"Just upstairs..." I mumbled. Dad grabbed my wrist, his eyes unfocused. I swallowed back a sigh/sob. Him and Mum had been fighting again. "I told you not to leave the cavern. It is the men's job. Remember that." I struggled away from him. "The outside makes me happy!" I snapped at him. Dad then did something horrid. He slapped me. As i stood there, stunned, he dragged me to the second floor and hurled me into my cave. Tears were streaming down my face, my back and face hurting desperately. My brothers, Stone and Jay, say that when they were very little, Dad was kind and sweet. As I watched him stomp away, I huddled to the back of the cave and cried. It was a soft cry, but it was a sob and soon fresh tears streaked down my face. My vision blurred as two figures hurried up. It was Stone and Jay. They held me close. They understood. "We heard you and Dad." Jay stroked my hair, his fingers stretching to find my long white hair. "It'll be fine. Mum is really giving it to him." I hugged them. 'T-thanks. I don't know why I went out." Stone clenched his fists. "You deserve freedom more than anything." I grabbed my stuffed squirrel and retreated to my cave, curling up. My body relaxed into the sleeping bag. I felt the ground tremor slightly as my brothers stalked down. A small smile crept onto my face as I heard my family shrieking and cursing my...father?
157Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLQI6Zq1Qc
I stared longingly at the small hole in the cavern. But I didn't want to face one HIS tempers. I shivered, it had been a few months and nothing had changed. Same routine. Wake up, talk to others, sow, paint, sleep, party, chill, sleep. I fiddled with the brush, staring at the page. I couldn't paint. I couldn't immerse myself into the painting. I longed for the days when I would sneak out. But how I was scared, so scared. Dad just got worse and worse. I was used to a beating once or twice a week. So did Mum, Stone and Jay. The others knew it too but refused to caught up with our problems. I daydreamed of leaping rivers and trees soaring over mountains. I pictured myself running hills and jumping ravines. I could fly, I was free. I danced and skipped, and swung and soar. Clouds zoomed past my vision, I was happy. I gambolled in the air, whooping my joys. I burst out in feathers, drifting faster and faster along the winds. I could see everything. The moors, forests and marshes. I was light and skippy. "HAHAHA!" I laughed in freedom. I opened my eyes and saw on the painting something that me grin. Myself, trapped in darkness, running towards a door. I looked around, Dad was snoozing on the high ledge. I grabbed my satchel and sprinted outside.
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