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    It's night now.  Paula went to her friend Linda's house for a slumber party.  Aunt Cora is stretched out on the couch reading a boring old romance novel.  I've been watching MTV, but they aren't showing any videos--just stupid game shows and stuff.  I thought the M stood more Music.  Shows what I get for thinking.

     I switch over to HBO, but they're showing a movie that came out on video months ago.  I turn off the TV and flip through one of my X-Men comics.  Wolverine is smiling at a bad guy and SNIKT!  Six inch adamantium claws pop out of his knuckles.  No one messes with Wolverine.  He's cool.  I wish I had claws like that.  I'd show Daddy then.

     I look over at my aunt.  "Aunt Cora," I say.  "Can I have some punch juice?"

     "If you get it yourself."

     I go into the kitchen pretending I'm Wolverine and that Daddy is standing in front of me with a belt.  "Don't even think it, bub," I whisper and go into slashing movements.  "There.  You won't hurt anyone ever again."

     I get a glass out of the dishwasher, drop ice cubes in it and take the Hawaiian Punch out of the fridge.  I spill some on the counter when I pour it, but that isn't a big deal.  The ice cracks as the red juice fills the glass.  Red like Daddy's blood when Mommy made him go away.  Like Mommy's blood when she made herself go away.

     I reach for the glass, but I think I hear something beside me.  I spin and my hand brushes the glass off the counter.  It crashes on the floor breaking into little pieces.

     "Davey!" my aunt screams and runs into the room looking all worried.

     I bunch up my shoulders.  "I'm sorry.  I dropped the glass."

     She pulls me into a hug and holds me till I think I'm not going to be able to breathe.  "It's okay, Davey," she says.  "I thought you were hurt."

     She finally lets me go and kneels down to pick up the broken bits of glass.  I hand her the towel that hangs from the handle of the refrigerator and she sets it on the spill.

     "Can I get another glass?" I ask.

     "How about a plastic cup?"

     "Okay."

     I turn to open the dishwasher and see Daddy opening a cabinet.  He smiles at me and my heart speeds up.  Aunt Cora must not be able to see him.  He's pushing a stack of plates closer to the edge of the cabinet.

     "Aunt Cora!" I yell.  "Look out!"

     The plates fly out of the cabinet.  Aunt Cora turns toward me instead of moving and the plates smash on her shoulder and arm.  She screams and I'm scared Daddy's going to do something horrible.  He's standing over her.

     "Stupid bitch," he says.  "You think you can move into my house and try to raise my kids?  I forbid it!"

     He slaps her across the face.  Maybe she can't see him, but she can sure feel him.  I grab Daddy's arm.  "Leave her alone!"

     He hits me and I fall down.

     "Dead God, please help us!" Aunt Cora cries.  She crawls over to me, covers me with her body and lets Daddy pound away.  My cheek hurts bad where Daddy hit me.  If I was Wolverine, one punch wouldn't even faze me.  I'd pop out my claws and rip Daddy apart.  But I'm just me and I hurt and I can hardly breathe with Aunt Cora on top of me and all I can do is cry.

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