Do not come down those stairs until I say so,
do you hear me?
His face was blood-filled, hard, veins popping
in his neck.
Yes, Daddy.
I scuttled away
so he couldn’t get to me.
I missed lunch.
I missed dinner.
As he left for work the next morning
I opened the door an inch
then closed it again.
By the evening
my stomach was stinging.
Allie? Dad called up the stairs.
You home from school?
I rushed on to the landing.
I’ve been in my bedroom, I told him.
You said I wasn’t to leave.
He sucked his teeth.
You’re a real idiot
sometimes, you know that?