8

~Aurelia Williams~

I spent the last few days resting and processing what I had experienced or bringing my father a beer again so as not to be hit again.

What else? That's my life and maybe I should just accept it.

I hadn't seen Steven since that morning and I really missed him. It made me realize, far too painfully, that our friendship might be lost forever.

I felt miserable and day by day I thought a little more that maybe I was exaggerating when I yelled at Steven. But the words of Steven's mother 'Then you have to kill her or he will!' still ringing in my head. Everything was just so absurd and it became more and more unrealistic for me every day.

Did I do something wrong? I make mistakes all the time, so it must be my fault.

It just didn't make sense to me. I mean Steven told myself he would never hurt me. But surely Dave would have done it. He never liked me anyway. But why should Steven's average American family turn out to be murderers? You're unlikely to have killed anyone. Or is it? But I just couldn't imagine that.

Maybe I should just erase that day from my mind. I mean, if they were serious about killing me, I would have been by now.

I finally decided to get out of bed and write Steven. I didn't want to lose this friendship and maybe Steven felt the same way.

It was mid-afternoon, perfect time for coffee, so I texted Steven to see if we could meet at the nearby coffee shop. I hoped he would still speak to me after ignoring him for so long.

A few seconds later his answer came.

[Steven]: You're finally talking to me again.

[Me]: I think we should forget what happened.

I immediately burst through the house with the door because I didn't feel like talking around it. While honesty is important, I just can't do without Steven anymore.

His answer only came after a few minutes and I wondered what he was typing for so long.

[Steven]: Do you have time now? I could pick you up right away.

He clearly avoided the topic and I just hoped that the topic was really over with that. He doesn't want to tell me anything about it anyway. And hey, I thought we should just forget about it.

[Me]: I think that's fine.

[Steven]: Fine, see you soon.

I went to my closet and then took out a black sweater, which I then put on. I didn't want to show Steven any more bruises that I would have to explain to him.

Then I decided to go outside and wait for him on the street, but before I could go out the front door, my father pulled me back by the sleeve.

"Where are you planning to go now?" he asked sternly.

"Steven and I want..." I started, but I didn't get any further because he grabbed my neck and started to squeeze.

"You think you can do whatever you want. First you're late. Then you think you could skip school and now you want to sneak away?"

I didn't understand why he was suddenly so angry. But then I remembered my mother. Dad said she secretly made off too. But what was his fucking problem? I'm not my mom

I tried desperately to free myself from his grip, but I couldn't. Instead, I was getting less and less air and black dots started dancing at the edge of my vision. He squeezed harder and harder. I thought he was finally getting it over with...

Then he suddenly let go and I fell to the ground gasping for air.

"I'm going whether you like it or not," I gasped out. I had to be strong. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

I had hoped he would let go of me and move his rotting ass back to his stinky chair, but obviously that wasn't his plan. Because the next moment he raised his fist and hit me harder than ever in the face.

I had never experienced such severe pain and I was pretty sure my left cheekbone was broken. It hurt like hell.

It grew quiet around me. My head was pounding and a muffled doorbell ringing was all I heard before I lost consciousness.

-----

I was woken up by a loud bang. I couldn't keep thinking about what that was because my skull felt like it was about to explode.

Everything was black around me. And I realized that I was lying on a cold and damp ground. You could also hear water dripping somewhere nearby.

Then I suddenly realized where I was.

I was in the basement. again.

The sound of the dripping faucet was already familiar to me. But nobody fixed it. So who? My father probably didn't and I had no idea about it. Also, I didn't like going down here. It was creepy and brought back old memories.

My father used to lock me up here regularly when I didn't obey. I hated the basement and he knew it. The basement was uncomfortable, cold and damp. It also smelled.

He had left me down here for days and brought me no food. It was one of the worst times of my life. This taught me to be obedient to my father, but apparently it wasn't enough that I now have to go through it again.

I do not want that. The feeling of hunger is terrible when your own stomach hurts so much and you are almost sick from not being hungry. But that wasn't the only worst thing. Also, he used me here as a living punching bag.

"Hello? Dad?" I tried, "I'm sorry." I didn't know exactly what I did wrong, but maybe he would accept my apology and let me out again. Because one thing was for sure. I was terrified down here. The basement means I don't know what my dad is going to do to me next. He could do anything down here, because down here his inner monster was always unleashed.

When I apologized, I received no reply. That wasn't a good sign as it could mean he really is leaving me down here for several days. Just like before.

I was desperate and panicking, but then the basement door opened abruptly, revealing light on the cold stone staircase that led down here.

I almost hoped that he would let me out after all.

My father stood in the cellar door and then switched on the dimmed cellar light, which could only be switched on from outside the cellar.

"Dad, I'm really sorry. Please let me out again!", I tried again in tears. But he just gave me a cold look.

"By the way, your lover was here."

"Who? do you mean steven He's not my lover." I clarified. But what do I care what he thought.

"Does not matter. He definitely won't bother you anymore." My father just said coldly and I could see a look in his eyes that made me shiver down my spine.

I swallowed. And got my next words out with difficulty.

"Dad? What have you done?"