Mommy and daddy have always been mean to me. Some times are worse than other. Like when daddy has his speacial drinks, or when Mommy locks herself in the bathroom. Those are the worst days. On those days I get scared and hide in my closet.
Today was one of those days. I was setting on the couch watching tv with the volume muted, so I wouldn’t bother them. Daddy went to the fridge and pulled out his special drink, and Mommy headed to the bathroom. This time daddy went into the bathroom with Mommy. It was quiet for a while, but then I heard the yelling. I felt fear wash over me and ran to my closet. I pulled my knees to my chest, holding them tighlty with my eyes closed. As I rocked back and forth I whispered over and over “someone please help me”. After what seemed like hours, it got quiet. I sat really still, listening for any kind of sound.
I could hear Mommy in the kitchen, and daddy unmuted the TV. I decided that it was safe to come out, and slowly reached for the handle when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and found a door. A small door in the wall of my closet. Just big enough to fit a small child in. Had it always been there? If it had, I can understand how it could have gone unseen, as I only hide here while Mommy and daddy are angry. I sat in silence looking at the door. Should I open it? Would it even open? I decided to give it a try. To my dismay it wouldn’t open.
I left my closet just in time for Mommy to bust open my door and grab my hair. As I kicked, and screamed trying to free myself, Mommy drug me all the way to the kitchen. “Mommy please let me go, please.” I begged, but my pleas went unheard, or ignored. Once we made it to the table she let go, letting my head bounce off the floor. My head hurt, and I could feel the lump forming on the back, but I got up and took my place at the table.
I looked down at my plate, holding back the tears that threatened to spill down my face. The plate had raw chicken, instant mashed potatoes that were lumped together, and what was supposed to be greenbean casserole, but it looked to be weeks old. I looked at mommy’s plate, and then to daddy’s. Their plates looked like they came out of a restaurant. Meatloaf cooked to perfection, mashed potatoes with brown gravey, spinach, and fried okra. I looked down at my plate my stomach starting to turn.
“Well are you going to eat or not” I heard Mommy ask. “Is it not to your liking? are you going to be a picky spoiled brat about your food too?” I could hear the anger build in her voice. Fear once again urging me to run to my closet, but I knew I wouldn’t make it of I did. So I opted for the alternative. I ate my food. This was not a good choice. With every bite, I would gag. Trying to be as quiet as possible, and not make it obvious. This upset Mommy. Trying to swallow another bite of chicken, the gag the erupted from me was ear shattering compared to the silence. Then I felt it.
Almost as soon as it left my mouth, Mommy back handed me onto the floor. I curled into the fetal position waiting for the worst. “Get out of my sight” She said. I peaked up and saw her standing over me, her whole body shaking. I jumped up and ran, but I knew I wouldn’t get far. I never did. I would always be pulled back for the beating. Something was strange this time. I made it to my safe space. I started to silently cry, happy I escaped my beating. I haven’t escaped in so long, I felt a relief I hadn’t felt in years wash over me. It was comforting, and warm. I sighed a small smile on my face. I turned my head to the little door on the wall. It was open.
Not wide open, but cracked. I reached for its nob, and pulled it open even further. The air that came out smelled musky, and like death. It made my eyes water, and my gag reflects kick in. I covered my nose, trying to hold my food in. I looked into the open door. It was a darkness I had never seen. It looked void, and seemed to carry a small echo when no noises were made.
The sound of glass shattering made me jump. Mommy and daddy were fighting again. I could hear the sound of slaps, punches, and kicks. Screaming, crying, and stuff being thrown around. The fear I felt made me cold. pushing my self into the darkest corner of my closet, I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them tighly. Whispering “someone please help me.” After a while the noises died down. I slowly looked up, making sure to be quiet. No sound but the TV, and running water in the kitchen. I let myself relax. I turned my head back to the door. Instead of an empty door, I see a face peaking out at me. It’s eyes looked like it’s eyelids had been cut away, it’s mouth reached ear to ear. Lips that looked like they hadn’t had moisturizing in years. Blood slowly trickled from them. It’s skin was loose and baggy around it’s skull. In the place it’s nose should have been, was a hole.
What shocked me the most was that, I wasn’t scared. The fear that usually took me, was non existent. It’s eyes seem to hold sadness? Pity? Maybe a little of both. My door busting open brought back the fear. I looked at the door, and it now had a long, pointy, boney finger over its lips in a shushing gesture. I listened. “Come out you little fuck” my daddy screamed. I squeezed into the corner, and closed my eyes. “Someone please help me” I whispered out.
The door on the closet began to rattle. Tears started flowing from my face. Then I heard him run from the room, and into the bathroom. Daddy’s drinks made him sick again. Though I hated knowing he was sick, I felt relief. I opened my eyes to see the creature was sitting across from me. My mouth gaped open. It was huge.
I looked from the door to this creature. How did it fit? I looked back at the creature. It’s body was covered in loose skin hanging off it. It’s fingers long and pointy. A strange small came from it, nothing like the smell that came from the open door, but still bad. Again I wasn’t scared, but relaxed. “I should be scared” I thought. But I wasn’t. After setting with it for a long time, I made my way out of the closet, waving before I left the creature setting there. I crawled I to bed and went to sleep.
I woke up to the sense that someone was watching me. Run. Run. Run. Was all I could think. But the fear had my body frozen. I knew what it was. Who it was. Daddy was here for me. I tried to act like I was still sleeping, but it never worked. He yanked me out of the bed, and onto the floor. I curled up as much as I could. He was screaming at me but his voice faded out as I just whispered for someone to help me. Then I felt it, daddy kicked me in the back. The scream that came out of me caused a chain reaction of punches, kicks, and screams to come my way. I was never supposed to make a noise when I got punished.
Then it was all gone. A sickening crack, followed by silence was all I heard. I slowly turned my head to see the creature holding daddy by the neck. His body not moving, and his head turned all the way around. I buried my face once again, starting to sob. Not because my daddy was dead, but because someone came to save me.
I looked up in time to see it dragging daddy to the door. Crunching bones, and tearing skin as he forced his lifeless body through. It turned to me, stretched out its finger and wiped the tear from my face. It opened its mouth as if to speak but turned and crawled back through the little door. I layed there trying to will all the pain away. I forced myself to stand and close my closet door. Peaking at the little door before shutting it. I made my way back to my bed where I sank into my covers, and fell asleep.
The next morning I woke to Mommy screaming. I jumped out of the bed, and ran to my closet. I heard things break, and fall. Things being knocked over, and thrown. She came to my room but when she didn’t see me she came to the closet door trying to open it. She banged, and kicked on the door. “Come out you little bitch! What did you do!!!” I pushed my body into the corner as much as I could. waiting for her to open the door.
I heard the door open in a squeaky sound. “Someone please help me” i whispered while i cried. There was silence. I waited for pain, I waited for screams. Then it came. A scream i had never heard leave mommys mouth. I looked up and there he was. Holding mommy by the chest. She screamed, and kicked as she tried to free herself. She looked at me and begged for me to help. Begged me to save her.
The creature turned to me, and tilted his head. I looked between my Mommy, and the creature. He looked as if he was waiting. I slowly nodded my head, and as soon as I did he opened his mouth, and put mommy’s head inside. Her screams became muffled before they stopped, and her body went limp. Blood spewed from where her head should have been. It covered the floor, splattering the walls, and ceiling. I watched as the creature clamped his mouth around mommy’s chest, looking as though he were sucking soda out of a straw. Mommy’s body began to shrivel. Her skin hugging her bones, as everything was sucked out of her.
The creature turned to the door as he finished, and shoved mommy’s body in to his door. He did not go back in. He closed the door and sat next to me. He opened his mouth and a sound came out. It sounded like Mommy, but also like daddy. Like they were speaking together. “You asked for help, I gave it.”