WEINI - An Escapade

She stood up painfully. She was sick, but she went to the table and picked up her mobile phone. She dialled a number which is so familiar - my father's. She started crying, tears streaming down her face. Her pretty cheeks that was once pink but still flawless. She was beautiful when she was younger. I swear she was, I saw the pictures. When her smiles was carefree... When wrinkles of worries, didn't line her features like railway...

"Why are you outside? Where is your conscience???" she half shouted, and half cried down the phone.

"Wha... what?" he said angrily.

"MUM!!!" I said, preventing her from saying anything that might anger him further. I know he was drunk. I could hear the slurr in his voice. And I was scared.

She hung up the phone and broke down. I was angry. I was angry why she did that. Didn't she know how he'd come back with blood-shot eyes and threaten to kill her? Why was she doing that?

I knew something bad was going to happen. I sensed it. I told her to keep quiet when he comes home. She said she's been really patient. She was really patient and she's tired of trying to put up with him. Trying to keep it all together.

He came back. "What did you say just now? What was the last line you said?" he asked in a low hiss. I saw his dangerous eyes. His crouched posture. I knew what was coming. I knew. I closed my eyes. Wishing all of this would just go away. When he suddenly shouted, my eyes sprang open instinctively. It was coming. It was coming.

"I said you have no conscience!" she said. Shut up! Shut up!!! Stop!!!

"What???" he shouted. I said SHUT UP!!!

"What have you ever done for this family?" she said tearfully. No!! No!!!

He grabbed the nearest thing, a bamboo chair and wanted to hit her. I jumped in front of her as she shrunk as small as possible, like a frightened child. I should be the one shrinking. Kill me! Not her! She knew it was coming too. I can see it in her eyes. My sisters were crying. How can you do this to your children??? They are so young and innocent! They don't deserve to see this! Their father! I ushered them into my room and closed them in.

I tried to cool the both of them down. After a long time, I the calmed down. I felt that he was too much! He was blaming everything on my mother. She hyperventilated and I panicked. A father can show his love to his children by loving their mother. No, he didn't know what was his responsiblities as a father other than working and feeding us. His friends were more important.

After they went to sleep. My mom in the room and my dad in the living room, I went back to sleep. I was in and out of sleep. I was afraid that something might happen if I really slept. I strained my ears for something fishy. Just in case one of them decided to do something stupid when everyone was asleep. When no one could stop them. I was afraid.

Morning crept in sorrowfully. In a very melancholic way. Like it's mourning over the post-arguments. The house was quiet. Too quiet... what was wrong? I opened my bedroom door carefully. It squeaked painfully of rust. My dad's gone. Working.

My mum walked over and picked up her phone again. She called again. I tried and stop her...

I tried to talk to her. She told me about how she misses her deceased mother. She talked about how my dad promised her everything every woman want but like everybody else, didn't fulfil any of it. They never went on a honeymoon. But it doesn't matter anymore. She told me how my father's family treated her. Like a slave. Like a nobody. Like... life was something to be played with.

I cried. My grandparents? My uncles? My aunt? Doing that? I wanted them dead. I wanted ALL of them DEAD! I can't believe it. My mum! Crying! They don't deserve their beautiful, perfect life. They DON'T!

I'm afraid. Afraid of what might happen later. Of what might happen when he's home. He said he's calmed down... but he's unpredictable. I don't ever know how he'd react. I wanna hide. Sleep and never wake up. I want an escape. To a peaceful world.

But how? But when?