My Promo-Mentors Writing Challenge: The little boy with the blonde hair
He was always a quiet little boy. That didn’t mean he wasn’t busy. Full of life and energy he was, forever playing all sorts of make-believe games. His favourite ones had always been the ones he used to play on his own.
When he was playing rugby outside with an empty two liter Coke bottle, he would imagine all his favourite local and international players. As they were facing off against each the young boy ran up and down the yard, tackling players whilst dodging others. The game was in full swing. He was scoring tries and kicking the bottle towards the imaginary goal posts. There was commentary, cheers and gasps from the crowd until his team finally won.
One day his grandparents took him to go visit his daddy. He was really excited and also a little bit nervous since he was going for a sleepover.
“How much further?” he asked from the backseat.
“We’re almost there” replied his grandmother.
It was only a few minutes later when they arrived at his daddy’s home. His grandparents stayed for a little while and eventually they left.
It was quite an ordinary day. He ran and played outside, drawn into his little imaginary world, filled with all sorts of wonderful things to do. Fighting Skeletor, chasing after bad guys and just playing around like most boys would.
As daylight started fading away and the darkness had set in, his weary little eyes grew tired as he drifted off into another world filled with dreams.
He can’t remember how long he’d been sleeping for, or what it was that woke him up. He climbed out of his bed and strolled through the house, towards his daddy’s room.
Standing in the darkness he saw his daddy sit atop a woman who had been there that day. Her arms were pinned down under his legs and she kept asking him “Stop, please stop! You’re hurting me!”
His daddy kept hitting down at the women, punching her in the face as he told her “You wanted to. Shut up!”
The little boy stood there in the darkness, watching as his daddy hit the helpless women. He didn't know why his daddy was so angry. He didn't know why his daddy was hurting her. He didn’t know how long he’d been there but then the woman spoke up through her cries and tears.
“Your son is watching” she said.
Suddenly the punching stopped and immediately the little boy ran back to his room. No one ever came to him and eventually, he fell back to sleep.
The following day he saw the woman again. The little boy could see her eyes were blue and swollen. He noticed her bruised lips she told him that his daddy had been hitting her. She didn't speak to him for long and quickly disappeared. That’s all he could remember of her, that and the hurt in her eyes.
At some point his daddy also came to him and told him that she had a gun in her purse and wanted to shoot him. That’s why he hit her. As a little boy he believed what his daddy had told him however he still didn’t like it. He didn’t like to see how helpless she was against his daddy and how he didn’t want to stop when she asked him to.
All the little boy wanted to do was go back home. Back to his home with his grandparents. He couldn't remember if he ever told them what happened that night. He was just a quiet little boy after all.
As the years passed the little boy made a promise to himself to never lift a hand to a woman. Whether it was because of what that little boy saw or the fact that at his home, with his grandparents, there was nothing like that, he could not tell. All he knew was that day, he would never, ever forget.
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It was years later that I really met the man that called himself my father! The beating that that little boy saw will stay with him forever, as it still does for me! Cowards they all are that assaults a woman! Blessings and Upvoted!
Yes, it's not a pretty sight. The sad part is that some might see it as being ok and follow in their fathers footsteps. Thanks for the comment. Much appreciated :)
Great reminder to never lift your hand to another human being no matter whether it is a man or woman.
Indeed. The only time you should is when you have to defend yourself or those that need to be defended... it has to be the last option available before you raise your hands.
Shoo @therneau, that was such a bad sad story, but very well written and a valuable lesson!
Very good story, it touched my heart on behalf of all the battered woman. May all men start to make the vow that little boy made.
I would be over the moon if that had to happen :) It grinds me that men do that.
Oh wow such a deep and sad story. I'm glad that in the end a valuable lesson was learnt. Still super sad though.
It was quite hard to write it. Completely out of my comfort zone :) Then again, I suppose that's the best way to develop and grow. Pushing your personal boundaries a bit.
I am glad you tried something different! Can imagine how tough this was to write about.
Although it was hard to write about, I feel it was a good writing experience. It comes from a deep and personal space which is something I'm not used to being so forthcoming about. Thanks for hosting such a great competition and I'm looking forward to some potential future one's to participate in :) I appreciate your comment.
Thank you for your entry @therneau!