We Close Our Eyes

• Laura Miller, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2010

No-one talks. Only muffled sobs are heard. Dad wipes tears from his eyes and I do the same. The casket is now covered and everyone starts to leave.
“I can’t believe it Jacob,” wails Cassie. Neither can I, I think to myself. I wave good-bye to Mum’s grave, as we turn to go.
Dad’s taking her death the hardest. Night after night he stumbles into the house, goes to his room and cries. I want to help him but he’s violent when he’s drunk, and there have been times when I’ve felt his belt on my legs.
I try my luck today and go to his room. He’s sitting on the floor holding his gun. I tentatively stand near the door-way watching him. He sees me and says, “Do you want to live with Mummy forever?” I say yes but quickly turn and run as he aims at me.
Within a month I’m walking to school. I go past Cassie’s house and the usual shouting is heard. Cassie runs out the front door.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Mum’s in that mood again,” Cassie quietly responds and I notice a fresh bruise on her neck that neatly matches the one next to it.
At school everyone knows what happens to Cassie but they tease her and say she’s weak. I try to get help from the teachers but they don’t want to concern themselves and it makes me very mad. Cassie is a great friend, I can tell her my greatest secrets and deepest thoughts and she can do the same. She doesn’t laugh when I cry and tell me to be a man like Dad says.
The home-bell sounds and Cassie and I run towards the forest.
“Last one there’s the rotten egg,” Cassie shouts as she runs to our tree-house.
“Yeah right,” I yell from behind.
The sun goes down and we’re still there. We know we’re in trouble when we get home.
“Jacob,” Cassie murmurs.
“Yes,” I say.
“I want to run away,”
“So do I,”
The following day we make plans to leave forever.
“I’ll call my sister Christie, in the city, and she’ll look after us,” Cassie says excitedly.
On the eve of our departure, Dad staggers into the house, drunk. He goes to the lounge-room and orders a glass of whiskey. I give it to him but I’m too slow. He grabs his belt and lashes it across my legs.
We’re walking to school for the final time and I’m glad. The day seems to never end and it starts drizzling. The bell goes and we quickly run to the tree-house, grab our clothes we’d stashed earlier and run to find Christie as Cassie had arranged.
Christie’s there waiting and as soon as we get into the car, she speeds off. The rain becomes heavier and no-one can see. We’re onto the highway and two bright lights come towards us. Christie swerves and brakes but her car won’t stop. We scream as the car rolls down the hill, but Christie’s silent. The car plunges into darkness.
Water creeps into the car slowly but it’s already up to my knees. We try opening the doors. They won’t budge and neither will the windows. No one hears our screams for help. I move closer to Cassie and we hold each other tight, even when the water is up to our necks. We look each other in the eye and I mouth the words, “Don’t be scared.”
We close our eyes.