The Shards of Glass

I am hiding in the upstairs cabinet under the sink. My father storms through the house downstairs. I hear as his beer bottle smashes into hundreds of pieces on the floor.

I hear him start to trudge upstairs to get another bottle. I hold my breath as he walks through the hallway. His bottles cling together as he grabs a new one.

He stayed home all day. When I came home I saw at least 5 empty bottles on the table. As soon as I walked in a saw something coming at me through the air. I duck down fast as the bottle flies behind me and hits the wall. Pieces of glass bounce off the wall and rain down on my back. I wince as I get back up. I look back and see a piece of the bottle had gotten lodged into my backpack.

My father screamed at me from across the room. "Get up now!" I get up slowly. "Faster you slug!" I almost launch up after that trying to avoid another bottle being thrown at me. "You homosexual piece of trash! All you do is take up space and money. If you weren't here life would be so much easier. Your mother would be so disappointed in you." I hold back tears as I scream, "Well at least Mom wouldn't be screaming at me in her pile of alcohol telling me I'm a piece of trash!"

I sprinted upstairs and shut myself into the cabinet under the sink so my father couldn't find me. I decided that tonight was the night. I was done with this hiding and done with my father.

I had been planning to run away for a little while so I decided tonight was perfect. By the morning my father would be so hungover he wouldn't care.

I waited until I knew it was safe to come out then I quietly slipped into my bedroom across the hallway. I grabbed my backpack and quickly stitched up the hole from the glass shard. I started stuffing clothes, some pictures of my family, my stories I have written, and some money.

I picked up my bag and ran downstairs. When I didn't see anyone I began to walk towards the door. "Hey!" I swung around suddenly. My father was walking towards me. "Where are you going?" He asked in an accusing tone. "I'm done with this! I'm done with you yelling at me, and I'm done living here! I am going to live with Aunt Chloe! Good Bye!" My father looks a little startled like I wasn't supposed to be able to talk back to him. But he only looked like that for a second. A scowl appeared on his face as he yelled, "I didn't want you here anyway! You are just a stupid girl who is too stubborn to admit that she needs a man to take care of her. Until you realize that then you are not welcome here!"

I glared at him as I ran out of the house. I walk about three blocks to a nearby bus stop. I took a bus to a town a few miles away to my aunt's cottage. I knocked on the door and when she opened it her smile was filled with joy.

"Clara? Is that you? Why are you here?" "I decided that I'm done living with my dad! I was wondering if I could stay with you for a little while?" "Of course sweetie! But why did you decide to leave?" "My dad is still addicted to alcohol and he stopped going to therapy to help it so it's been getting worse." "That's totally bogus! But you can still stay with me. Come in!"

I walk into the house and there is a tiny herb garden on the shelf next to the window. Next to it is a picture of my family and Aunt Chloe. I am drawn to it and walk over near in. I am in the middle, being held up by my father. My mother stands next to him and Aunt Chloe stands next to my mother. We all look, happy. "This was taken before the car accident." Aunt Chloe says looking over my shoulder. "Robert was happy then. Newly married with an adorable baby girl." My father had begun to drink after the car accident that had killed my mother 2 years ago.

After that Aunt Chloe who is his sister started to stay away from my father. He was so mean to her. After that when I came out to him with my girlfriend he flipped out. He screamed at her to get her demon-possessed soul out of his house or he would shoot her. He took out his gun from the box under the table and started running at her. She sprinted out of the house and the next day at school she broke up with me. She said that she was scared of what my father would do to her. Then she never really talked to me again.

I stared at the picture of my once to be happy family but then decided that it was best to leave my father. "Anyway, you can stay in the guest bedroom," Aunt Chloe says to break the silence. I decided to ignore the subject as well, "Are you still dating that Todd guy?" "No, we broke up. He was a loser. But, my girlfriend Jasmine is coming over for diner tonight. You can meet her." "Sounds fun!"

2 years later...

"Thanks, Aunt Chloe for letting me live with you but me and my girlfriend Mia are planning t live in her parent's old cottage next to the college I got into. Is that okay with you?" "That's bogus! I didn't get a house until I was 21 and your 18! You can totally move in with her. But does she treat you right?" "Yes, we love each other very much and are so excited! Bye" "Bye!"