Sunday, August 20, 2006

Untitled.

Gracie Ann was daydreaming again. She let out a sigh as she stared out her bedroom window. The sky was grayish blue and a storm was blowing in off the sea. Oh how many times had she sat at her window and wished she was a beautiful horse running across the cliffs with the sea air blowing through her mane; for she so longed for a carefree life away from her mother and her problems. At night when the sky was full of bright stars and there wasn't a cloud in sight, she would wish on the stars to wake up in another life, a life full of hugs and kisses and her mother's love would surround her like a warm blanket. There was a loud clang and the front door downstairs slammed shut and the trinkets on the walls vibrated in her room. Her mother was home and she was forced back to reality. Soon she would have to face her mother's wrath, every day there was something new that she did wrong and her mother was just itching to punish her for it. Gracie Ann's shoulders slumped, her bright red locks spilled down her back and framed her delicate face in a swirl of fire. Her pale blue eyes full of desperation. Gracie Ann did not know her father. She dreamed of him often and imagined that he would come for her some day, especially on days like this. When her mother was in rare form, her temper could rival the storm blowing in from the sea. She knew she wouldn't have to wait long, her mother was coming up the stairs, one steady thump at a time. Gracie Ann stood in the middle of the room, staring at the door handle, waiting. It turns slowly and swings open violently. In the door way stood a middle aged woman, her hair a mix of salt and pepper pulled up into a tight bun, her skin leathery from too many years of working on the docks, her plaid dress tattered and torn. Gracie Ann looked into her mothers eyes, bright with the fire of her anger. Slowly, her mother looked around the room looking for anything out of place. Gracie Ann had been careful, she had spent the day making sure everything was in its correct place. She knew her mother well, and she did not want to spent the night in the learning room. Her mother let out a snort of disgust and turned on her heel and slowly started down the stairs. Gracie exhaled slowly, she didn't realize she had been holding her breath. She stood there weighing her options.