This is in response to Challenge # 8 from Brenda Ross. Check out her challenges at:
http://www.geocities.com/brerfoxkaleidscope/challenges.html

“Come on Samuel!” Sandy yelled.
Sam knew his mother was angry when she used his full name. His little legs ran beside her long strides causing him to stumble. Sandy sighed and yanked him to his feet again. Sam’s chubby hand clutched the red candied apple. He licked it quickly and savored the sweetness while his eyes devoured the visual of others eating caramel popcorn and cotton candy. The rides loomed in the background. He could feel his mother’s intense anxiousness and thought of his father’s icy blue eyes waiting for them at home. Sam knew he must hurry or he would get more than a yank on the arm later. He didn’t see the connection, but he automatically licked the candied apple to comfort himself. He heard someone say ‘I’m sorry’ and couldn’t decipher what his mother mumbled under her breath. He was just pleased that it wasn’t him that she was cursing. Droplets of rain fell upon his half-eaten apple and suddenly he felt himself lifted into the air. Riding on his mother’s hip he saw their blue car in the distance and wished real hard that his father wasn’t home.

Sandy brushed her long bony fingers through her blonde matted hair. She couldn’t believe she’d been so stupid. She raced through the crowd chiding herself silently for spending her husband’s hard-earned money on frivolous fun. What had she been thinking? It seemed innocent enough when Sam begged her to take him. Joe, her husband, would still be at the construction site and would never know they’d gone to the fair. Sandy had already warned Sam of the consequences if Joe was to find out. Her shadow circled brown eyes darted from the crowd to the clouds. She felt it was an omen of the storm awaiting her at home. If she hurried they’d make it home before Joe knew they were gone. She vaguely noticed a woman trance-like in her path and she purposely bumped into her. It was her way of releasing her anger and feeling some sense of control. Sam was slowing her down and she quickly swept him up and ran towards the car. The rain began to sprinkle upon them and not able to hold back the emotions flooding within her, she allowed a tear to flow. Sandy knew God was punishing her, but why she didn’t know.

Joe grabbed a beer from the fridge and threw the beer cap on the counter. He wiped his wet face with the dishtowel and downed half the beer in one swallow. The rain whipped hard against the kitchen window and Joe cursed out loud.
“Where the hell is she?”
As if on cue, the front door opened and Sandy rushed in carrying Sam on her hip.
“Hi, Joe!” she yelled towards the kitchen. “I have to get Sam out of these wet clothes. I’ll be down in a minute.” She started up the staircase in the hopes Joe wouldn’t see them.
“Hold on a minute! Where’ve you been?” Joe stormed into the living room carrying his beer.
“I took Sam to the fair.” Sandy answered as she raced up the stairs. Joe was right behind her.
“You took Sam to the fair. The house’s a pigsty and no supper to eat and you’re off wasting money at the fair!”
“Please, Joe. I’ll have supper ready in half an hour. Just let me get Sam changed first. Besides, I only spent ten dollars.”
“Only ten dollars! Do you know it takes me almost an hour’s hard work to make that ten bucks?”
Sandy pushed Sam into his bedroom and quickly closed the door. The sounds of muffled crying echoed through the hallway. Joe gulped down the remainder of beer never taking his eyes off Sandy. She started to pass by but he grabbed her by the hair and slammed her up against the wall. Sandy winced and cowered. Joe raised the empty bottle above her head and the beer bottle shattered against the wall. He covered her mouth with his bloodied hand.
“Don’t you dare scream!”
Sam wailed from the bedroom and Sandy prayed he would stop screaming. She could taste the blood from his hand and squirmed as Joe turned slightly towards Sam’s door.
“You get in there and shut him up! And be downstairs in five minutes, you hear!” Sandy nodded and Joe released her.
“And clean up this mess!” He pointed towards the broken glass as he turned away. Sandy felt the years of torment and anger rise up and she ran towards the staircase. As Joe took his first step she plunged into his body and sent him reeling down the staircase, tumbling after him. She clutched a stair rung to break her fall and watched as Joe fell into a heap at the bottom. He didn’t move. Sandy stared at the blood oozing from the back of his head. Sam’s screams brought her back. Slowly she walked into Sam’s bedroom and comforted him.
“It’s okay now, Sam.” Sandy stroked his head in her arms. “Let’s go into mommy’s room.”
“Where’s d-daddy?”
“Daddy had an accident and I have to call for help. It’ll be okay, I promise.”
“Is Daddy gonna hit me too, Mommy?”
“No, Daddy won’t ever hit you again. We’re home now. We’re really home.”
Sam wrapped his trembling arms around Sandy’s neck. “I’m afraid of Daddy. I don’t want to be home!”
“Home will be different now, Sam. Home is where the heart is, and our hearts are truly home. You’ll see.”
Sandy picked up the receiver and started dialing. Sam rested his head against her breast.

©2001 Dallas Franklin