I was 13 at that time. I lived with my older brother Brendon, who's 19, my mother Jane and....my father Rob. I think you already guessed that the relationship with my father wasn't really good....well....I would even say it was awful and it wasn't only for me but also for my mom and my brother. He gave us all a hard time. In fact I lied. My brother already left home at the age of 17. He couldn't stay a second longer with this man who we are calling father... Now you're asking yourself: "Who is this Rob?" Hmm, let me explain why we hate him so much. First of all, he doesn't care about us. He's never at home, always hitting on new girls, going to clubs, drinking, spending money even though he doesn't work and so my mom has to come with all the expenses and when he's at home, he treats us like garbage, slaps our mom in front of us. He has no shame, he has no respect...he's.....he's just a jerk ! My mom would never give us the reason why she was with someone like him....she wouldn't tell us...oh well. How many times did I suggest her to leave this guy behind...and things got even worse when Brendon left. It was a Sunday night. He had one big argument with Rob and I still don't know exactly what happened because I locked myself in my room and began to cry and cry so I couldn't hear their screams going all over this dark and empty house. I just hoped that this nightmare would have an end.. I just...I just wanted that this father of mine could leave us for ever! But instead, my brother left...such a coward. So my father became more and more aggressive. Two years have passed. I had an older friend. Her name was Sally. She was always nice, cheerful, cute. She was an angel. She was 17 at that time so she was like an older sister to me. Why do I tell you this ? The answer is very simple. She was the one who changed my life completely.
It was a day like any other....or so I thought. I remember it clearly. It was raining heavily that day. I wanted to go to bed, it was 11 p.m. but suddenly I heard a scream of my mother that I've never heard before. I rushed to the living room and I saw this cruel scenery. My mother was laying down, blood coming out from her nose and Rob standing there with his hand lifted up... I didn't know what to think...what to do about this. I ran into my room, took my phone and called my friend Sally. I couldn't even say a whole sentence. I was stuttering and crying. I only told her: "Please.....help....I...can't....anymore....please sally....take me out of this nightmare..." and she said: "...I will". I went to sleep after this.
I thought at first that she said it just to cease my suffering a little bit....but as it appears she was dead serious. The following day, after I finished school, I saw a bunch of police cars and an ambulance in front of my house. My mom was at work so there was only one person who could have been the cause of all this commotion. My father. It was quiet unexpected...or was it ? My father died....not from an illness or an accident...nope...he was murdered. The killer got directly arrested as apparently he stayed with my father after killing him. From that day on, I never heard anything about Sally nor about my brother....until now.
So, I'm 24 right now. After my dad left, it was very peaceful at home with my mom. Now I'm studying architecture and I'm living in a small apartment. Today I decided to visit, after so many years, the killer of my dad. I went to the prison and asked permission to talk with him. I saw him, he was right in front of me, the one who saved me. There was one small moment where we looked at each other and then I broke the silence, with tears in my eyes: "Thank you.....Brendon."
FIN