Short Story

Finally Free

It was such a nice day and I had just gotten off work, when I walked up to my apartment.

I was just about to unlock my door when I heard him yelling. Why does my dad always have to be in such an angry mood? It doesn’t matter, I won’t be here for much longer, our lease will be up soon, and I can finally move out. I took a deep breath and as I opened the door, I could immediately smell the alcohol that he had been drinking. It always smells disgusting.

“Hey dad.” I quietly said to him as I began to speed walk into my room. However, just as I was about to reach my room, I felt something hit the small of my back, and I stumbled back in shock. “Is that how we greet each other now, Amara? Just a hey and then you leave? I will not have you disrespecting me in my own house.” My father is already yelling at me. It’s not the first time this happened. This kind of behavior happens every day with him. “I’m sorry dad, I just had a long day at work and I wanted to go lay down.” I was speaking even quieter now, I was trying not to make him any angrier than he already is. “I don’t give a sh*t if you are tired, you ARE going to treat me with respect in MY house!” He was now completely yelling at me. I can’t take this anymore. He needs to realize that he cannot treat me like a little kid anymore.. “You know what, you need to treat me with respect in MY house. You don’t pay for this. You don’t pay for any food that you are constantly eating. You don’t pay for your tv cable. You don’t pay for the clothes you wear. The only damn thing you pay for is your f*cking alcohol that you drown yourself in because you are so worthless that you have to numb it with drugs!” Oh god, what did I just do? Why did I say all of that? You know what, I don’t even care. It has been 22 years of this treatment and I am sick of him! If this is what it takes for me to finally get kicked out, so be it. I can make it on my own and I can be successful, despite what he says about me. As I was getting lost in my thoughts, I felt an intense rush of pain to the side of my face, and I was brought back to reality. My father started to severely punch me in the face over and over again. I couldn’t even bring myself to fight back. I just took his beating and told myself that it will all be over soon. I could feel the tears rushing down my face, but at the same time, I don’t know if it is blood or tears at this point. He was calling me a worthless piece of sh*t and a b*tch, but I couldn’t bother to pay attention to his words anymore. Everything turned black and white and I knew I had to get out. I couldn’t be trapped like this anymore, and I finally realized that I deserve to be free.

He finally stopped, I grabbed my things, put on my mother’s jacket, and left. I went to my best friend, Kenai’s house. I just realized the damage he did to me when my whole face started to burn and I began to cry at the intensity of the pain. I knocked on the door again, this time becoming more intense and using any of the energy I had left. “Damn Amara.” He picked me up, carried me inside, and tended to my wounds. I told Kenai what had happened and my plan for my future. He offered to let me stay at his house for as long as I need in order to get everything organized. He told me that I should go to the police and tell them about my father and everything he has done to me. After some hesitation, Kenai managed to convince me.

We got to the police station and we got taken into a small grey room with only a table and three chairs. I began to think to myself. It’s been so long. Will my life as I know it be changed forever? I can feel my hands sweating as my heart starts to beat faster and faster. Am I having an anxiety attack? I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know. I need to tell them. I can no longer keep this in. It’s been 12 years, I owe it to myself to tell the police and get him arrested. But, will they believe me? Or will I just be left with nothing? No, they will believe me. I deserve peace. I deserve to feel safe in my own home. This is it. I’m going to tell them. I’m going to use my voice and everything is going to be okay. “I do not feel safe in my own home. I’ve been abused and I need to get out of here.” I said to them. I did it! I finally did it. As a brush relief swept past me, fear and worry filled my mind. They looked mad. Do they think I’m lying?

As I was arguing with myself, Kenai grabbed my hand and squeezed it, rushing me back to reality. They said that they will look into my case and told me they believed me. This was such a relief, I could finally breathe again.

Three weeks have gone by, and my father has been arrested and I am living peacefully with Kenai. I am finally happy. I am finally free.