[i][b]7 Years Before;[/b]
I stood on the front porch of the Oklahoma home I had called home for the past seventeen years. A faint sigh escaped my tightly pressed lips as I looked around at the dark storm clouds rolling in. I could hear the back door slam loudly as I jumped and turned in time to see my drunken father stager out onto the front porch. Watching carefully I took a deep breath in as I noticed him look at my with a slight glare, "Shouldn't you be working on your homework?" He slurred out.
I simply nod and rush past him into the house. Letting the screen door slam shut behind me right as the thunder began. I took and grabbed my text books and rushed up the stairs to my room and shut the door quietly. I toss the books onto the bed and sigh going over to the mirror and pulling my bangs up off my forehead and revealing the bruises from the beating I had received this morning.
Blue, purple, and black marks were trying to peer through the smudge foundation covering them. Dried and caked up blood laid on my forehead. Shaking my head I dropped the bangs down and looked at my reflection. I stopped what I was doing when I saw [i]him[/i] standing behind me. I stand frozen as he comes over and looks at me. His hand reaches out as I flinch and jerk forward falling into my dresser. He roughly grabs my arm and jerks me up from the floor and twirls me around to face him. "I am your father, young lady. You will obey and listen to me." He yelled shoving me towards my bed.
I can feel my body falling as I feel the headboard of my bed crush into my back. I close my eyes as my breathing heavies. I slowly slid down the bed and land on the floor as I hear a faint chuckle escape his lips, "Get to work." He snarls as the door slams shut causing me to flinch again.
I slowly push myself up from the floor and begin to break down. The tears escaping my eyes as I lean forward into my bed and grab my pillow. I slowly climb up into the bed and cling onto the pillow crying harder than before. [i] 'Momma's an angel in the ground.' [/i] rang through my thoughts. If momma was alive none of this would be happening. His sorry [b]drunken[/b] ass would be gone. I slowly pull myself up to sit and wipe underneath my eyes and shake my head pushing some of my blonde strands back off my shoulders. I grab my text books and begin working on my homework for school.
[IMG] . [/IMG]
I stood in the kitchen washing up the last few dishes from supper. The lighting was picking up and the thunder rumbled louder above. Heavy raindrops plagued the roof of the house, and the ground. The wind roared as the trees swayed back and forth. A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I tossed the dish towel down onto the counter top turning around. I grab my glass from the counter and take a sip of the lemonade as I placed it back down.
I make my way through to the living room, as I look at the warning going across the top of the screen. [b][i] Warning for the area; Warning for the area;[/i][/b]. I had no idea what the warning was but it was beginning to get scary. I bit my lip when I heard the tornado warning sirens blare out as I rushed over to my father. He may have hurt me and abused me, but I couldn't let him be killed by Mother Nature. I violently shook him but nothing happened, he lay passed out from all the alcohol he had consumed. "Damn you." I mumbled smacking his chest.
[i] 'Think of it as sweet revenge.' [/i] A little voice echoed through my head. I quickly dashed out of the house grabbing my puppy up and running for the cellar at the side of the house. I stopped looking at the dark, gruesome sky that lingered over head. The pitch black clouds fluffed up with anger, the bright bolts of lightning striking around. But something in the distance caught my eye. A funnel cloud touching down not too far from the farm, "Oh god." I shouted.
I quickly put [i]Whiskey[/i] my dog into the cellar and shut the doors. His little whines could be heard as I took off running towards the house. I reentered through the back door and rushed to the living room. Once again I violently shook him, I knew my momma would want me to get him out and keep him safe. He woke up and gave me the dirtiest look he had ever given me. He took both of his hands and shoved them at me causing me to fall backwards and land on the coffee table. Causing it to break in half and wood fly out from underneath me. I could feel something warm going down the back of my neck and on the side of my head.
"FINE. IF YOU WANT TO LAY HERE AND DIE, SO BE IT YOU JERK!" I screamed out at him as I forced myself up.
I quickly rushed back through the house and out the back door. I jogged to the cellar as I saw the tornado approaching fast. I pulled the cellar doors open and walked down to the second step pulling the doors shut and locking them with the deadbolts that were there. I dashed down the steps and over to Whiskey and sat on the cot that momma had put in there when I was younger. I pulled Whiskey closer to me when I heard the roaring noise right on top of us. I closed my eyes praying to the man above that nothing happened to Whiskey and I.
Couple hours later I slowly opened my eyes up as I heard Whiskey barking his little head off. I slowly pushed myself up off the cot and made my way over to where he stood barking. I rubbed his black head and unbolted the locks and pushed the cellar doors open. Everything had lightened up but it was still dark out. I grabbed the flashlight by the door and turned it on seeing the destruction that had happened earlier. I leant down and grabbed Whiskey up into my arms and walked out of the cellar flashing the light around.
The house was a complete lost, boards laid scattered around the whole yard. Glass, furniture, pictures, plates, everything was scattered. I made my way towards the rebel that I had called home earlier, and bit my lip. I could see a hand sticking out from underneath what looked to be part of the roof fixture. I slowly leant down and dropped the flash light beside of me pointing it at [i]him[/i]. I grabbed his hand and felt for a pulse, he still had one but vaguely. I could hear sirens echoing in the distance and some lights. Soon the cops and ambulances were pulling in. My uncle, John got out of his cruiser and came running to me. He cupped my face into the palm of his muscular hands and looked me over seeing the bruises and cut marks. He looked over at my father's hand leant down checking it and shaking his head, "Got a DOA over here guys." He hollered out to the medic team.
"I—" I looked down at my father's body. He was finally gone. I was finally rid of his sinful ways.
"C'mon angel. Aunt Mary and I will raise you like your mother begged us to when she lay dying." He soothed into my hair as he held onto me.
I held Whiskey up to my chest as I sighed in relief. I was finally rid of the man that had abused me since I was eight years old, when my momma passed away. A smile formed onto my lips as thoughts raced through my head, freedom was finally mine.
