On my way to stardom

1. Running away

'Stop! You're hurting her!' Mum shouts at dad. That thick-ass cane has just opened up another wound on my right calve.

'I can do whatever I want to my daughter, fuck off!' He is now turned to her, his eyes are bloodshot, whether because of his anger or the alcohol, I don't know.

He grabs a bunch of mum's hair and starts pulling it. Mum is now crying in pain, I have to do something to help her.

Both my legs are so bruised from dad's beating, I can barely stand up to fight against him.

The doorbell suddenly rings, my sister is back. Ugh, the last thing we need is another victim from his violence.

'Get her out of here!' mum also heard the doorbell.

'But he's gonna beat you to death!' I shout, as my sperm donor is going back to the kitchen to get more alcohol.

Mum uses the only strength she's got left to shove me out of the door. 'Leave now,' she stuffs a 50 dollar bill in my hands and says, 'don't come back before 10pm, I'll leave the door unlocked. Now go!'

I can already hear another beer glass smashing the floor but I know better, I have to protect my little sister at least.

'Stop crying, please, Savannah,' she's been crying for 10 minutes since we escaped. We're just walking purposelessly on the streets. Even though my little sister is already 16 years old, I still can't let go of her hand because of my paranoia.

Thanks to that loving father of ours.

People on the streets are staring at us, hopefully they won't think that I'm kidnapping her. We look quite similar to each other, I guess.

To be honest, I really cannot care less about what the others think of me. All I need to do is to settle my sister down so I can go to work in about half an hour.

Or maybe I can just take her to the staff room so she can do her homework? I can start working earlier to set up the place maybe... and earn a few more bucks.

No, they're not gonna let an underaged girl sit in a bar, they have enough underaged customers to take care of already, they're not gonna let the underaged sister of a staff occupy their valuable space.

Especially in a small place like Hong Kong, every square inch of land is so goddamn expensive. Our apartment, I don't even know if I can call it an apartment, has only one room, while my sister and I have  to sleep on a bunk bed in the living room.

I just hope I can get a good enough grade to get into university, so I can have a proper job and provide for my mum and sister, so we can escape that man forever.

'Shannon,' Sav pulls my sleeve slightly, 'I can go study in the public library, don't worry about me.' Her face is still stained by her dried tears.

I give her the only 50 dollar bill, 'ok, buy yourself some dinner, and don't go back before 10. That's what mum said.'

'What about you?' She asks.

I try to joke it off, 'you can't tear the bill in two, can you? Don't worry, I'll get something to eat at work.'

I hug her tightly as we're right outside the library, 'please be careful, I'll miss you.'

She chuckles, 'you're saying as if you're not coming back.'

'I will, but just...please, you know...'

'Hey, I know. I'll take care of Mum when I go back, he's probably out drinking again,' she says. I don't need her to explain who he is.