Father is Him

"Where have you been?" father asks. I wipe my tears and masks. "Out with friends." I reply. "LIAR! You think you're so sly! Step back. 1. 2. Flinch. "Stepping back, I see." he takes 3, 4 steps forwards. "Because you're scary!" 5, 6 steps backwards. "Stay away!" I scream. "Or I'll be the snitch." "She won't believe a 16 year old girl," he snarls. "Cause she loves me." I curl my fists and punch his face breaking his nose. I run outside and spray him with an acidic water-filled hose. 7. 8. 9. Walk through the gate and out to the street. 10. 11. 12. Run. Run. Run. Run. Run. Run, says my feet. 13. 14. 15. To my mother's workplace where it is serene. 16. 17. 18. To my mother's workplace where he cannot intervene. "Mama, I stood up to him, just like you said I should do." "That's good. Just wait. I need to do something, too." So I wait here until I faint because he is there.