Memories of the Past

Memories of the Past-Memory 5

 Memory Five:

It was a week until my sixth birthday. I was sat in the living room, minding my own business, watching TV and then Joe, Billy, George and Dad all came back from the pub. It was six thirty in the evening, so I had to go to bed in half an hour. All four of them came into the living room, clearly drunk. Except for George, who must have been their driver.

“Go to bed brat,” Dad hissed at me and I nodded, walking out of the room and up the stairs, just as the door opened again. Mum... she’s back... my eyes widened at her and she looked scared herself.

She looked down and then put her coat on the coat rack and put her keys in the basket. “Go to bed.” She demanded. I nodded and walked up the stairs as she walked into the kitchen and someone came out of the living room.

They walked into the kitchen and I heard them having an argument with mum, telling her she was a waste of space, to get out of the kitchen and then they yelled so I heard. “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU WHORE!” Dad screamed and I ran into my room, shutting my door behind me and running into my closet to hear the front door open and slam shut.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs so I placed a hangar through the handles on my cupboard and then climbed into my washing basket. My room door opened and I heard stuff being thrown around, stuff crashing as the tears fell. “Amy...” Joe cooed.

“Come on out Amy,” Billy cooed.

“We won’t hurt you,” all three of them stood outside my cupboard and Dad ripped it open. “Or maybe we’re lying,” Dad grinned at the washing basket I was hiding in and picked it up and threw it into my room.

I tumbled out of it and lay on the broken glass from one of my photos. The photo Dad held in his hand, it was of me and my friends from school. “If you want it then scream.” Dad grinned and I shook my head slowly.

He scoffed and walked over. “She shouldn’t have done that,” Joe laughed to Billy, shaking his head.

Dad stood in front of me as I pushed myself up. “Ever since her sister left she’s been pretty brave though.” Billy said, making all of the men look at each other in shock, and then to me.

“What did that bitch say to you!?” Dad hissed, lifting me up by my collar.

“She didn’t say anything,” I growled at him as he threw punches into my stomach until I coughed up blood. He threw me into my wardrobe that he had broken part of it off. It was sharp and he looked at it then grinned at me. I was too weak to move as he walked over to me, picked up the sharp wood and stabbed me in my right arm. I grit my teeth but eventually the tears flowed and my scream came through. He started to twist it, enjoying my screams. “DAD I’M FIVE STOP!!!” I screamed, begging him as he ripped the stick from my arm and I held onto it, whimpering. I had to be brave, that’s what my sister told me. I glared up at him and he was grinning widely. “Please don’t...” I mumbled as the stick almost went into my chest until I grabbed it. Shocking everyone here including me since my arm was still throbbing.

I moved out of the way as he shoved the stick forward into my Chester Drawers. “Luke,” Joe said. “That’s enough. You’ll kill her if you continue.”

“Then I’ll go to Grace,” he hissed.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!” I begged but he pushed me out of the way of my door and I landed on my right arm, I screamed from the pain and curled up into a ball. Joe came up to me and started to stroke my left arm. “I never thought I’d say this Joe... but thank you...”

“It’s okay darling,” Joe smiled. “He doesn’t want to kill you, okay?” I nodded. I knew he didn’t actually want to kill me, he was drunk and annoyed.

“I know...” I said. “He’s drunk and annoyed.”

Joe nodded and then an ear piercing scream came from my little sister’s direction. I jumped up, but then fell down again into Billy’s arm and he carried me to my Dad. “What did you do?” Joe asked, running up to the cot and looking in.

“I broke her leg,” Dad shrugged.

“YOU WHAT!?” I screamed.

“Shut the fuck up,” Dad hissed at me. My eyes widened. I gulped and nodded, tears flowing down from my cheeks as Billy’s curiosity overwhelmed and he carried me over to the cot and I saw the blood on my little sister’s cot.

“Dad...” I mumbled. “If I scream in pain can you take us both to the hospital?” I asked, not taking my eyes off of my sister’s crippled leg as she lay unconscious.

“Yes,” Dad said. “I’ll get George to drive you there.”

“It would be better if you act like a panicking father,” I said. “Phone the ambulance.” I finally looked to him and he nodded.

“Billy,” Dad said. “Make her scream.” He grinned and Billy gripped onto my right arm and I screamed, tears falling. “Okay,” Dad grinned. “I’ll go ring now.” He said, walking over to the phone and calling 999. “Please, help me,” Dad said, sounding like a panicked father. “My daughters, they both have broken bones... I don’t know what happened, I got back and they were both crying in pain... yes, please hurry.” Dad said and then hung up, placing the phone down. “That good enough?”

“Of course,” I smiled at him. “You made me think that you care.”

“What are you going to say?” Dad asked.

“I’m going to say I can’t remember,” I said. Dad nodded and turned his eyes to Grace. “It’s her birthday tomorrow Dad. The 29th August.”

“It’ll be fine,” Dad said.

“Where’s Mum?” I asked, just as the ambulance arrived and the paramedics were banging on the door.

“I don’t know,” Dad said and ran down the stairs to keep the caring father act up.

“We’re gonna need you to pretend that you love your Dad by the way,” Joe said and I nodded.

“Daddy!” I called out when he came in with the paramedics. He took me from Billy but placed me on the floor.

“That’s really bad,” one of the paramedics came up to me.

“Daddy it hurts...” I cried, wiping my eyes.

“It’s okay darling, these guys will heal your arm,” he smiled at me a fatherly smile and I returned it.

“Okay Daddy,” I said, nodding as one of the paramedics picked me up. When the paramedics had no view of my face I glared at my Dad and he glared back. My birthday was nine days away... I was, honestly, scared out of my mind.