off”. She had been so loving. I remember she smelled like roses, and bleach.  The house was always immaculate.  I shake my head viciously, trying to remove the sorrowful thoughts. I was already in too much pain to deal with any kind of emotional pain right now.  I finish washing the dishes, and then dry them and put them away for good measure. Then I shuffle up the hallway to my bedroom. I shiver and whine as I lay down onto my bed and curl up. I’m exhausted from the long day, and fall asleep quickly.