Requital hope

Forty-five

Song: Night Beds - Cherry Blossoms
(Don't play the song until it says so in
the story for the added effect)

I fell to the floor after being pushed into a nearby cupboard. Plates and glasses fell out, shattering beside me. I hesitantly glanced up to see my father still approaching. When he finally did reach me he stood there for a while. He pulled out a very familiar slip of paper.

"And this, why have you been hiding this?" He asked, shoving the slip into my face. After reading the first few digits written on the paper I realized it was the pin to my savings. How did he get that?! I had it placed safely behind a sheet of the wall!

"Now I can finally fix this damn house." He grumbled. This made me furious since he's the one who smashed all the holes in it.

I unconsciously found myself muttering the word "no'' over and over while reaching for the slip of paper. He looked dumbfounded by my actions. I realized I'd just made another huge mistake.

"You think you have the right to defy me?" He stood up to tower over me with a threatening look. "I've already withdrawn all of the money so even if you wanted to there's no way to get it back." My heart started picking up speed even though it was already racing. This can't be happening..... The money was locked behind a pin, but it was still in my father's account so he could easily get a hold of it as long as he knew it existed.. and now he does.

"Dad, you can't-" I choked, hoping with what little luck I had left that he would return it to me, but it seems like I've been out of luck for the longest time.

"Shut up! How dare you keep this to yourself?!" He growled. I did talk back knowing it wasn't a good idea when he started to get heated. I was still looking up at him from the floor which made me feel
more vulnerable.

"I bet you were planning on using this to fuck a bunch of men, weren't you?." He looked from the piece of paper to me with the evilest look eating at his face. He's being unreasonable!

"No dad!" I said desperately with my trembling voice.

"SHUT UP!" I flinched as he shouted louder this time. I'm sure the neighbors could hear it if they were home, though they wouldn't care because they do the same thing just about every night.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as he lifted me off the ground by my collar. He slammed me against the wall with intense breathing and bulged eyes. I gasped for air as his fist repeatedly connected with my stomach, I felt like I was going to puke. I was already feeling light-headed but it didn't end there. He tossed me into the wall with my head clipping the edge. Some of the shattered glass from earlier sunk into my skin. A loud whimper escaped my mouth. I trembled as blood drained from my arms and side. Just as I began to collect myself I felt a foot kicking into my bleeding side, with several more following. I dropped back onto the floor but this time I wasn't able to make a sound. All the oxygen was forced right out of my lungs.

"You still want to go against me? You still want to be defiant, huh?" He asked in a casual tone. I heard noises but couldn't see what he was doing as he was out of view. I put all my focus on regaining my breath so I could plead for mercy, I struggled on the floor, trying to gasp for air, and when I finally did I realized it was too late. He approached me again, lifting the last dining chair aside from above his head. I retreated into the nearest corner, accidentally cutting my hands on the shattered plates and glasses.

"Dad, please no. " I cried, shaking uncontrollably. He continued his approach, ignoring my pleas as I figured he would. One of the chair legs clipped the light. The sound of the small pieces of glass hitting the floor echoed across the small room.