Did you hear...

Something crashes upsatairs.

I realise it's another fight that you and Malissa are having

It's the 5th time, but this one is worse.

I hear you curse and I hope that my brothers are asleep.

A cry from above and I realise my little step-brother is upstairs.

Isaiah apears at my door and he has tears on his face.

"Mathew is asleep." He says. "And Gracen is upstairs."

Joseph walks up beside him looking grumpy and scared.

Dad curses. Someone hits the floor.

"They need to stop." I say silently hopeing Gracen is o.k.

Isaiah hates dad and Joseph hates Malissa.

I hate both but can't seem to tell the difference between loving dad or fearing him.

I get up from the bed and dad shouts down the stairs.

"So he's dragging us into this." I say.

They nod.

We know the drill.

Go upstairs no questions.

We go.

I'm in front of the group.

I see dad, head bleeding holding Malissa.

I look around for Gracen.

Dad shouts something at me and I don't listen.

I spot Gracen.

Living room.

He's looking at me and he's shaking.

Like a leaf in a stong gusting wind.

His stubby 2 year old hands reach for me.

Dad finishes yelling and begins dragging a crying hooker dressing Malissa away into the living room.

Without hesitating I scoop Gracen up and I run down stairs.

halfway down I realise Joseph and Isaiah are still upstairs.

Before I can react I hear Joseph and Isaiah screaming and the

shattering of glass.

I runupstair with shivering Gracen in my hands and see dad being drug

away in cuffs by police and Malissa lieing her ass of about how dad cut

her arm, even though dad threw her outside and she thrust her hand in

the window in the door to grab dad and cut up his arms.

Dad goes to the police station.

Malissa to a hospitle.

Isaiah, Mathew, and Gracen to their uncles house.

And me and Joseph to a foster home.

Two months later we return home to a still shattered family.

Eventually da broke up with Malissa, but not before fighting again and

slightly fracturing my love for him.

I fear and love my fractured father.