Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

22

I had made it back to my apartment by two am. I didn't care about the look my land lord gave me once he saw me in my muddy clothes, frantically running to the elevators. With shaky hands I slammed my door and locked it. My breath was fast and I began to see stars. Hands on my head, I started to breathe slower. I entered the kitchen to grab a wooden spoon as a weapon. Once the stars vanished, I held the spoon in both hands, facing the door. Nothing was happening, but I was scared as hell, so if I was sleeping with a wooden spoon next to me as a weapon, then that's what's happening.

After a few seconds seeing no monster was going to open it and kill me, I put the spoon down, still in front of me. Slowly, I backed up, wanting to head to the shower, then call my uncle, saying that Dad had vanished and a monster had taken over him. That won't sound odd over the phone, right?
I was still backing up, and I entered the part of my living room. Making sure no one was pounding at the door again, I turned around — only to face the man who had vanished from the monster.
"Kerry — " Dad had said before I whacked him in the chest with the spoon. "OW!"
I screamed and dropped the spoon, running back over to the kitchen. I opened the cabinets, thinking of grabbing the knives.
"Kerry — !"
Without thinking I grabbed the bunch of bananas, started ripping one at a time off and hurling them at Dad. "What the hell?!" Dad cried as he covered his face from the flying bananas of doom. After I'd thrown the last banana, I ran to the fridge, opened it up, and grabbed oranges and apples in the fridge cabinet. I threw an apple at him, then an orange, and repeated this cycle.

Dad caught one of my oranges, then angrily threw it back, almost hitting my shoulder. The orange exploded as it hit the wall behind me, having the aroma quickly emanate around the apartment.
"Enough!" Dad yelled. I jumped at the tone of his voice. His teeth were gritted, and his eyes glared at me. Dad must've realized this, because he shook his head, and took a deep breath in, then rubbed his eyes. When his hands fell from his face, I saw that the dark circles under his eyes had returned, as so did the bags. His light brown eyes lost the spark that I had seen in the week we were together.
My body was up against the counter, scared that Dad was going to attack — or even worst, the monster. I was shivering, afraid that he was going to hit me like the monster tried to do — no, I shouldn't think that. Dad was the most humble person I knew. He wasn't going to hit me. He would never.

"Kerry," Dad sighed, seeing me cower and shake. I was breathing heavily with tears rushing back to my eyes. I realized he was back. The monster was gone from him, and I had my dad back. I had the tired, hardworking, loving dad back. Why was I still scared? "Let me explain everything," Dad says, taking a step towards the kitchen.
With my heart suddenly taking a quick pace, I opened the cabinet to my right, and like lightning I grabbed the one object my hand touched, and pulled it out to use as a weapon. The sound of plates crashing to the floor made me and Dad jump. It was then I saw I held a glass plate in my left hand. Dad moved closer. "Kerry — "
I pointed the plate in his direction like I was pointing a sword at him. "This may be a plate, but I can still use it to defend myself."
"Kerry!" Dad exclaimed tiredly. He rubbed his eyes once more as he groaned. "I'll explain everything — "

"You better explain everything! What the hell was that back at the building?! What the hell was that?!" I screeched. Dad looked at me with sad, swollen eyes. His brown curly hair was ruffled and matted, and his clothes were rugged and messy. I wondered where he could've found those, considering he ripped the other ones. He now wore a black button down shirt with khaki pants, and a dusty old jacket.
"I promise, I'll explain everything." Dad said, wearing a frown. He looked so beat up and fatigued I couldn't say no.
With tears streaming down my cheeks, and something that didn't feel like pride, I told him, "You better... You're the only person I love who's ever lied to me." Dad sadly nodded, agreeing to that statement. Guilt flushed over me. I just told Dad he was a liar, and he knew it. He knew it, and I made him feel like the worst dad ever.