TTEOTB -- Ch. 3

Chapter 31

“Dad?” I asked when I finally got home twenty minutes later. 2

“Anika?” I heard him call back from the kitchen. 3

I walked down the short hallway to the kitchen and dropped my bag on the floor. 4

“Hey, how was school?” He asked, head buried in the cupboard. 5

“Fine…” I replied exhaling. 6

“Something wrong? Did you make any friends?” He asked pulling out a box of whole wheat Ritz crackers.7

“No and no.” I answered, opening the refrigerator and pulling out a jug of apple juice. 8

“Oh, did you try talking to anyone?” He inquired through a mouthful of cracker. 9

“Uh, no… they didn’t try talking to me either…” I responded while reaching for a glass in a high cabinet.10

“So?” My dad has never had a problem with making friends his whole life and expects me to be just like him or something. I’m more like my mom… 11

“So… I’ll make friends later…” I said, taking a sip of my apple juice. 12

“Mm, ok then.” He finally gave up, leaving to go watch T.V. in the living room. 13

I headed upstairs after getting my dad to read (more like skim, not really reading a word) and sign the syllabi my teachers had given me earlier that day. 14

I flopped facedown onto my bed. I let my mind drift into places I wouldn’t normally. 15

I thought about my mom… her picture sat on my desk. 16

She’s standing on the beach, feet buried deep in the sand. Her hair’s like mine, long and brown… her eyes bright blue, shining in the bright sunlight. She’s staring into the camera with a wide, white smile on her face and hands resting on her hips… her short green summer dress flowing in the light breeze. 17

Next to her picture is my twin brother’s. It’s his sophomore year school picture, actually. His hair is grown out long, down to his shoulders; it’s the same brown color as mine. Our eyes match perfectly as do our small noses. He’s wearing a solid red polo and probably jeans… he’s smiling a bright white smile. My smile. And ironically, I haven't seen it for a long time... on either of us.18

I really, really miss them. More than anything… Adam and my mom were always there for me unlike my dad. Especially now. I swear he loves that bottle of Grey Goose more than he's ever loved me.19

I fell into a deep sleep and stumbled into a nightmare…20

I watched from above as a woman and a boy of about fifteen walk out of a grocery store and into the parking lot. They stall for a minute looking for their car; it’s dark out. The boy points with his index finger to the far right. The woman nods when she spots the car as well. They walk towards the car not paying much attention. 21

A few feet away, hiding behind an abandoned car, are two men waiting… They creep out from behind the car, careful not to make much noise. The men follow behind the boy and woman slowly until they reach the car.22

One of the men grabs the boy, crushing him tight against his body. The other man grabs the woman, opens the back door of the car and shoves her in. He climbs in with her.23

The boy tries to fight his way out of the man’s arms but fails miserably and cries while he listens to the screams from the woman. 24

“You’re next…” The man whispers in the boy’s ear as the woman’s screams suddenly stop. 25

The man that was in the car climbs out, and then turns to pull out the limp body of a broken, what used-to-be beautiful woman. He carries her off, running quickly towards the alley while the other man forces the boy into the backseat of the car for his turn.26

The boy yells and screams for help as the man rips off his jeans but is not heard. 27

“HELP ME ANIKA, HELP ME!” He cries loudly.28

“I’M COMING, ADAM! I’M COMING!”29

“Anika?” I hear someone call my name. “Anika?”30

“I’M COMING!” I scream jolting straight up, eyes wide open. 31

“Anika… What’s wrong?” My dad asked, his words slurred, staring at me groggily from the front of my bed. 32

“N.. nothing… bad dream…” I shook my head clear of what I’d just seen. 33

“Oh… uh ok.”34

“Yeah…” 35

Thanks for caring, daddy dearest. Jeez. Sometimes I really just want to get up and leave. Find a place where people actually do care. I know it’s only been a few months since everything went downhill, and he’s still down but so am I. He’s so fucking selfish! Gosh… and he’s been drinking a lot more lately. Scares me. 36

I looked over at my alarm clock and read 6:00P.M. Dinner sounds good right about now. Dad’s probably passed out on the couch in a sea of beer bottles. 37

I hop off my bed and turn left out of my door and down the stairs to see that my prediction is one hundred percent correct. His snoring was deafening and I could hear bottles clinking together when he’d move. 38

I went through the kitchen like a ninja searching for something to eat. Nothing. Doesn’t anyone go shopping for food around here anymore? Guess not. There are a few beers in the fridge… not my thing, really. At least I don’t think so. 39

Anyways, I found some crackers in the back of the cupboard and ate them while putting together a shopping list. I’d take the car out and go buy groceries tomorrow after school… if I can find the grocery store-- grocery store… Good thing it’ll still be daylight.40

* * * *41

I’d completely forgotten about Him until the next morning. My alarm clock rang loud at its usual time and my eyes fluttered open to find Him floating beside my bed. 42

“Wonderful weather we’re having on this fine day… I hope you don’t crash… You are a rather pitiful driver…” He rambled on.43

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look at me… and would you mind shutting the fuck up!” I screamed, finally sitting up and rubbing the crusty shit from the corners of my eyes.44

“Calm down, my dear, we don’t want to wake father…” He told me although I wasn’t worried, “See you later.” He smirked, fading out of view.45

I pulled off the rest of my covers, turned on the light and stumbled to the bathroom to get ready for school. 46