Mama Heroin

Rieka opened the front door with her keys, her mind focused solely on quenching her unbearable thirst with a cold glass of water. As she stepped inside the house, the silence that greeted her was comforting.

But just as she was about to head to the kitchen, she heard shuffling coming from Damon's study. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that he was home. She hadn't expected him to be back so early.

Her mind raced with questions, as she made her way towards the kitchen, where the fridge stood. Could it be him? Why was he home so early?

As she reached for the fridge door, she heard the study door open. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned around and saw Damon standing in the doorway.

He had a sly smile on his face as he looked at her. "Well, well, well, isn't it the big bad heroine," he sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rieka stood frozen in the kitchen, her mind trying to process what was happening. She couldn't believe that she was actually face-to-face with the Demon himself.

"Mama's heroin," he continued, his words laced with bitterness. Rieka stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

As she stood there, her mind racing, she couldn't help but notice how different Damon looked. It was almost as if he had transformed into someone else. His eyes seemed colder, his features sharper, and his presence more intimidating.

Rieka couldn't help but feel a sense of fear wash over her. "Why is he at home?" she thought in panic. "Is it just me or does he look scarier than before?"

"Please God , wherever you are I am in desperate need of your kind help right now ."  She prayed within herself.

Rieka had always known that getting involved in Damon and her mother's fights would only end in disaster. She had witnessed their explosive arguments countless times and knew that Damon would not take kindly to anyone interfering.

That's why she always made it a point to stay out of their episodes, no matter how tempting it may be to speak up or help her mother.

But last night, something strange had come over Rieka. As she watched her mother been choked by Damon. She felt a sudden urge to step in and protect her mother.

But at what cost? She regretted every bit of her action, last night. Rieka knew, Damon had never liked her , and now she had gone and made things even worse.

In that moment, she realized that she should have listened to her instincts, like she has always been doing, staying out of it.

But it was too late now. The damage was done and Rieka could only watch as Damon made his way towards her, his eyes narrowed in anger.

Rieka's palms were slick with sweat as she stood frozen in front of Damon. His towering figure and menacing aura made her take involuntary steps back with each one he took towards her.

She could feel her heart racing and her breaths becoming shallow as she tried to come up with a way to escape this situation.

Damon's voice cut through the tense silence, his tone laced with annoyance and superiority. "To think you have grown some muscle to fight and disrespect me in my own house. I'm really feeding you well, don't you think?" His words dripped with sarcasm.

"For the last time, I was not fighting you and what is it with you and respect?" Rieka thought to herself, her internal voice screaming. "And can someone please remind him that respect is earned and not forced upon. You can't just go around demanding for people to respect you when you have no respect for them or yourself!"

But she knew better than to voice her thoughts out loud. Damon was not someone to be crossed, especially when he was in one of his moods. Rieka glanced around, hoping her mom would come out any moment and help her, or even save her from Damon's wrath.

"Your mom is not at home right now, she went to run a little bit of an errand," Damon said, like he had read Rieka's mind. His smile was mischievous and his eyes glinted with a devilish twinkle. "Come on, let's play 'the hunter and the hunted." Rieka's heart dropped.

Rieka started to panic. But before she could even scream Jack Robinson, Damon was already upon her. She tried to run, but he caught her by the arm and pulled her close. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable.

Rieka felt a sharp sting on her face and a loud ringing in her ears. She tried to open her eyes, only for it to be blurred by different colors of stars, as Damon had given her a lip-breaking and ear-shattering slap across her face.

Rieka could feel the sting on her cheek, the hot, metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.She knew something like this might happen, now she's paying the price for her reckless action.

Damon stood in front of her, fists clenched at his sides, his chest heaving with anger. Rieka could see the fury in his eyes, a deep-rooted anger that seemed to consume his whole being. She had seen it many times before, but this time it was different. This time it was directed at her.

As she tried to wipe the blood from her lips, Rieka couldn't help but feel a sense of fear creeping in. She had always been afraid of Damon, but now it was more than just fear. It was a deep-seated terror that made her heart race and her hands tremble.

She could feel his breath on her face, hot and angry, as he towered over her with a menacing look in his eyes. Damon freed his belt from his waist and descended on Rieka, his face twisted in rage.

She tried to shield herself from his blows, but they came down hard and fast, leaving her bruised and battered. Rieka screamed, cried, and begged him to have mercy, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Damon's anger had been simmering since last night, and now it had erupted into a violent outburst.

Rieka had always known he had a temper, but she never thought, she would ever be on the receiving side of that anger.

Damon's fury was uncontrollable as he lashed out at Rieka with his belt. He was fueled by a rage that seemed to have no end, taking out all of his anger and frustration on her.

Rieka could feel the sting of each strike, her body tensing up with pain. She wanted it to stop, she cried, plead, and Rieka was even sure she pleaded with the Igbo language Zella talked about early that day. Cos Rieka couldn't understand half of the things she was saying. The pain was just too unbearable and she wanted to do anything to make it stop.

But all her cries and pleading, fell on deaf ears as Damon continued to unleash his fury on her.

No one has ever layed a hand on Rieka in a painful way. Rieka's late father, was a gentle man, one who always treated his daughter with love and kindness. Rieka was never a problem child to begin with, always obedient and respectful towards her parents.

But now, in front of her stood Damon, a cruel and vicious man, laughing at her pathetic state. Rieka's tears fell like rain as she pleaded with Damon to stop beating her.

But he only laughed harder, relishing in her pain and helplessness. She couldn't believe that someone could be so heartless, so evil. In that moment, Damon was nothing but a demon to her. But Rieka had no choice. She just wanted the beating to stop, to escape this nightmare.

She closed her eyes, praying for it to end.

"Now where went Mama's heroin?" He taunted her.

Rieka curled herself in a ball and sob like her life depends on it.  "Maybe if she shed too many tear and cry louder, he might be satisfied and let her be. She wished.

"The next time you try that shit you pulled last night, I will make sure you regrets ever been part of my world"  he sneered

'Oh dude I'm already regretting been part of your world you evil demon ' Rieka thought internally.

Damon kicked Rieka hard on her side as she whimpered and curled into herself more and sobbed in pain "brat" he cussed and spit on her as he walked out of the front door

Rieka stayed there all curled up and throbbing in pain. Crying seems like a pain job, everything was paining her, even breathing becomes a hard job to her.

She tried to stand up.... " God everywhere hurts" she thought as she dragged herself and her backpack across the floor as limped upstair using the stair handle and wall to balance herself till she get to her room.

Rieka dragged herself to her bed and pulled her legs into her chest , wrapped her arms around her legs and sobbed into into her laps.

That position hurts her a lot but that's just her way of consoling herself. She sobbed for what felt like a lifetime.

As she sat there in a vulnerable state, she couldn't help but think of her late father . She wished he was still alive. He had always been her protector, her safe haven. Even in her worst moments, he had never raised a hand to her in anger. She still remembered vividly how he used to love and treat her  then .

Even a little bruise she got while playing with her fellow kids at the pack will caused him to panicked like she is on the dead bed.

She wished he hadn't left them.

Rieka would do anything just to have her father, back in their life. She believed, their life was so much better when he was still alive.