"YOU DID IT AGAIN, JOHN!"

I could hear my mother yelling at her drunken friend. Mother had always told me he was my father, but from time to time she also told me other men were my father as well; I was a pretty smart kid and knew when she was lying sometimes. I was hiding in her bedroom closet, peeking through the crack with my knees to my chest. My mother's face was red and tear streaks showed on her cheeks; John had cheated on her again. I often wondered why she still loved him...

I remembered three weeks ago, my mom had found a text from some girl on John's phone. She asked him what it was about, but he said it was nothing. When mother didnt let it go, he shouted really loud, causing me to jump up from my seat.

"Im taking Elenore and we are leaving" my mother said, but I could hear her gasping after those very words. I carefully shifted in the closet to see the image clearly;John had jacked her up by the throat.

"Youre not going anywhere," his words were kind of slurred, but audible to the ear. " you leave or call the cops, I will find you. And when I do, there will be pain to pay" his voice was deep and husk;it brought a chill to my spine. I could hear her gasping for air, but my body wouldn't move. I was frozen in that spot, not knowing what to do.

Sweat collected on my forehead;I watched as he threw my mother to the side like she was some kind of rag doll. The sound of glass breaking made me stagger out of the closet and towards my mother. However, before I could get there, John had grabbed me by my shirt and picked me up off the ground.

"  I better not hear a word out of you about this either" he spoke to me. His breath smelled of alcohol and stale cigarettes. .

I scrunched my nose up and took a deep breath and began lashing out with my arms and legs. My tiny fist hit his nose. That seemed to make him really mad.

" you little brat!" He growled, throwing me in the direction of where he threw my mother.

Glass burrowed itself into my skin, making me yelp out in pain.

"Elenore!"

I heard my mother call my name, but I did not move. Heavy footsteps could be heard, fading from the room.

Tears escaped my eyes as I began to pray. I knew now that there would never be any hope for me or my mother in this world...