I will survive

Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

When I got home at some ungodly hour of the morning, carrying Cathy on my back, I was greeted by loud banging noises.

I think the word 'shit' described my thoughts to the situation perfectly. Now the only question was, go in there with Cathy and pray it won't be too bad, or wait and hope it doesn't get worse. Neither sounds promising. But which sounded less promising? Waiting. So…

I pulled out my keys and woke Cathy up.

“Huh?” she asked groggily.

“Honey, Dad seems… angry. This is the plan. We go in there you go straight upstairs and lock yourself in. Don't question it, don't stick around to see what happens.”

Cathy's eyes started filling with tears and I swear my heart broke. “I don't want to leave you alone,” and she started crying properly.

Shit. “Do you want to help me Cathy?” I asked.

She nodded, swiping angrily at her tears.

“Then go straight upstairs, no questions. Exactly like I just said. As soon as I nudge you in the direction of the stairs, you go up and lock yourself into our room. Got it?”

I could see that Cathy was dying to argue, so I stared at her sternly and I saw her submit.

“Okay, but only because I trust you not to get hurt, ninja sister.”

I can't not get hurt this time. But because I couldn't tell her that, and didn't feel like lying to her yet again, I just smiled reassuringly – okay, strictly speaking that was also a lie.

“Let's do this thing!” I swallowed my fear and unlocked the front door, pushing Cathy behind me carefully.

The moment the door was open, the banging stopped, as did my heart. Now he would take it out on me instead of the furniture. My dad appeared from around the corner and made his way slowly over to me. Luckily I still had enough sense to close the door behind me and make a circle around my dad, never turning away from him and keeping Cathy firmly behind me. My first priority was to get her upstairs, after that… hope?

“Where have you been?” Dad growled.

I gulped quickly and said, as confidently as I could for Cathy, “We were out. Sorry, it took longer than I'd anticipated.”

“Why didn't you tell me about this outing?”

We had reached the bottom of the steps, and now was as good a time as any, so I shoved Cathy lightly. She instantly got the message and started running.

“Don't you move young lady!” Dad yelled at her and my blood turned to ice.

“Cathy, just get up those stairs and lock yourself in our room,” I said, trying to stay calm.

But I didn't hear Cathy move.

“Cathy,” I said in my most authoritative tone.

I still didn't hear the stairs creek, and Dad was smirking at me. “Get back down here,” he said.

“Cathy!” I warned.

Still, no sound from above, but I didn't dare to look away from Dad, just in case. Rule number one, never turn your back to your enemy.

I saw it happen, and I didn't stop it, even though I knew what he was going to do. Dad reached out and grabbed my arm with bruising force – and that's a lot because I don't bruise easily anymore. He pulled me towards him and held me tightly. I hate myself for not struggling.

I did nothing while he wrapped his arm around my neck and starting squeezing, shutting off my wind-pipe.

Cathy screamed.

And still I didn't react. I just stood there, letting everything happen.

“Cathrine, get your runty self down here now, before I strangle your sister.”

Now that I was facing Cathy I could actually see just how much she was crying – and I honestly thought my heart couldn't break any more.

“Cathy, stay put!” I choked out.

Cathy looked at me and I could only beg her with my eyes, begged her to get the hell out of here so that she didn't see this, so that I could at least know that maybe the nightmares wouldn't be unbearable.

And who would have thought telepathy works, or even exists for that matter? But I'm convinced it does, because Cathy turned on her heel and ran up the stairs to our room, at least I hope she did because the moment she turned, my dad threw me to the side and started running after her.

My trance broke.

I ran after him, which is something that I just didn't do. But I'd make an exception because Cathy would always come first.

I caught up easily – let's say my dad's a drunk who isn't particularly fit, much to my benefit. When I was close enough, I grabbed his coat sleeve and pulled with such force that we fell backwards. During the fall I registered a faint lock-clicking. The next thing I knew, my back connected with the stairs, but before I could feel the pain I rolled to the side and in the next moment my dad was on the steps next to me, groaning in pain.

Jumping up, I cursed at the shooting pain in my back. That would definitely bruise.

Before I even made it completely upright, something grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. I landed on top of my dad and I couldn't help a whimper escape my lips.

“You will pay for that,” he growled and held me firmly, so I couldn't make a run for it, while he lay there recovering.

Finally, after he'd caught his breath, he stood up, dragging me up with him, and once he was upright, he threw me down the rest of the stairs. I just had enough time to twist and prevent another painful landing on my back.

I looked behind me and saw my dad making his way over to me, taking his time, which strangely enough made him seem all the more menacing, like he was so sure that I was not going to be able to get away.

I smiled. We'll see about that.

That took Dad by surprise, because he faltered. I got up and waited for him to make his way over to me. I gave him time. I didn't do anything, just stood there, waiting. Two can play the game of confidence, Dad.

Once he was close enough to touch me, I made my move. I ran in a big circle around him, cursing at the pain in my back, and sprinted up the stairs. I heard him coming after me, but I broke rule number one and did not turn around to look. As they say, rules are there to be broken.

When I made it to in front of our room I shouted, “Cathy, let me in, NOW!”

I heard scrambling and prayed my little sister was faster than my dad, because if he caught me now I'd be as good as dead.

The door unlocked and was thrown open. Without looking I barged in, knocking Cathy over in the process. I spun around and slammed the door shut, locking it quickly.

And not a moment too soon because that same instant my dad started banging on the door.