Darkness

• Elhiza Lamont, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2019

Darkness surrounds me.

I feel nothing, see nothing but I taste blood and hear whispers, getting louder until they’re shouts.

“Ava!” I bolt upright at the sound of my name. A nightmare.

“Ava Jade Johnson! Get down here!” I quickly follow my father’s orders.

I run down stairs, where I heard his voice coming from. As I walk into the kitchen I see shattered glass on the floor, beer dripping off the edges.

“Clean it up.” I can hear the alcohol intertwined with his voice. “Yes, father.” I reply softly already starting to clean up his mess. I properly cleaning up the shattered bottle, I walk out. As I pass the living room I tell father I’m going out.

“Get me some alcohol.”

“Father I- we don’t have enough money for that, I barely have any money left to pay for food let alone rent!” I argue back regretting it immediately.

He stood up looming over me staring into my soul, “What did you just say?” He growled out.

“N-nothing!” I stuttered nervously, “I’ll go get your alcohol”. At that, I scampered towards the front door, glancing at my mother’s picture on the way out. My mother, Avell, died five years ago, I was ten. My father, Avery, was driving. It had been date night, they were coming home when a kangaroo jumped on the road and in my father’s effort to dodge it he lost control and crashed the car.

My train of thought ended as I approached the liquor store. I go to find the cheapest alcohol I can. As I walk up to the counter the same routine occurred, mothers ID, cursory glance and I pay in cash. As I leave I look at my watch I’ve got to get home.

I finish eating, having had a parade of insults thrown at me I head up to my room, placing my earphones in and playing music. A few minutes pass and I hear my father storming up the stairs. Oh no, what did I do? He bursts through the door a beer bottle in hand, the alcohol I had just bought. “What did I tell you last time!?” I take a closer look at the bottle recognising it.

“That you hate that brand and I should never buy it again” I say quietly.

“Exactly!” He yells “So… Why, Did You Buy It AGAIN!?”.

“It was an honest mistake, I took the cheapest-!” I yell.

Slap. Thud.

I fall to the ground. Hurt. Slurs of curses spewing out his mouth hitting me. Eventually he storms out leaving me on the floor. Physically fine, I get up. Mind broken. I walk into the bathroom tears streaming down my face. I dig through the drawers, finding what I need. I pick up the blade starting to cut, watching the blood run down my arm until my vision starts to cloud with black dots, which start to take over completely.

Darkness that’s all I’m left with.

Darkness my old friend.