Zero Degrees Part 1 - By Leo Sullivan Page 0,2

guardian is present,” he said in a caring voice as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. Unexpectedly, I felt a bunch of emotions overwhelm me as something panged deep inside me. I squeezed my eyes closed and tried to block it out. I wanted to chase away the demons and what had led me down that dark and dirty path to death’s door. My mind flashed back to that dreary night.

I was in bed tossing and turning, having the same

dream. Daddy was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, singing merrily off key to one of Alicia Key’s songs. It was hilarious, because he couldn’t sing a lick. Momma and I would be cracking up in giddy laughter. It was his ritual to cook for us every Sunday morning. As I dreamed, I felt the bed move. The covers slid away from my body and a cold draft sent a chill through me. The bed squeaked in complaint as I felt cold, cruel hands roam the midriff of my body and my breasts. My panties were shoved to the side and that’s when my dream turned into a nightmare.

The foul smell of whiskey and cigarettes invaded my nostrils. I opened my eyes in a flash to find Goody in bed my bed. His large hand clamped over my mouth as he climbed on top of me. He was only wearing his boxer shorts and his, big bare chest was crushing me as he pressed me into the mattress. I could feel his large, pulsating dick against my thigh. He placed a finger inside of me roughly. I was a virgin and he was attempting to violate me in the worst way. I thrashed and struggled to no avail. He pulled my panties down as I continued to resist.

In a husky voice he demanded, “Lil’ bitch you know you want this dick. I see how you be watching me.” His words slurred drunkenly. “Now stop fighting me. It won’t hurt that much once I get the head in.”

I was suffocating and I couldn’t breathe because his weight was over bearing. My eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. I was terrified.

“Okay, okay,” I muttered meekly against his hand that was clasped over my mouth. He snickered maliciously and took his hand away.

“Shh… just let me get it in,” he said acting like a fiend as he groped and tried to enter me. My eyes were finally blessed with a sliver of light as a crescent moon faintly shined through the window. I was able to see the miniature crystal lamp on the vanity next to my bed.

I reached for it, but my arm was too short. The whole time, I could feel him prodding and poking as he grunted, trying to get his nasty, old shriveled up thang inside me.

“Bitch, open your legs wider!” He placed a hand on my neck and began to choke me.

“Ugg…okay.” I squirmed underneath him as I tried to breath. My eyes were blurry from tears as I scooted up. I spread my legs wider, but I reached for the lamp at the same time. I was able to grip it and it fit perfectly in my small hand. Just as he was about to enter me, I slammed the lamp against the side of his face with all my might. Glass shattered with a loud bang as most the pieces fell on top of me. He keeled over howling in agony. I dashed out of the room and ran into my mother’s bed room. She was asleep, drunk and completely naked with the covers gathered at her feet. I quickly threw on some clothes and ran out of the house.

For some reason I didn’t want to tell the cop the full details of what my mother’s boyfriend had done to me. I just looked at him with a blank, emotionless stare and told him what I wanted him to know. “Like I told you before, Harold Good, also known as Goody was not a very nice man. My mom started going with him when I was eleven, almost twelve. He was always an asshole who got what he had coming. My mom moved in with him really fast and I hated him the first time I laid eyes on the snake. He beat her every single day. It never failed. When they’d get drunk, or high he’d beat her for hours and then I’d hear them make up. Sometimes after she’d fall asleep, he’d come