Different

At home.

It was a dark and stormy night, when I finally decided to leave this place, I'd been locked in for a week. My so-called home wasn't a very safe place to grow up in and on a dark and stormy night-similar to this one, Martha Gonzalez decided to claim her own life.

Ever since my mother decided she had enough of this world, she took her own life and transcended to heaven where she thought it would be safer.

I was 5 years old at the time. My mother and I were playing together in the peaceful living room, in front of the fireplace.

It was December 19, year 2002. It was the night before my birthday and on this dark and stormy night, I was too excited to sleep, because my mother gave me permission to stay awake.

Isabella: "Mama, is it midnight yet?" I ask with excitement.

Martha: "Not yet sweetheart." She replies with a small smile on her face.

If only I had gone to bed like she had told me to...

The old grandfather clock struck 11 p.m. with a chime, compelling me to look at it with excitement.

In one more hour it is going to be my birthday.

Isabella: "Mama, where is papa?" I ask, turning to face her with curious eyes.

Martha: "Late, my dear. Aren't you feeling sleepy yet?" She replies, her voice trembling slightly.

Isabella: "Nope. I’m still wide awake." I cheerfully reply.

Martha: "That’s strange, normally you're already dreaming by this time. You must be really excited for your birthday."

Isabella: "Yes!" I exclaim.

I don’t fail to notice my mother’s discomfort. Her emerald eyes constantly darting to the same place.

The front door.

Maybe she's waiting for papa?

Isabella: "Mama, are you waiting for papa to come back home?" I inquire,

My mother’s emerald eyes divert away from the front door, changing their direction and landing on me.

Martha: "I think it’s time you go to bed. You’re young and still growing and your father wouldn’t be very happy to find you still sitting here at this hour." She dodges the question and gets up quickly.

[Trigger Warning]

At that exact moment, the front door bursts open and hit’s the wall behind it, the loud noise makes the two of us jump in surprise.

A soft gasp escapes my lips.

Oh no... My mother thought.

The heavy smell of alcohol and the fragrance of cheap cigarettes enters the house along with the 6 foot tall, highly intoxicated male.

Gabriel: "Martha! Where you at?! Where is this damn women hiding?!" He slurs, his voice booming throughout the entire living room.

My father, Gabriel Gonzalez stumbled in through the front door with hooded eyes. Those chestnut eyes that spotted our two trembling silhouettes, glared daggers.

Gabriel: "Martha?" He asks, his voice sounding rather deep and raspy. "Is that Isa? What the hell is that freak still doing up?!" He angrily slurred the rest of his words. "You know I don’t like looking at her.

I flinch at the harshness of his words.

He slowly started inching closer towards us. Feeling fearful, I grab onto my mother’s white evening gown.

As soon as papa got close enough to us. He shoves me, forcing me to loosen my grip on my mother’s evening gown and hit the floor with a thud.

My mother saw this and rushed towards me in order to help me up from the floor, but my father grabbed a fist full of her wavy brown locks. Preventing her by yanking her and throwing her across the room in one swift motion.

Martha: "Ah!" She yelps.

Isabella: "Mama!

Gabriel: "Shut up, you damn brat! Go to bed or else you’ll get a whipping from yours truly." He slurs while pointing towards the stairs. "-and you!" He faces my mother. "Get me a beer." He then proceeds to plant himself in one of the fluffy sofas in the living room.

Martha: "Don’t you think that you may have had enough to drink?" She nervously suggests. He looks at her. "Dear...?" She adds.

Gabriel shot up from the sofa and charged at her. Swinging his arm back with full force, he punches her square in the face, and this knocks her out badly.

Isabella: "Mama!" I exclaim, unintentionally drawing my father’s attention towards me. An unsettling chill runs down my spine.

What should I do?

He takes a slow threatening step towards me and before he can get to me, I rise to my feet and take up a defensive stance.

Without another thought, I charge towards him with all the strength my tiny body can must up and collide with his, the alcohol aiding me by making him stumble backwards.

Gabriel: "What the-get off of me!" He demands in frustration.

He struggles to loosen my grip. As I try my best to hold on for dear life, he finally manages to break free and throws me onto the floor, making me hit the side of my head.

Isabella: "Ouch!" I hold my hand up against the side of my head as it begins to throb.

My mother finally wakes up, confused. The feeling of her throbbing cheek brings her back to the situation at hand. She spots Gabriel’s towering form standing over me and her eyes go wide with fright.

Martha: "Gabriel! She yells.

His head snapping back in her direction, makes him leave me and stumble back towards her side.

Martha: "Please...leave her alone. She did nothing wrong." She pleads, her voice barely audible.

Gabriel: "“Nothing wrong?” Really, Martha? That girl’s only fault is that she came into this world breathing! She ruined my life!" He exclaims while pointing at me.

Martha: "Please don’t say that. She’s your daughter." She pleads once more.

Gabriel: "My daughter?! Whatever that 'thing' is, it is most definitely not my daughter." He states. "She’s a curse. A freak!" He grabs the back of her hair again. "So, next time. Don’t. Ever. Mention. Her."

He roughly shoves her face away before rising to his full height and gives me a look that could kill.