Escaping Hunterville


"It was terribly warm for that time of year...
          A humid October air stuck to my skin, leaving my clothes glued to my body, wet from the sweat and humidity. I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I looked on into the sunset, the only thing I could come to find beautiful at the time. For 10 years I sat on the steps of our house on Beachwood Street, and for 10 years I wanted to leave.                                                
          Don't get me wrong, I loved the neighborhood, all of our neighbors couldn't be any nicer to me; but it's not the surroundings that plagued me, it's what was going on right there in my own house.
          For 10 goddamned years the screaming, the yelling, the atmosphere itself had been the reason I spent my nights alone sitting right there on those steps. Sometimes I didn't even go inside to sleep at night, I'd just curl up on the bench on our porch and drift into a worried sleep. I always found myself hoping that the next day would be different, but it never was. Luckily, I had my school to escape from that hell, but it's always there leering in the back of my mind. When I got home, I'd spend my time outside with my guitar, pouring into it the emotions that I could confide in no one else...
          She'd call me in for dinner, and that's when it usually began...something didn't taste good, or dinner wasn't on time, or the house was dirty...something always pushed him over the edge. I'd absorb myself into my food, staring at it like it was mesmerizing me. But in the background, it was there. I tried so intently to block out the sound of his fist landing on her face; her hands pummeling him as fierce as they could. But it was no use…
          I'd finish my food as quickly as possible, and then slowly slip outside to just get away. In a few hours, the cries would die down, but I refused to go inside. I still remember the day I finally decided I hated both of them, and I despised even living with them. Even their hugs in the morning before I went off to school disgusted me. I didn't want them touching me with the same hands they used in anger the night before.
          Then came the night that it was somehow different, the screaming was worse, the blows rained down faster and harder than ever before. Oh God, then the gunshots…
          I knew what had happened; I just dropped my head into my hands and began to cry…
          The neighbors obviously heard what had gone on, because the next thing I knew, the lady next door was shaking me, asking me if I was okay. But I didn't answer her, I knew they were both dead. All I could do was cry…that's all I wanted to do…"
          I turned and look into the eyes of my wife, they were covered in tears; and I pulled her close to me, and kiss her forehead, and said "It's okay…I have you now, and you are all I could ever need…I love you." I returned my gaze to that house that tortured me 8 years ago. I watched as the wrecking ball smashed through the roof, then through the walls. I felt myself let out a little smile as it suddenly collapsed. I heard my wife whisper into my ear "I love you", and I turned and hugged her tightly, then said
          "Let's get outta here…"
          We took one last look at the now pile of rubble that used to be that fucking house. Then, we walked away, to never return again…

0 comments:

Post a Comment