Heaven

   Slap!

   I was blurred by the shield of tears that covered my eyes. I held my slightly swollen cheek and glared furiously at the man in front of me. 

   "Get out!" There was the familiar alcohol odor as dad breathed right at my face.

   Mom curled up like a ball at a corner. Tears carved their way down her cheeks. She was left stripped half-naked on the floor. My heart felt agony to see her trembling visibly. Red marks of whips can be seen clearly on her shoulders and all over her body at visible spots. 

   "Hey you!Makes sure that damn kid stop crying before I keep him quiet forever!" I cowered as dad's sudden rage broke over me.

   I balled my fist and stared at the heartless man with a mixed expression of anger and hatred. However, mom 's eyes were looking at me pleadingly. Reluctantly, I went to baby's room and attended to my baby brother Nick, who was crying at the top of his lung.

   "Nick,be a good boy,ok?" I cooed the baby, hugged Nick lovingly to my chest. 

  Nick understood my words after all. He stopped crying, looked at me with his innocent eyes and babbled to me in his baby-ish language. My lips were parted for breath in a smile. Nick was the only comfort to mom and I ever since dad changed to the other person after his company downfall. He was a great dad. Stress had pushed him to the other side of personality which we wish we will never find out. 

   "Where do you keep all the money?" I peered through the door crevice and saw the devil's eyes glittered with malice as he moved one step closer towards mom.

   "You've spent them all on alcohols." Mom replied feebly, her eyes widened with fear.

   "Sorry, honey. I think a little lesson will do you some good. I do hate dishonest people." Dad staggered drunkenly towards the old wooden cupboard across the room. He pulled open the drawer with a jerk. He managed to spot a candle and a box of matches inside. There was a look of unmistakable triumph on his face.

   I felt a cold, plunging sensation in my stomach as I watched dad strike a match and lighted the candle. There was no use for me to scream for help as it was midnight and this was quite an isolated place. I prayed fervently, clung on to any thin scrap of hope.

   Dad held the candle which was crackled with flame merrily. Panic spread roaring to its fullest size. My heart was thumping violently against rib cage. Dad acted as if he had lost his mind.

   "Here I come," dad's excitement rose to its height as he staggered towards mom. It had all happened too fast. He tripped over an empty beer bottle on the floor. The candle fell out from his hand and rolled towards the flammable ragged curtains. In a split second, the curtains were caught on fire. The fire crackled joyfully into a song. It spread, swallowed up everything in sight greedily. Dad lied unconsciously on the floor after being knocked out.

Little warning bells were ringing furiously at the back of my mind. Time was running out for me. Hastily, I rushed out of the room with Nick cradled firmly in my left hand and covered my mouth with my other hand. The smoke thickened. I found I started panting heavily. I know I was going to have an asthma attack.

"Mom! Wake up!" I shook my mom's lifeless body violently.

   I had to make sure Nick, mom and I safe. Mom seemed to be completely oblivious to what was happening around her. I tried to help her stood up but in vain as she was too heavy for me, a ten-year-old kid to carry. There was no way for me to leave her alone. Nick stayed still in my arms. Maybe he had fallen asleep. I thought foolishly and watched in despair as my only way out of the house had been blocked by fire. I gasped for air. My hands still clutched tightly to mom's and Nick's. Sleepiness started to roll over me. My eyelids were getting heavier and heavier... 

  Heaven was just a door step away from us...

Ps: This is one of the piece of story I wrote back in form 4. That was the time I used to write a lot of stories with miserable endings. My "depression" era? Perhaps. Anway, I had edited this post. Hope you guys enjoy this!

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