American Gods: The Girl Of Lightning

Headed Home

I jogged in the icy wind until I reached the home. I turned and headed into an ally, I gathered speed and leapt into the air, grabbing a rope ladder. I clung to the ladder as It swung rapidly, the chill numbing my hands. Heaving a great effort, I began to climb the rope ladder up three stories to the window.
It took a lot of strength to climb up through the window as well, considering the fire escape was on the other side of the building.
Helga would suspect sneaking back in through that way. I rolled into the floor and took a breath. My anger was slowly burning out, the chill of the room was helping.
I stood up and dusted myself off before I pulled the ladder back against the window. Once that was done I headed to my age room. Creeping down the wooden stairs, I avoided the steps that creaked and groaned. Stopping at a landing, I carefully took my shoes off and carried them down the next landing.
Slipping into the dimly lit hall, I padded slowly to my bunk, grabbing the small mound of shower clothes before turning on a heel to go to the bathroom. It was almost lights out, and I didn't give 12 shits who was in my way of a shower.
Suddenly I heard the shrill voice of Helga, the house mother, yell "TEN MINUTES UNTIL LIGHTS OUT!"
I rolled my eyes and got in the shower.
'I can't believe that guy.'  I scrubbed my skin until I felt satisfied that the filth of the day was gone. 'I'm your father, come with me to meet your mom.' I mocked quietly to myself. After shaving, I scoured my hair and face in charcoal soap before rinsing thoroughly.
I padded carefully down the hallway, my hair still dripping slightly. I almost didn't care if Helga caught me up, "oh fucking well" I muttered to myself before the crack of the split belt sounded.
Helga was at the top of the stairs, her wide figure in an aggressive stance. I turned to face her, a mask holding back my fear.
"Why are you out of bed?" She glowered down at me, almost animalistic.
"I had to take a shower ma'am." I felt my whole body stiffen. I swallowed hard. Listen, I'm pretty tough but that split Belt can do some serious damage. It's broken arms and left welts so big, the bearer looks like a hunchback.
"Lights out was five minutes ago." She began to descend the stairs, her hard beady eyes never leaving me.
"I'm sorry, ma'am." I felt small and scared. She was directly in front of me. The split belt was curled around her hand, like an obedient snake ready to uncoil and strike.
A hand struck my face hard. The floor was even harder. I tasted a small amount of blood, my lip busted and beginning to swell. I could hear her uncoil the serpent and give it a test crack against my thigh.
I yelped in surprise, the sharp sting through my sleep pants. She raised the buckle end over her head, ready to gather speed and slice my back open.
She missed and hit my side. I covered my face, ready for the next several minutes to be filled with pain. Another crack hit an inch above my kidney, making me suck in a breath hard.
She grunted and swung the next one, a direct hit to the center of the back. I growled a snarl of pain, anger beginning to boil in my veins. But I got stupid. I dropped my hand slightly from my face and felt one of the feathered ends of the belt slice down my eyebrow to my ear.
Another hit to my back, another to my leg, one more on my shoulder.
I lost count. I felt numb and cold but also hot and in pain. My eye was swelling up. I couldn't feel anymore hits, I peaked out of my fingers. She was standing over me like a hunter over a felled doe.
She looked down at me and suddenly kneeled to me. I just closed my eyes and protected the soft insides.
"Next time, you'll be more on time won't you?" Her voice was too sweet, soft and trying to be gentle despite being out of breath from the beating.
"Yes ma'am." I whispered, my breath ragged.
"I. Can't. Hear. You?" She punctuated each word with a short, buckle end slap of the belt. The blows fell on the part already hit and I yelped again and again.
"Yes ma'am I will be on time now!"
I whimpered, louder this time.
"Good. Go get cleaned up and off to bed you go." She stood up and walked back up the stairs, glancing over her shoulder at her work.
When I heard her door shut, I slowly began to get up, checking to make sure there were no broken bones.
Everything was numb at the moment but I still moved slowly, as of the excess strain would pop the numbness and take it all away from me.
Pulling myself into the bathroom, I didn't even stop to look at the reflection. I turned the water to Luke warm in the shower and stepped inside.
For the second time, I bathed. As the icy water slipped down the welts and wounds, the numbness bursted into a hot sticky pain that swelled and pulsed.
I rotated in the icy water for a few minutes, until the pain began to melt away.
I carefully took the soaked clothes off, being very careful to not cause myself to bleed. I let the cold water run over my face, diminishing the swelling in my eye and cheek.
Regrettably, I had to get out. I turned the cold water off and stepped onto a towel. I took a dark blue towel from the rack and dabbed the sensitive skin to dry it. The cold felt good.
I wrapped the towel around myself and headed to bed. I changed into a Loose shirt and a pair of even looser shorts. I laid the towel on the bed to cautiously absorb the blood I was sure to spill. I laid on my stomach, the only part of me not aching and twitching. I tugged the blankets over me and went to sleep.