Nita

I heard a sickening thud but it was the silence that came after it that scared me the most. Normally after a thud like that I would hear mum scream out in pain, but there was nothing, no sound what so ever. I shot up from my foetal position on the stairs and raced down them, jumping the last few. I used the banister to swing around in the hallway and make my way towards the kitchen.

The door was closed but I didn't give myself time to think about what I would find on the other side as I threw it open. I had only just got my mum back there was no way that I was going to lose her again.

I stood in shock in the doorway as I saw my mum, unconscious, at my dad's feet; but my dad hadn't stopped. He was still kicking her; he was so engrossed in beating the life out of her that he hadn't noticed that I was stood watching him in horror.

"Stop." I yelled as another kick landed in her stomach, no wonder I was an only child. His foot was raised ready to kick again but he had stopped and was looking at me. He didn't know what to do. There was no way that he could deny what was going on but I could see him trying to think of something to say to make this situation alright.

Kirsty

I woke yet again on the kitchen floor, but this time around it wasn't to the silence of yet another early morning. Instead there were raised voices around me. My eyes shot open as I recognised the voices of those as Nita and Warren.

I sat up sharply making my head spin but the horror of what I saw focused it immediately. I scrabbled to my feet desperately needing my legs to support me. I didn't make it to them in time and another punch landed in my daughter's stomach.

"Nita." I screamed drawing both of their attention to me. That's all I wanted, to keep my daughter safe. As long as his attention was on me Nita could get out, she would be safe. I staggered towards them and fell into the table. I managed to keep myself upright as I used the table for support.

Warren was still holding tightly onto Nita but she had stopped struggling to get away from him and was watching me in shock. It was then that I realised that she had never witnessed any of his violence before, she may have heard it but being in the middle of it and seeing what was going on was bound to be shocking.

Not only was she witnessing it for the first time, but it was also the first time her father had ever laid a violent finger on her. I lent on the table dragging ragged breaths into my body.

"How could you? You promised me that you would never lay a finger on her." My voice came out louder and stronger than I felt, but I was furious. How could he have laid a finger on his own daughter?

"You, cheating slut," he spat at me, "do not get to tell me how I treat my daughter. If she's got what's coming to her, she's got what's coming to her." He sounder venomous and I watched as his grip tightened on her arms and she started to struggle against him again. I was racing towards them as fast as I could, trying to think of a way to get Nita out of this house safely.

Warren moved away from me taking Nita with him. He pushed her up against the far wall and I watched as tears rolled down her cheeks. This was the moment I never wanted to see but the one I had been having nightmares about for years. I never wanted to believe that he would hurt her, but there was always that little feeling of doubt in my mind.

I didn't reach her in time to stop yet another fist flying into her small body. I let out a cry as I watched my daughter double over in pain and drop to the floor as I had done thousands of times before. I knew what was coming next, I couldn't even count how many times it had happened to me but there was no way that I was going to let him do that to her.

I needed to get her out of the house safely. Nothing came to me in the time it took me to move across the kitchen. I reached her just in time to throw myself in-between my daughter and my husbands work boot as he swung it towards her.

His boot connected with my hip but I barely felt the pain. I had to get Nita to safety. I quickly pulled myself up off the floor facing Warren. Nita clutched onto the back of my jeans, like she used to do when she was a small child. With one of my hands I reached behind me and pulled her to her feet, all the time watching Warren making sure that I was ready for his next move.

And then it came, a right hook. It landed squarely on my jaw and I fell backwards into Nita. I caught my balance after a second or so but it was Nita's scream that had affected me the most.

Warren wasn't just going to leave it at the one punch and the second one landed in my stomach before my eyes had focused again. I doubled over, winded and started gasping for breath. This gave Warren his opening and he reached over me and grabbed the front of Nita's tee-shirt and pulled her around me to stand in front of him.

I stood up and tried to push my way in-between them again but Warren was shouting at Nita. I couldn't make out what he was saying as my head was still swimming, but I did see him reach over and grab at a glass on the counter top.

He was still holding on to the front of Nita's tee-shirt with one hand and using the other to bring the glass forcefully down onto her head. I threw my arm across her head and winced at the glass broke against my arm, breaking the skin.

His focus changed then, from our daughter to me. He released Nita, his eyes burning into me. Warren grabbed me by the throat and pushed Nita aside to pin me against the wall.

"Get out Nita." I tried to yell to her but I came out spluttered.

"You leave now and you'll never see your mother alive again." Warren spat his face centimetres from mine as he spoke to Nita. I knew that she wouldn't leave now.

I managed to find the strength to bring my knee up between his legs he doubled over shouting and cursing in pain. I used this opportunity to grab Nita's arm and make a run for the front door.

I got to the front door first pulling Nita behind me. I yanked open the front door and pushed Nita out of it in front of me.

"Run as fast as you can and don't look back." I told her as I felt the iron grip of one of his hands on my shoulder and the other buried deep into my curls; I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

A big thank you to lucymoosey123 for reviewing the last chapter, I'm glad that your enjoying it, hope you like this one to! Sorry about the cliff hanger, I'm just mean :P, Lucy xx