Chapter 4 - Shattered Glass

There was a loud bang on the door and a man screamed from the other side. Then he cursed loudly and started banging again. William heard a pair of light footsteps rush by just outside his bedroom door. His heart was pounding heavily. He knew what was coming. Quietly he stood up from his table, tiptoed to the door, and listened. There was a loud yell and he jumped back from the door. Sweat trickled down his face. He swallowed hard.

Suddenly a woman screamed. That was it! He opened the door and stepped out into the landing. Down below, his mother lay curled up on the floor, sobbing. A man stood above her, wavering unsteadily on his feet, undoubtedly inebriated. He was holding an empty bottle above his head, threatening to hit her.

William ran down the stairs just as his father started to call out his name in a loud, intoxicated voice.

"You and your mother can sleep outside tonight!" he yelled, flinging the bottle across the room. It had been intended to hit Will but his present condition greatly affected his aim and instead flew straight towards a glass bookshelf, shattering it and scattering pieces of broken glass all around.

Susan screamed, and Edward screamed at her. William ran over and held his mother. He helped the sobbing Susan to her feet and away from his father, but failed to escape the sudden kick and it struck his face with all its intended might. Edward stumbled forward and collapsed on the floor. He was fast asleep.

William sat down on the couch beside his mother and put a comforting arm around her. She had calmed down a bit, but still couldn't stop the tears streaming down her flushed face. Her hair was in a mess and her nightgown was ruffled and ripped at her left shoulder. She sat very still. Anyone who saw her then wouldn't believe she was only 36. She bore the look of one who had once dreamt big but now had nothing. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her gown.

"Oh! William . . ." she said at last in a weak, trembling voice. A solitary tear trickled off her right eye and swiftly traced a path down her face. She made no attempt to disturb its silent journey.

William tightened his hold on his mother and quickly wiped his own eyes with his other hand. How had things become this crazy? When? He could clearly remember how, once upon a time, they were living happily. How they had imagined "ever after" was just guaranteed to follow.

William felt his mother tremble.

Everything had fallen apart. Everything. Now he couldn't trust anything, because he feared it would betray them any given moment. Like everything else had. There was nothing, no one to turn to. In the end, the only thing he could ever hope to trust was his own heart.

"William . . . I don't know what to do!"

He closed his eyes. 'Yes, you do,' he said in his heart.

But you're afraid.

Like me.