She was tall and skinny.
He was the same.
She had hazel eyes that'll melt your heart.
He had green shark-like eyes.
She was smart and innocent.
He was a troublemaker.
She was everything he dreamed of.
He was the same for her.

They began to fall in love.
Everything was so perfect.
He made her smile everyday.
She cheered him on at every game.

They grew up,
Had new jobs,
A house,
And a daughter on the way.

They were pleased and loved the little girl.
They took care of her.
Their love was strong.

Jobs got harder.
Money became scarce.
Alcohol was the new love.

The child was ten at the time, spending time with her brother while he was babysitting her. They made paintings and raced each other around the yard. Her mother said she, along with her father, would pick her up at 8 p.m. Time had passed, dinner had been eaten. The little girl had grown tired and fallen asleep on the couch. She was awoken to her mother slamming the door shut.

The clock read 2:00 a.m. The child’s mother grabbed her by the arm, told her that her dad isn't feeling well and not to be rude. She dragged her out the door and put her in the car. Slamming the backseat door. The mother climbed into the driver’s seat. The father started to protest saying he can drive half way home. The father started to complain and began growing more angry with every sip of beer.

Emotions became actions as he forcefully hit the mom over and over until she pulled over on the side of the freeway for him to drive. His fist became an imprint on her cheek.The father stepped out. The little girl heard the locking of the door and the banging on the window. The mother and daughter cried in unison. The mother told the child she would be right out and to lock the doors.

She stepped out but didn’t realize the child’s father had already gotten in. The mother started to scream as he worked his way to the back seat. He began to hit the girl as a punishment to her mother. The child fell back and hit her head on the opposite window. Hard. Her eyesight grew fuzzy and black as she fell asleep. Her mother began to cry harder. She grabbed her child and put her in her arms. She threw the father out and locked the daughter in the car. Punches, tears, cries for help began to grow louder and louder.

The little girl woke up and looked out the window. She found her mother on the ground but her father is nowhere to be found. She found the phone and called her brother, screaming at him to please help.

Mother and child race home leaving the brother and father behind. They hurriedly packed their belongings before the father and brother arrive. They aren’t finished when they hear them.

Father and son are fighting. The father tried choking the son, pinning him against the wall. The child starts to scream catching her father's eye as he sprints over to her asking if she's okay.

The child becomes soft-eyed and runs to her brother, grabbing him. She locked all the doors leaving her father alone with his new lover and child.

Alcohol.