text: TW: abuse As mum avoided our piercing stares as she dropped the dishes on the table to occupy herself, hoping that today’s dinner would not end in a fight. She sat down quietly and looked like she was suffering from a heat stroke. We knew that was not the case, she was just trying to find her voice. “Let’s say our prayers” She said a bit meekly as she bent her head down. I glanced at dad, who did not care much for the prayers or the food as he looked at mum with disdain in his eyes, he did not even bother to hide it from us, his three kids...or so we thought until a few days ago. After mum had said the prayers without much contribution from the rest of us, she looked at Elsa, my younger sister with pleading eyes. Elsa stood up and served the food quietly. I looked at mum and she nodded. I was to pour the water. Why couldn’t everyone just serve themselves? I thought to myself as stood up and picked up the jar of water. I had a bitter taste in my mouth as I went over to pour some for my dad. He still had the stench of cigarettes and alcohol on him. I did not have to think much before knowing that he had been to the club. He looked up at me with a glare that felt murderous, and the jar of water almost slipped off my hands. I quickly left him and went over to my mum. As she handed me her glass for me to pour the water in, I noticed the fresh red bruises on her clear dark skin. I was immediately filled with a dangerous rage, I clenched my jaws because I knew I had to control it, otherwise the whole situation will go way worse. I tasted a strong iron liquid in my mouth, it was blood. I had bitten myself when I clenched my jaws, I got a headache from the suppressed anger. I poured the water a bit clumsily with shaking hands, spilling some water on the table. I felt my dads angry gaze on me, and I looked at mum, “It’s ok Betty, I’ll clean it up.” She said with a smile as she picked up a tablecloth that was on her other sides and wiped the table gently. I sent her a smile of gratitude as I walked quickly back to my seat. I looked at Tom, my older who was sitting by me. He had clenched jaws and I could see his hands were in fists under the table. He was sweating and looked like someone who would commit murder. I put my hands under the table and maneuvered my hand onto his sweaty palm and have his hand a gentle squeeze. He looked at me and I smiled comfortingly and understandingly. “It’ll be okay” I mouthed to him. He raised his eyebrows up in disbelief to say that I was lying. He knew me well, or he knew there was no escape from here. I unclasped my hand from his and took a spoon of my soup, which had already gone cold. Tom started on his soup too. We both knew that if we did not, dad would get mad and blame it on mum. Elsa had started eating a while ago and was almost done with hers. I felt the soup in my mouth as I put my spoon in, the way it slid into my throat as I was secretly praying that time would fly quickly to escape this dreadful dinner. Halfway through the dinner, dad dropped his spoon with a loud clatter as the spoon hit the plate. “This is the worst thing that has ever entered my mouth Ava. If the soup turned out like this, you should have just served me cardboard, even that would have been better witch!” he bellowed angrily as he stared at mum who was looking at him nervously. “I’ll find you something else. I’m sorry” She replied getting up and going into the kitchen. I could see her tensed shoulders, which was once as flexible as a gymnast. Her wrinkled face, that could have once been passed for that of a model. Her bruised skin, that was once clear and soft and the envy of anyone who knew her. She was one of the best cooks I knew, and I knew dad was only looking for a fight. Mum came back with a plate of noodles and as she was about to drop it, dad hit the plate out of her hands intentionally with a smirk as it landed on mum’s feet. “Aaah!” Mum shouted as she moved back instinctively. Elsa, Tom and I all stood up and rushed to help her. I could see the burn marks and glass shards on her feet. We helped mum to her seat gently and carefully. I knew dad was not done; he never was. I was about to leave mums side when she held my hand quickly and gave me a questioning look. “I have to” I said freeing myself from her grasp. I headed towards dad and stood in front of him, giving him no space to maneuver me. I summoned all the courage I had and with trembling hands and knees, I said in the loudest and most commanding voice I could summon, “Dad, you have to stop this nonsense” I could not believe what I had just said. I could feel Tom and Elsa’s shocked gaze on me. Dad himself looked shocked, bust as he got over the shock, his pale skin turned tomato red with anger. “You do not tell me what to do missy” He said and now, I felt I could say anything. It was like someone had drugged me with courage. “Someone has to tell you what to do. It seems you weren’t given enough training”. I said in response. “You are protecting a witch and talking back to your father, you have committed a big sin. God will never forgive you.” He said bringing out a cigar and a lighter. He lighted it swiftly and took in a big puff. “I am not the one who beats his wife, has a lover and bastard kids. If there is anyone in this house who is a witch, and who committed an unforgivable sin, then that would be you!” I shouted in a matter-of-fact way. I could see his wrinkles become more defined and saw his lips twitch as I finished my sentence. I felt proud but not for much longer. Dad released a puff of smoke in my face and as I exhaled the smoke I started to cough uncontrollably. I staggered back as I felt my dad’s fist on my cheek. I felt the throbbing pain that felt like someone was injecting me on the cheek. I could not see clearly with my right eye and I felt the iron taste of blood in my mouth very strongly. Then I felt a hand firmly hold my throat and push me against the wall. Suddenly, I was face to face with my dad trying to choke me. I looked slowly to my right at my mum and siblings, and I could see the fear on their faces. Elsa was slowly moving towards the telephone while dad was busy with me and I could the anger brewing in Tom. I knew I had to buy Elsa more time, so I spat on dad with disgust on my face and then I felt another stinging slap on my face. “Who is the witch and sinner now dad?” I croaked out as he was still trying to choke me. I felt his grip tighten around my throat and I started to hit him and kick but that did not help, he was like a statue. I felt helpless and in pain. I felt my body go limp and weak and I started having black spots and could not see clearly with my good eye anymore. Just as I thought I was going to die; I felt my dad’s grip disappear as he grunted and a I heard a thud on the floor. I gradually started to see more clearly and the first thing I saw was my dad, on the ground, unconscious and my brother standing over him with clenched fists. Just as I was about to comfort my brother, I felt the world around me go dark as I collapsed on the floor. “She is going to be okay. They both are” I heard an unfamiliar voice say calmly as I opened my eyes to find myself in a white tin can smelling of bleach that just so happened to be a medical van. I tried to sit up, but I still felt weird and then I got a sensory overload from the lights and then the sound of siren. I tried getting up again and this time I was able to. I stood up slowly and I felt my hip throb in pain, I guess that was where I had landed on. When I got out, I saw Tom, Elsa and mum talking to police officers and that is when I saw dad’s angry face through the window of a police car. When Mum saw me, she rushed towards me with a hug as she said, “You were so brave, we’ll be ok now. Peter’s going to go to jail.” I smiled in relief as I breathed in the scent of her jasmine perfume as my head lay on her soft bosom.