When Colors Fade

Goodbye, Mommy

School was over, and I was walking home. The sky was dark. I heard quiet thunder, then felt a light rain. I didn't mind, rain was calming for me. I made it to my apartment and walked in to the smell of alcohol. This wasn't going to be a good night for me. I tried being as quiet as possible, but still, he came in. I set my bag on the couch and tried to go unnoticed. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I told you to have this damn mess cleaned up!" He said this referring to the empty bottles and piles of ashes scattered on the floor. "I...I'm sorry Dad I just-" I was cut off. "Shut the hell up!" I felt the impact of his fist against my left eye and fell to the floor. "You need to learn to have some damn respect! I pay for the roof over your head and the food on your plate! Start acting like you appreciate it!" He walked out of the room, taking another swig of his whiskey. My eye started to throb, so I searched the kitchen for some ice. This wasn't the first time he'd hit me, it happens fairly often. I had found an ice pack, but it was frozen solid. It would have to work. I tried to grab it from the freezer, but I could only see out of one eye, and it fell to the floor with a crash. "God damn it!" I heard a bottle smash on the ground and angry footsteps pounding toward me. I had to run. Without thinking, I bolted out the door into the now heavier rain. I ran, as fast as I could, down the street. My mind was searching for a place to go. I then remembered Scarlet. I searched for her apartment and breathed a sigh of relief once I found it. Hopefully I wasn't too early. I cautiously knocked a few times and the door swung open. "Violet! Oh you're soaked, come in come in," Scarlet said. She gestured to the couch and left the room. I shivered and took in my surroundings. It was so much cleaner than where I lived, and more cozy. Scarlet came back in with a towel, a fluffy blanket, and hot chocolate. This was amazing, I never expected this much. "Um, thanks, but you don't have to do all this," I said. "Oh really it's nothing I-" she stopped. "W-what happened to your eye?" I hadn't thought about it until now, and quickly turned away. "Oh it's...um...I accidentally..." I couldn't think. "Violet look at me." I turned slowly and she pushed the hair out of my face, revealing more of my injury. "You couldn't have done this by accident, who did this? Was it Ruby?" I felt tears forming in my eyes. Why was I doing this? I never cry. Scarlet hugged me and I cried into her shoulder. I didn't know what else to do, I guess I hadn't really talked to anyone in a while. "Hey it's okay, she can't hurt you now," she tried to reassure me. I pulled away and wondered if I should tell her. Then I looked at all she brought me and what she was doing for me. She cared about me, the first person to in a long time. I knew I could tell her anything. "Scarlet, this wasn't Ruby, it was...my Dad...he...drinks a lot..." She looked so sad. Why did she care so much about me? "Violet, I'm so sorry." "No don't be," I said. It was quiet for a second, then she spoke up. "If...if you don't mind me asking...was he always like this? Even when you were little?" Oh, when I was little, that was the best time of my life. Mom and Dad were so happy, they even talked about another baby. "Oh no, everything used to be fine until one night my mom...I shouldn't be saying this, you don't want to hear all this sad stuff about me." Scarlet looked at me with wide eyes. "Of course I do. You may not know it, but I care about what happened to you and what will happen to you. If you're willing to tell me, I would love to listen." I inhaled slowly. "Okay, well if you'd like to hear, it was the last day of kindergarten..." I started to have a...flashback if you will. I was so happy to be home. I skipped up to my front door and opened it with glee. Then I saw Dad sitting at the kitchen table, looking troubled. I had to ask what was wrong. "Oh sweetie," he said running his fingers through my hair. "You know Mommy has been...sick...for a while now, right?" I nodded. My mom had been in the hospital for the past three weeks. "Well hun, she isn't doing too much better." I looked at the ground sadly. "But she'll get better, right?" I asked. "Of course she will, then you'll get your baby brother," he said with a forced smile. It had me convinced. I smiled and walked to the pantry. "Daddy, do we still have cupcakes?" I asked, my back turned to him. I got no answer. "Daddy?" I said and turned. He was looking around the room as if something had changed. "Get in the car," he said. "But Daddy-" "Now!" I frantically ran to the car and buckled up. My Dad quickly got in and started the car. I was so confused. Why was he so mad? We pulled into the hospital where my mom had been staying and rushed through the building to her room. Doctors were all around her, blocking our view. I held my father's finger, being that my hands were small. A nurse walked to us hurriedly and began to speak to my dad. "Mr. Pierce, the cancer has gotten worse. She's going out, we don't have much time." He stomped out, yanking his finger from my hand, and held in a scream. I watched the doctors curiously as he paced the hallway. The nurse came back to Dad as the doctors left Mom's bedside. "Sir, she's going, there's nothing else we can do. If you'd like, you may say your goodbyes. I'm sorry." Dad looked stunned and walked over to Mom, holding her hand. "Rose, don't leave me, I love you," he said as a tear slipped down his cheek. Despite her condition, Mom smiled. "I love you Buck, take care of her," she said referring to me. "Come here Vi," she said. I walked to her bedside and she asked for a hug. I gently hugged my Mom for the last time, and I could feel her heart beating. It slowed, then stopped. Suddenly, doctors rushed in and wheeled her away. "No! Rose! Don't leave me here!" Dad ran out of the room, leaving me there alone, too young to understand my mother's death. My mind came back to the present and I looked up at Scarlet. I saw her crying, and noticed that I too had a tear leaving my uninjured eye. "After she was gone, my Dad kind of...broke," I explained. "Violet...I'm so sorry...how did you have more strength than your own father?" I too had wondered that same thing from time to time. I had no answer, and shrugged. Again, Scarlet hugged me. I hugged back, this time with no tears. "Hey, I should be helping you study, shouldn't I?" I asked. I wanted to change this feeling of sadness that enveloped the room. "Yeah I...I guess you should," she grinned. She went to get her homework and we started working.