I was on the streets again, with nowhere to run to and nowhere to hide. No one loved me, and no one cared for me. I was all alone.
The day drew to a close, and my feet were sore. I had run all day, my tummy ached, and my body was stiff. I didn't know where I was. At that moment, I was just an aimless girl with no purpose in life. I was lost, and I knew I wasn't going to be found.
Memories of my past flashed through my mind as I fell to the ground... Mom was sick and pale. She struggled to breathe, and her whole body was filled with bruises - bruises from my dad's torture, bruises from his kicks, punches, and belts. I couldn't sit beside her, I couldn't pet her, and I couldn't stroke her hair like she would have done if I were in that situation. I wasn't by her side... she was all alone, locked in her room.
I would always peep through the door knob whenever my dad had gone out. Her situation was bad. She was going through a lot of pain. I would sit at the door, crying all day. When my dad returned, I ran into my room so he wouldn't inflict pain and curses on me.
Grandma was nowhere to be seen. She hadn't visited in days. Grandpa, I had no idea where he was. He never visited us ever since the day we had that celebration. Uncle Tammy and Aunt Laura visited for a while, but my dad never let them see me or my mom. He would take them outside, and they would discuss. Cousin Tony never came around, same with Uncle Jammy. I was all alone.
Every day, I sat at the window and watched my friends return to school. Most of them pointed at my window and whispered to each other, then laughed. I wondered what they said, why they laughed, were they mocking me ?,were they calling me names, i didn't know, all I did was watch, ….I was lonely. I thought things couldn't get worse than they were now but little did I know that more pain lay in wait for me.
I was folded in my bed late at night, shivering and trembling. I tried to sleep, but no sleep was forthcoming. Each time I closed my eyes, I saw the treatments my mum faced, my dad's blows and kicks, my mum's bruises and injuries, and her tears. I just couldn't sleep. I lay straight, my eyes fixed on the ceiling. I wished everything would go back to normal. I wished my dad would change and go back to the way he was. I wished for happiness and peace, just like the way it was. I wanted celebrations and love, but it was just a wish and nothing else. It never came true.
Then I heard a scream. I stood up immediately. "It's mom..." I said as I made my way to my parents' room - my mom's prison. As I reached the room, the door was open. I moved into the room, and then I saw my dad's backside. His hands were filled with blood, and his hands were trembling, I wondered what made dad trembled and why his hands were filled with blood.., I wondered what he had done ?, was mom alright ?. My questions remained unanswered as I looked at him.., then I moved forward a bit. I made my way past him, and what I saw broke me. Mum was lying on the floor, and she was motionless. Her face was filled with blood, and blood gushed out of her stomach. I didn't know what to do. I stood above her, shaking and sweating. I turned to my dad and then looked at mum again. I pinched myself. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe it was a horrible nightmare. But it wasn't. Mum was.…., " No.. ", I chose not to believe it all. I moved closer to her and sat down beside her. "Mom... it's Mia... please wake up..." I said. She didn't move, neither did she respond. I decided to touch her face. Maybe she was putting on an act. I touched her face, and the blood stained my hands. It was real blood. I said in my mind. My hands shook as I withdrew them. "Mum... please wake up. It's me, Mia. I am here, and I will never leave... Mum, please wake up..." I said, but she still wasn't responding. Her body was still motionless. Truly... Mom was... Mom was dead! She's dead! I cried my eyes out.
"Mia, leave!!" Dad said, but I didn't listen. "I said leave, Mia..." he said again, but I still didn't respond. Then he grabbed me with his bloody hands and pulled me up. As he did, I saw a knife filled with blood at a corner of the room. Dad grabbed me and pushed me out of the room, and then closed the door on my face. I banged and banged, but he didn't respond. What I had in my mind right there and then was the knife I saw. Did dad really... did he really kill mum? Will I never see mum again? Is she gone forever? "Mum..." I cried as I wept at the door. I fell to the ground, my body shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't believe what had happened. My mum, my dear mum, was gone. I felt like a part of me had been ripped away. I was alone, completely alone. I cried and cried, my tears soaking the floor. I didn't know what to do or who to turn to, or where to go.., " what if dad does the same to me " I said as I shivered on the floor. I just layed there, at the door, crying and calling out for my mum. "Mum... please come back... I need you... I love you..." I sobbed, but there was no response. The silence was deafening, and it felt like my heart was breaking into a million pieces.