Welcome To My Life

• Kristy Wild, Grade 11, John Pirie Secondary School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

I don’t know why I thought that today would have been normal. No arguments or accidents, but I was far from right with that one. Running out of bed I make my way out the back to come face to face with a disaster. Food, drinks, even the freezer door was laying on the ground messed up and staining the brick tiles, it reminded me of a garbage dump.
Turning towards my mum who had just exited the house to join me I asked her “What the hell happened here?”
“Your father is what happened”
I know that my parents have had fights in the past but none as bad as getting to the point where the fridge, freezer had been destroyed.
A crunching nose brings me back from my thoughts where I look up and see my dad walking towards us. His normal face was replaced with one of anger as he glared at my mum then his attention became directed towards myself. Feeling the fear inside myself I turned around and ran inside the house before he could say anything. The last thing I heard before I had entered my room was the echoes of my parent’s voices as they screamed at each other.
Why? Why did my family have to go through all of this pain? We had done nothing wrong. I mean first the murder of my older sister and now this. After all we’ve been through why couldn’t we figure out something as miner as this, I mean it’s not so miner but for our family it kind of is.
Feeling something cold run down my face I only just discover the silent tears that make their way down my rosy red cheeks. I mean what am I crying for I’m supposed to be the older sister, I’m supposed to be brave for my younger siblings. For Christ’s sakes I’m already sixteen I shouldn’t be acting like a baby, but for some reason I just can’t help it.
My parent’s yells become louder as they make their way into the house. Sighing I begin to wipe my tears away and make my way out of my room heading towards my younger siblings room. Walking towards Connor’s bed I lay down beside him and I cradle him closely towards my chest. By the wetness of his face I can tell that he has been crying, he’s only ten he shouldn’t have to deal with this.
“It’s ok Connor I’m here for you and I always will be”
“I love you”
“I love you too and remember I’ll always be here to protect both you and Isobel”
“Ok I’ll remember”
Hearing how his voice cracks at the end broke my heart into a million pieces. I bring him back into a bone crushing hug as I run my hands through his hair, over and over again until I hear his breath even out and I slowly begin to full asleep myself.
Welcome to my life.