Run - Where do i go?

Mel cracked open another can of cordial in the last fifteen minutes. The hot weather had her parched. Her father would have a fit if he found out she had taken money out of his bedroom to buy the drinks but she took her chances. Weekends were so long with Mel. She was an only child and one of a divorce, so most of the weekend she was alone. She would wander the house looking for something to do, searching every room for excitement. Her father didn’t have any TV’s or stereo’s so most of the time she would listen to the radio when she could reception. 

When she finished her drink she threw the cans to the neighbour’s backyard so her father wouldn’t ask questions. She then went into her room and opened the window. As she lay on her bed she wondered about the world. She liked to make up people in her head and ask questions to them, “I wonder what it’s like to fly to Europe?” she would ask herself, then reply, “beautiful.”

‘Mel, where are you?’ yelled a deep voice. Mel jumped up off her bed and sped down the hall,

‘right here dad.’ She pushed out before a deep breathe.

‘Where is my dinner? I don’t see it.’

‘It’s in the oven, there wasn’t much to cook with so its sausage and potatoes again.’

Her father sighed at the sight of the same dinner from the last three days.

‘I’ll see if I have enough money for grocery shopping this week Mel, but don’t keep your hopes up. The boss isn’t in the best mood for me to ask for a pay rise. Understand?’

‘Yes dad.’ Mel replied, almost robotic as he would give the same answer every time he saw she was sick of familiarity. 

Her father then stomped into the lounge room with his steel cap boots and dropped onto the couch, digging into his food with his still greasy fingers from work. Mel sat on the floor leaning on a coffee table where the radio had best reception. She started tweaking the nozzle when there was a knock at the door. 

‘Mel, go to your room.’ Whispered her father. 

She quickly got up and sneaked into her room without a sound and locked the door shut. She then sat on the floor with her ear to the door. 

She heard her father answer the door. He didn’t speak at first; she heard multiple footsteps enter the house. 

‘You know why we’re here Mark. We need that money. Not next week, not tomorrow, today.’

‘I haven’t got it today Brett, you know it’s not my payday today. You know this!’ he yelled loudly.

‘Then we want to take some… insurance, if you know what I mean,’

‘Brett, no, you can’t do this, not today. She’s not even here, she’s at a friend’s.’

‘Is that so? Boys; check the place.’

‘You’re wasting your time, she is not here!’ he pleaded.

Mel heard banging and things dropping along with footsteps getting closer. She quietly crawled under her desk right beside the door. 

‘This doors locked boss!’ yelled an unpleasant voice. More footsteps got closer. 

‘Open the door, Mark.’  Fumbling noises started to get louder. The sound of a key pushing through the lock made Mel’s spine shiver. Sweat stinging her eyes as the door opened. 

Two large men came in and started tossing up blankets and the mattress. One of them opened the closet and tossed a few things, the other checked the open window.

‘It looks like she’s done a runner!’  He yelled with his head out the window.

All the men started to file out of the room. Mel let a breathe of relief exit her lungs.