December, 1964
Jingle Bell Rock crackled through on the old Bush radio. Bottles were dripping, lampshades were flying, and the house, splattered with overturned furniture and broken glass, was festering.
"Get your sorry ass outta my house!" Her words shuddered in fear as she was shoving the drunken man with his belongings through the front door. The little girl cowered in the cupboard where the dry foods were kept. Salty tears were crusted on her face as fresh ones dripped from her eyes and nose. She squeezed the stuffed animal to her chest imagining being at her grandmother's house back in Virginia, her namesake, back when her mother was happy. The doilies on the sofa, the lace bedding in the room that she stayed in with her mother, the smell of dinner still lingering in the air. Her mother would sing her to sleep with their special lullaby and rub her head. Another crash of glass jolted her eyes open and they took in the entirety of the darkness in the cabinet, a sliver of gold light becoming visible as her eyes adjusted.
"Shut the hell up!" The evil man's voice seemed to tower over her mother's.
She squeezed her eyes shut frantically trying to remember the tune as more tears poured. The words started to reveal themselves to her as if they were sensing her need and coming to her rescue.
"You bastard! She is five! FIVE!"
Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
"I will kill you before I leave this house!" He screamed at her.
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
Something sounded like flesh hitting flesh and she heard her mother's blood curdling scream, a sound she knew all too well.
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is he
"Stay back from me!" She screamed.
"I'm not taking orders from you ya no good washed up hag! Nobody wants you! Nobody will want you! You think you can find somebody after me? Huh?"
"I won't have you around my daughter. You are SICK!"
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches over me
More screaming filled the house, and her voice rose to combat the noise.
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me
The sound of her mother getting beaten got louder and closer. Scratching and clamoring and then his voice,
"AHHH!" She hurt him somehow.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, the base in his voice shaking the room.
I Sing because I'm happy
I Sing because I'm free
"Stay away from me I said!" The mother spat, as her feet slapped against the cold tile floor.
His eye is on the sparrow
Heavy footsteps ran past the cabinet making the girl shiver in fear. A drawer opened on the other side of the kitchen.
"Oh, you're going to cut me?" The man asked sarcastically.
"Leave now. I won't hurt you if you leave now!" Her voice came out slightly muffled by her swollen lip. She held the knife shakily, wiping the blood from her brow. She had never done this before, but she was determined to protect her daughter.
And I know
He charged her, going for her throat.
He watches
The knife found its mark, sinking deep and drawing forth red. A strangled cry left his lips as he slumped to the floor.
Me
To read the rest, see the new book The Sparrow under my works. It's a new story, and I hope you enjoy it! <3<3