"Serena!"
The thunderous call of Father got me jolting from the comfort of my bed.
What could one give to have a beautiful day to herself? Undisturbed.
I barely had gotten enough hours of sleep.
My own body ached, my legs felt very weak, and for a fleet second, I could feel a burn on my neck, but I swear it was gone in an instant.
"Serena" His voice boomed yet again.
Yes, yes, yes I hear you coming. I wished to yell at him. There were a thousand words I wanted to let out, words that wouldn't have an end to, but I did otherwise, with my figure hurrying out the room, dashing through the large halls.
These very halls that had gotten accustomed to my wandering figure every time I was left here in the house all to myself. These walls had registered my wails, whenever father went out on me. These carpets, soaked with my own tears day after day.
Mother would make sure to have me scrubbing the rugs, something about her having to keep the house alive.
Those memories had stuck by. We both would engage in chores, while she went on about her childhood, how wild of a child she was, she would tell me.
But now, these halls felt her absence, drowned in entire silence, what used to be my home, was now a building which only housed my being at each passing day.
Hurrying away, I skipped past the steps going into the living room.
There stood his figure, eyes watching me with contempt, keen on my incoming form.
"Can you tell me why breakfast is yet to be served?" His voice was low, each word strong.
"I-I'm sorry" I struggled to find the words that would appease an already aggravated soul.
"I had slept in...I didn't mean to—
"Excuses! Excuses!" His voice broke out, figure inching closer.
My chest tightened at his approaching figure, at each step he drew closer, my body got light, head aching.
My heart was just too weak to have to go through another round of dread, on a day such as bright as this.
"Incompetent, just like your mother!" He spat. "Can't have things done at the right time" he added. All the while, I had my gaze fixed down, fingers fiddling with each other, while his words pricked into my ears. "Have my meal ready before I get back, else you'll have me to answer to!" He bellowed, stomping away.
***
If only the things around me were as warm as that smile sat perfectly on the profile afar.
That smile far away, got every joy I had lacked for the past few hours rushing back to the entirety of me.
The figure of Lucy pushed through the yard, drawing closer, with outstretched arms ready to englobe me.
A wide smile plastered on her rosy lips.
"Serena!" She squealed, pushing forward.
That soft voice of hers was enough to get whatever anger I had felt before, erased in an instant.
It was one of the comforts of being around Lucy Sallow. A girl who I got potty trained with, learned to read and write and ever since our crawling days, we had been inseparable.
"It's our day to be merry!" She called out upon getting to my form, flinging her arms in the air.
Pulling something out from the sac in her hands, she held it out for me, a grin tugging at her lips.
"Let's get a-planting!" I called at once, hurrying on, with my arms locked in hers, our forms skipping like kids rejoicing over gifts on Christmas Eve.
At once we shot off into the garden, tearing out the seeds Lucy had brought with her.
Grapes were our favorites to grow, such goodness we felt after harvesting each annum. Reaping, while drenching ourselves in berry juice, not to forget going on about the recent gossip that had hit this odd town of ours.
"Oh, how much I've missed you Serena"
She began throwing tiny balls of grapes into her agape mouth.
"If only you could have the weekend spent over at mine"
"You know that's impossible" I followed.
"Mom goes on about how much she's missed your pancakes" Her utterance got me grinning cheek to cheek.
"You know.....She took a pause eyes intent on my profile.
That look on her face told me something.
She was about to embark on one of her endless teasings. I had gotten accustomed to that look so well.
"William sends his regards" She finished, lips growing into a smirk.
"Please, Lucy. Don't even get started on—
"Come on" She drawled. "Give the poor boy a chance, Serena"
"William and I are just friends"
"He's smitten over you" She followed.
"And I see him as a very good friend" I made known.
"I mean, the kid is in a relationship" I began, mentioning one of the many reasons why the friendship between William and I could not shift into something else.
He was one of the few friends I had made around. Son to the town's famous store owner, a very good friend I had, and I was so certain he saw me as nothing more than a friend.
"I'm only worried for you, Serena" Lucy uttered.
"I mean, you should get into a relationship. Something to have you forgetting whatever bothers you.....Something to keep you happy"
"You keep me happy" A soft smile tugged on my lips.
"You're beautiful, Serena" I heard the voice of my friend, while her fingers snaked through mine. "Any guy would give all to have you at his side"
I didn't agree with her statement, and my face said it all.
To be honest, I was barely in the company of any boy around my age. I was an utter mess around guys, never even been in a proper relationship except you counted play-school as one.
No, let me bare it all. I just couldn't open up to being in any.
I barely saw any of what Lucy spoke of. Instead, I saw a girl already broken in myself, a girl who felt dirty every time her father engaged with her.
At least that was what he termed me.
"Dirty little thing" He would say after engaging with me.
Silence soon fell between Lucy and I, her scrutiny on me, while we sat on the plain grass.
"What's that on your neck?" The voice of Lucy snapped, eyes gaping on at me.
"What?" My hands reached up, rubbing against my skin, wondering whatever it was that had grabbed her attention so much.
"That bruise" She revealed. "Seems like..... She drew closer, eyes squinted directly at my neck, and at once, she pulled back in a second, eyes broadened at me. "Bite marks" She let out in a breath.
"What?" I followed bewildered, utterly confused
"Did your father do that to you?" She rushed her words, voice laced with concern
My eyes paused at her, realizing what she aimed at.
"N-no" I stuttered.
As wild as he was, Michael not for once brought his face to mine. That monster would only copulate with me, pull my hair, spit on me, but that was what it was.
He had never brought his lips to my face, not even bringing them anywhere close to my neck. According to him, he was irritated by my being, yet he made love to me every now and then, like his life depended on it.
"Serena" Lucy called, touching my arms. "Did he do this to you?" She repeated.
It soon hit me.
I never was hallucinating. I truly had encountered that beast-like form in the woods last night.
How could I forget those eyes? They remained in my memory, refusing to fade. I had witnessed a beast! Stood before me!
Could it have bitten me? How come I barely felt any pain. I mean the pain I felt had only lasted for a second.
Now, what animal would bite one, and hurry off?
"I swear, we're going to the police this instant" She stated adamantly.
I stared back at the form of Lucy, feeling quite sorry for my friend who didn't seem to get it all. My father was not just a man one would report to the police this minute, and the next he would be locked behind bars. In fact, the police made sure to help him in all those dirty affairs he conducted. That was how huge his influence was around.
"No, those must be from my nails" I cleared my throat.
"What are you talking about, Serena" She refused putting an end to the topic.
And just then did Father's black mini truck pull up in the yard, his cold eyes intent on me the entire time while he drew up.
My gaze followed his figure, watching in fear as his form alighted the vehicle, coming over slowly.
In a second he was stood right before the forms of Lucy and I, eyes shifting between the both of us.
The air had suddenly got clouded with a strike of tension, the kind that got me swallowing every minute.
"What business do you have out here?" His voice was low, dangerous, while directed at me.
"We were only here to plant some seeds. Any problem with that?" Lucy called at once, her gaze eyeing him, making it known how disgusted she was at his presence.
Smack!
I heard the slap that had brought my friend down, with the form of Michael towering over her.
He had hit her across the face, eyes intent on her form.
"Don't ever make a sound, while I speak to my daughter" He let out.
With that, he pulled my hands, dragging me away from my short-lived peace, pulling me roughly into the house, while the voice of Lucy fell distant at each second, calling out my name.
"Serena!"
I heard the faint call of my friend one last time, before my figure was thrown past the door which led into the house.
Father spun to me the instant we were inside, gaze filled with much rage.
That fear flashed before my eyes, and next followed a smack to my face, bringing me down immediately.
Lips quivering, my fingers reached to my face slowly, hoping to ease the burn on my left cheek.
"What have I said about having visitors over!?" He boomed, spinning to the door.
I soon heard the lock turn, and at once, he pounced on me, throwing punches at every part of me he could. I barely could hear my own voice, I was too tired to scream, I could feel my eyes shutting, my body giving in, and then he pulled me by the hair, dragging me to the living room.
In a moment, he had pushed me onto the couch, unfastening his belt, and right at that moment, did I find every energy lost, brushing past him, and hurrying to the door.
Fingers fiddling with the lock, it came undone in a second, my hands pulling the door with force, and out my figure went.
I never looked back.
My feet pushed on, hurrying away, breaths heavy.
"Get back here, you swine!" I heard him call from the house, but not for once did I take a stop.
Bare feet, clothing distressed, I dashed out, tearing out our yard, down past the lone path that led off the environs, and finally into the silent woods.