Russell Nohelty

It started with a bang. No, a slap. My mother's head hit the floor. My father stood over her. We had to get out. If we didn't, my dad would kill her. So, we ran.

Pop’s house smelled of musk, born from years of neglect. Waves of stale air knocked the wind out of me.

Thirty-seven minutes, fourteen seconds. Rosalie reamed my mother for thirty-seven minutes, fourteen seconds.

It took two hours to walk into the middle of town. I used half an oxygen tank and needed seven rest stops, but eventually we made it.

I went through the whole morning without seeing her. Finally, at lunch Penny made an appearance.

I’d missed 60% of school days since I started at East Willow Middle, so when the principal pulled me into her office I wasn’t surprised in the least.

I sat at lunch in silence, staring off into space. Frank prattled on about one thing or another: school, movies, video games, some test he took.

Yva and I woke to darkness, neither of us wanting to move. We lost ourselves in the woods. Yva droned on and on about her ship.

I woke up in the E.R. Yva sat by my side, hands cupped in mumbled prayer. Mom stormed in like a bull in a china shop, almost crushing Yva in the process.

It was the end. A fitting end to a terrible year.