I woke up groaning and wincing in pain. Blinding pain cut through my ribs as I sat upright, whimpering as I tried not to cry out. Breathing heavily and clutching at my ribs, I walked slowly towards my bathroom to get ready for school. My whole body felt as if it had been tossed inside the washing machine.
I had never been in so much physical pain in my life. I shuffled my way into the shower and switched the warm water on. I closed my eyes as the warm water caressed my aching body. It was bliss, standing under the warm water as it cascades down around me. In this moment, life was bearable. I washed my body and my hair, smelling the familiar lavender and mint.
Then, screams and shouts of anger broke me from my peace. I gritted my teeth and washed the soap of my body before drying myself up quickly. I ran towards my room and pulled on ripped skinny jeans and a shirt. Tugging my hoodie down and my bag, I raced down the kitchen where the screams were coming from.
I was greeted with a sight.
Mum was on the floor and Dad was towering menacingly over her. Anger flashed through me and I barrelled over, pushing him away from her. She was whimpering and clutching at her arm. I stood in front of her and glared at the spawn of devil. He was muscular and very strong.
I knew I couldn’t stand a chance.
But he doesn’t have the right to do that to Mum.
‘Stay away from her,’ I threatened him softly. He narrowed his eyes at me and took a step forwards; both his hands were curled into taut fists at my insubordination. I flinched at him and tightened my jaw; fear was already clawing in my chest. I knew what would happen to me. But it’s better if Mum was okay.
It’s better if he took out his anger on me instead.
Mum was pleading at Dad to stop, whimpering and begging. My heart was already broken at her pleading and I stood my ground as I stared at him. His eyes flashed and then he struck. I was able to dodge his first blow but his second was far too strong and too fast for me to deflect. I felt his fist slam into my already aching ribs and felt it crack. I let out a gasp and fell to my knees, a hand clutching at my side.
Mum started crying as she saw me fell; she was pulling at my arm, begging at me not to stand up. I gritted my teeth and glanced at her, noting her tears. Her eyes were in lots of pain and her lips were quivering as she pleaded at me. My heart broke at her form, she used to be so strong, used to be so happy.
I heard him growl and turned my attention back at him. Dad took a chair off the dining table and swung at us.
Mum screamed and I covered her with my body, moving instinctively. I felt the pain; I felt it smashing onto my back. Pain flashed throughout my body and I groaned, sinking to the floor. Mum screamed again and she started yelling, crying at him, accusing him. I lay on her body, feeling myself drift off.
This pain is unbearable.
I glanced at Mum who was still screaming and saw Dad giving her a murderous glare. He was about to hit again and I did the only thing I had in mind. I moved. I knew I was strong, thanks to the hours of training being a softball player. I seemed to snap out of the pain in my ribs and my back, hoisting her up with one move.
Thank god she was light.
Dad started hollering at us as I ran towards the back door. ‘Come back you two! I’m not done with you yet!’ he screamed at us and he stomped his way out, following us swiftly. I knew the back door was unlocked, even after all these years of hell and I swiftly got out of the damn prison.
I could still hear him racing after us and I ran even faster. My heart was in my chest and my back, my arms and my ribs were all protesting at me to slow down. I couldn’t. I didn’t want him to hit me or Mum again. I couldn’t let him bully us anymore. I needed to get out of here. Mum was gripping on my neck so tightly and urging me to run faster.
I could feel her trembling in my arms and I vaulted over the fence with ease. Thank god for the trainings. I shot through people’s backyards and jumping over many fences, trying to get rid of Dad. As soon as I didn’t hear him running anymore, I slowed down and vaulted over another fence before setting Mum down.
Breathing heavily, I placed my hands on my knees as I tried to control my breathing. Mum was already pulling me up and urging me to move. Her eyes were frantic and I knew this is the first time that we actually did something so ridiculous. As soon as I started walking with her, my whole body started to ache.
The punch to the ribs and the smash on my back was making me wheeze. I fell down on my knees, hunched over as my ribs and my lungs protested. Mum started whispering at me to stand up, her eyes were wide with fear and she was pleading at me to get up. I gripped her hand tightly as I tried to breathe.
The screech of tires stopped us momentarily and Mum looked back to see who it was. A cry of fear told me that it was Dad. That’s when my resolve took over. Despite my injuries and my wheezing, I hoisted Mum up again and ran as fast as I could. I was panting badly and I knew I couldn’t run anymore, my vision was already turning black.
I tried to slow down my breathing, slow down my heartbeat but my vision started to swim. It was hard to see, my sweat blurring my vision and my frantic breathing causing my vision to turn black at some places. I sprinted down a corner and did the most desperate thing I had ever done.
I ran up the stairs of the nearest apartment building I saw. Without wasting any time, I sprinted the couple of stairs up and raced down the lobby. I saw a door that was ajar and just shot through the door, locking it and slid down onto the carpet. I let Mum go as I wheezed heavily and pressed a hand on my ribs.
My vision swam.
Hope Dad didn’t see me running up here. I let my head rest on the door and I was about to let myself relax when I realized that there should be an occupant in this apartment. An awkward cough pulled me out of my thoughts to see a half-naked man standing in the middle of the room.
A half-naked man with a yummy looking body. He was watching us with a raised eyebrow and had curled his arms in front of hic chest, making his biceps flex nicely. ‘Sorry, we need a place to hide first,’ I told him in a hoarse whisper. ‘We’re running away from someone. It’d be for a couple of minutes.’ I moved and let out a pained cry, squeezing my eyes shut as pain flared through me. I need to get the ribs checked.
He looked surprised but shrugged anyway. ‘You need to get that checked,’ he pointed out to me like as if finding two strangers in his apartment was normal for him. ‘Make yourselves at home.’ He left us staring at him wide-eyed and made his way towards the kitchen.
That was weird.
‘Ally, come on I need to see those injuries of yours,’ Mum spoke to me quietly and helped me up from the floor, making me cry out in pain again. She started crying at my injuries but with her help I managed to sit on the couch. ‘Get that shirt off Ally.’
Breathing heavily, I pulled the shirt with a lot of difficulty because my whole body protested as I moved. I looked down to see a mirage of bruises on my right ribs. I groaned and gingerly pressed it, hissing at the pain. The man came back out carrying a first-aid kit and settled in front of me, watching me with a blank expression.
Mum busied herself over me, pressing onto the ribs, making me freeze as the pain flashed through me. I let out a shout and swore when Mum’s fingers probed a cracked rib. Her eyes looked pained and she was crying again. I gripped her hand in mine and looked at her eyes, frowning at her crying state.
‘Don’t worry about me Mum, I’ll be fine,’ I told her softly. ‘He can’t hurt us anymore. I wouldn’t let him touch you anymore.’
She burst into tears and moved to hug me but stopped, knowing that I was gravely injured. The man just watched the exchange quietly and made no intention to add into the conversation. His eyes narrowed when he heard the last sentence. Mum was about to check my back for any broken bones when we heard a pounding on the door.
‘Hello? Anyone in there?’ A familiar voice wafted over. Panic settled in my abdomen. I exchanged panicked looks at her and I was about to grab my shirt to leave when the man told us to get into his bedroom. I looked shocked at him but he urged us to go quickly.
I limped my way towards his room, dragging Mum along. I closed the door behind me and locked it just in case, pressing my ear to the door. Mum was already crying and her whole body was shaking with fear. I pulled my shirt over my head and crawled towards her, bringing her towards my embrace, shushing her with a hum.
We stayed like that for a moment. Mum was trembling with fear, the thought of going back to that hellhole really terrifies her. We’ve been living in constant fear the day after I found Mum being kicked and beaten by him. It all started when he lost his job. He put his anger on Mum, thinking that it was her fault that he lost his job.
It got worse and I took most of the brunt force, not wanting Mum to get hurt anymore. We couldn’t run away, Mum tried but he’d always find us. I don’t know how he does but he always did. We were always living in fear.
A soft knock propelled me out of my thoughts. ‘He’s gone,’ the man’s voice softly told us from the other side. I breathed a sigh of relief and carried Mum out, unlocking the door before making our way towards the sofa. I was glad that she was small and I was also glad that I was strong enough now.
‘Come on Mum, we need to go,’ I told her softly as I stood towering over her frail body. I sat on the table in front of her as I ignored the pain in my body. ‘We need to put a lot space between us and that devil.’
‘But where are we to go?’ she asked me, her voice wavering.
I shrugged and winced, it was a bad move. My injuries were extensive ‘Anywhere you want to go,’ I told her softly. ‘We are free now Mum, we don’t need him in our lives. He’s better off on his own.’
‘You need to heal first,’ she told me firmly.
I looked at her for a moment. ‘And where are we supposed to stay?’ I asked her. ‘I only have enough to last two weeks for the both of us. I don’t think it’s enough to for the hospital bills. Unless you want to go back to that hellhole and get our stuff.’
‘No Ally, you need to heal first. I can’t let you walk around injured like that. What kind of a mother and a nurse would I be?’ she asked me with a huge frown.
I sighed. ‘Mum, we can’t afford this. Unless we get the hell out of here and get a job somewhere. We can’t do this with just five hundred,’ I told her with a flat tone. ‘Besides, the faster we get out of here, the faster he doesn’t find us.’
‘Allison, listen to me please. Just heal first. Take a couple of days, we find a cheap motel or something. I don’t want to worry about you when we’re running. Please,’ Mum pleaded at me for a moment.
I sighed again and ran through my short hair which was already messy after all that running. ‘Alright Mum, if that’s what you want. But only a couple of days and then we’re out of this state you hear me? We need to find-‘
‘You two can stay here,’ the man interrupted us suddenly. The both of us turned to see him leaning on the wall of his bedroom. I’ve forgotten that he was there all along. I was about to protest when he continued. ‘It’s free of charge anyway but you have to deal with the cooking around here.’
‘That’s great! Thank you,’ Mum was the first to answer him. I stared at my Mum in shock, freaked out at the sudden change in plans. I stared back at the man, frowning at the sudden hospitality. Why did suddenly Mum became the negotiator? I looked at her to see her eyes shining so I didn’t say anything fearing that I might hurt her feelings.
Well at least we have a place to stay now.
‘The name’s Jase,’ he replied with a smile. He looked at us and noted the clothes Mum was wearing. She had shorts on and a singlet. Not proper attire at all. ‘Well, I think it’s best if we take back all your clothes from your house?’
I nodded.
‘We sneak back in the morning,’ I told him. Mum looked at me, her eyes wide with fear and hesitation but didn’t say anything. She knew I can take care of myself. We really need our clothes and our stuff, we need them. I need my school books too. I was about to open my mouth when I felt a vibration in my pocket.
I eased it out and saw Liam’s face on my phone-he was calling. I frowned and accepted the call. All at once noises and screams were heard as the background noise. I guess he was already in school then. ‘ALLY WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?’ he yelled at me.
‘I have business to attend to today Liam,’ I told him with soft voice.
‘Everything okay Ally?’ he asked me, concern and worry masking his voice. I heard him walking and then the noise got softer until it got silent. I heard him lock a door and I knew he was in the boys’ toilet. ‘Did he hit you again?’
‘Yeah but we’re fine. We’re staying over at someone’s place,’ I told him quickly. ‘I’ll be back tomorrow okay? I’ll tell you more then.’
I heard him sigh heavily over the phone. ‘Alright Ally, please be careful,’ he reminded me again before he hung up. I pursed my lip and pocketed my phone in my back pocket. Liam knew about the beatings since he had wrung it out of me when he saw limping one day. I was the softball captain and seeing me limping was bad.
My softball team consist of both girls and boys, much to the chagrin of everyone but we were the best team there is. I loved them to bits. Thanks to Jase, it meant that I wasn’t moving away. It meant that I am able to graduate in a year. It meant that I will be able to play the game that I loved.
…
It was around three in the morning when Jase and I were crouching at the backyard of my old house. I was feeling damn nervous. This place was haunting. It’s like a prison with those white walls and bar-like windows. The suffocating feeling that had been brewing inside my chest was getting worse when I had my back to the familiar wall. I was on one side of the wall while he was on the other, separated by the back door.
I knew the back door won’t be locked but it made a lot of noise when it opened. I knew Dad is a light sleeper and he’d be awake with the slightest noise. The both of us would have to walk soundlessly, like those professional criminals. So I devised another plan. We would climb the tree to the second floor, coming in through the window instead. My room was there so I doubt anyone would be using it at all.
I licked my lips and looked at Jase who nodded once so we jogged towards the tree, head down. My heart was in my mouth, fear was already clawing inside my chest and my palms started to sweat heavily. Without even thinking straight, I scaled the tree easily and inched towards the branch that was nearest to my window.
I knew my room was the safest bet because my window is always opened and Mum usually sleeps with me so her stuff would be there with mine. It’s only the passport and her wallet that we had to worry about since it’d be in the master bedroom. Inching closer and the branch dipping a little lower thanks to my weight, I jumped the last couple of meters and dived through the window.
I did a roll and landed in my room soundly, watching the area with practiced eye. I waited for Jase to come in and strained my ear to hear Dad’s snoring. I could hear him downstairs. His snores filling up the whole house and I was glad that he wasn’t asleep in the master bedroom.
With Jase beside me, I gave him silent instructions to the master bedroom to get the passports and the wallet. I took the duty to stuff every article of clothes and things that I owned into a huge sports bag. I grabbed my uniform, my gloves and my cap, boots along with Mum’s clothes.
I packed hers into another bag, stuffing everything that I could grab. A few minutes later, Jase slid into my room and locked the door soundly before helping me grab more stuff in my room. He dragged a bag from under my bed and stuffed my books in. Then it hit me. I let out a small gasp.
‘What is it Ally?’ Jase whisper at me as his aqua eyes looked at me in concern. He was throwing all of my books, magazines and files into the bag. I dropped the bag full of clothes that I was holding and swore softly under my breath.
‘My school bag is in the kitchen,’ I whispered at him, fear in my eyes at the thought. ‘God, I should’ve just grabbed it while I ran away from him. Now I have to go down and grab it. Damn it.’
Jase rolled his eyes at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. ‘Get the bags out and I’ll meet you at the car. I’ll find your bag for you, stay safe,’ he whispered at me but before I could protest, he was already slowly sliding out of the room without a sound. I shook my head at him, exasperated at his behaviour.
Following his orders, I grabbed the three bags. One I carried on my shoulders and the other two bags I balanced it across my body. Reaching the window, I took both bags out first and rested them against the ledge before I climbed out. it wasn’t easy but I managed to get down safely from the tree with three bags with me.
Without wasting any time, I vaulted over the fences and made my way discreetly towards the car that was parked at the other street. It wasn’t locked so I dumped the three bags into the backseat and waited impatiently for Jase to arrive. I was nervous, tapping my feet on the ground and then walking back and forth as I worried over Jase.
I was about to run back to my house when I saw Jase finally sprinting towards me. My school bag and my hoodie were in his hands. He had a huge grin on his face and I sighed in relief as soon as he reached near. Grinning at me, the both of us slid into the car and Jase drove off.
I stared out of the window as the scene rolled by. I felt a sense of peace inside me. Is this how it feels to be finally free of the prison? Is this how it feels to be free? It feels great! I can’t believe it; we finally got ourselves away from that bastard. Years of fear and violence ruled my mind and this is the salvation that I finally received.
I felt at peace.
…