Joseph Wake
Chapter I
It was 4.30 in the morning when Mom came home.
She was drunk, falling over and cursing as she went. I yawned; I had stayed up all night waiting for her.
"Pass me the vodka" she slurred, glaring at me with her blood-shot eyes.
Silently, I passed her the bottle that was on the stairs. I was trying to be cautious, when Mom was drunk; it was like she had a time bomb inside her, ready to blow.
It was like this every night, Mom would go out with strangers and get drunk, before-so I was told to "Behave, tell no-one, or else"
The "or else" was usually a punch or slap in the face, I accepted it though. Since I was five, I've had to deal with Mom's angry outbursts, drunken behavior, and her insults to me, but I'm used to it…I guess.
"Go to your room, Joseph" she said, taking another swig of vodka, her greasy black hair falling behind her.
I stood there, motionless, counting the seconds.
"I said GO!" she shouted, again I ignored her, staring at the dirty, sludge-brown carpet.
She stumbled over to me, and grabbed my shoulders. I immediately stepped out of my stance-like state, and tried to run up the stairs. She held me tightly, her fingernails digging into my skinny shoulder blades, her face purple with slurred anger and drink.
"I said go," she said quietly, I could hear her voice echo in my head, her breath smelling of alcohol, "SO GO!" And with that, I received a sharp slap on my cheek.
I ran up the stairs, tripping on so many. I felt dizzy.
I could feel my cheek burning to the bone, putting my hand on it made it worse.
How stupid could I be? Just standing there like a total idiot, I should've listened.
I felt like I deserved that slap.
I could hear Mom rooting in the cupboard for another drink, empty bottles clinking together. I walked over to my bed- an old army cot- and sat down. Tears started to glaze my eyes and fall down my cheeks- tomorrow would be just like this one, or maybe even worse. When will it get better? Am I stuck in an eternal prison?
I felt bad for thinking that, I loved my Mother really, she's just ill, I'm sure.
She had been 'Ill' for a very long time, six years in fact.
My cheek still burned…and just then, I heard a loud knocking on the door.