Chapter 8 - THE BREAKFAST OF BITTERNESS
The sun was fully up now,
flooding my room with bright light,
making the headache feel much worse,
I washed my face in the sink,
avoiding the bandage on my scalp,
looking at my reflection in glass,
my face was pale and bruised,
dark circles under my swollen eyes,
I looked like a different person,
someone who had survived a war,
I packed a small canvas backpack,
putting in some clean clothes,
my passport and my bank card,
I did not have much money,
but I had enough for a bus,
and a cheap room for a week,
I walked down the creaking stairs,
holding the railing very tightly,
mom was sitting at the kitchen table,
a cold cup of coffee in front,
she had not slept either tonight,
her eyes were red and angry,
where do you think you are going,
she asked in a harsh voice,
I am leaving this house,
I told her with a flat tone,
I cannot live with a monster,
and I cannot live with a liar,
mom stood up from her chair quickly,
knocking the coffee cup over,
the dark liquid spilled everywhere,
staining the white plastic tablecloth,
don't you dare walk out on me,
she yelled across the messy kitchen,
you caused this entire disaster,
you are going to court tomorrow,
and you are going to tell them,
that you lied to the police officers,
you will tell them you were confused,
because of the head injury,
if you don't do that for us,
you are no longer my daughter,
I will throw your things away,
I will give him your room,
I looked at her for a moment,
feeling a strange sense of pity,
she was completely broken inside,
blinded by her toxic motherly love,
for a son who beat her daughter,
I don't care anymore,
I said very quietly to her,
then I turned my back on her,
May you like
and walked out the front door,
leaving the house in Dayton behind.
