Holding on to 'chelle

HOLDING ON TO 'CHELLE

'Get from here,' Keith shouted at his wife as she left, 'and don't come
back.'

Having just told him she had been having an affair for the past few
months, she was now leaving him and her daughter.

As she opened the door, Ceri cam from upstairs to see what all the
shouting was about. Her mother ignored her and continued her hourney.
'W-W-What's the mara dad?' she asked, opening the passage door.

Leaving his daughter unanswered, he reached to the side of his chair
for a bottle of wine. Quickly unscrewing the cap, he drank as Ceri
watched.

Drinking a while, he looked to his daughter, 'Wha' are yer looking at?'
he felt the wine start to take effect.

'W-W..' Ceri could not ask what she wanted to know.

'Yer ma ha' gone and it is 'loddy good riddance to her,' he said,
before drinking from the bottle once more.

Finishing his drink, he smashed the bottle against the side of the
chair. Some of the broken became embedded into his hand. 'Come here,'
he said to Ceri as soft as possible. She was a girl who would frighten
easy.

Seeing him drunk, Ceri was hesitant.

'Come here,' his voice rose.

Ceri showed she had to think twice before doing what was asked.
'W-W-What do you want?' she asked, nearing.

'I want to tell you something,' he said as he lay heavily against the
arm of the chair, his arm hanging over the side. 'I want to tell you
where yer ma ha' gone.'

Wanting to know, she did what was asked.

Trying to reach to hold his daughter, she stood at arm's length. 'Don't
dad, you are drunk,' she nearly cried.

Rising, he hiccupped, 'I am not 'runk,' he pointed his finger to Ceri
and fell to where he earlier sat, his arm falling over the side.

'Y-You are.' Ceri ran from the room, going upstairs, her hair swishing
back and forth as she ran.

'Don't lea' da',' he shouted after her.

Taking no notice of him, she went into her bedroom, playing with her
games once more.

'Come yer,' his temper grew. He did not want his daughter to leave him
like his wife just did. Pushing himself up, he walked in a drunken
stupor to the door. 'Da'y will come and tell yer then.' He looked at
the floor as he walked.

Holding onto the bannister, he slowly ascended the stairs, dragging his
feet on the vertical side of each one.

There was no place to hide for Ceri, and she was terrified upon hearing
him. 'D-Don't dad,' she shouted. 'I-I d-don't w-want to see you in this
s-s-s-state.' Her stuttering was worse than it had been for a long
while. She was scared and there was nothing she could do. 'Go d-down
dad. I d-don't want to ssee you.'

The door opened, hitting the wall unit behind it. Keith saw his
daughter sat on the floor, looking to the door.

'N-no dad, g-g-g-go pl-please.'

'Yer are no' going' to walk ou' on me.' He entered the room, slamming
the door behind him. Standing with his feet firmly apart, he took his
belt off.

'N-N-No,' she screamed at him.

Going to her, he pulled her by the arm to stand and face him. 'Yer are
no' 'eavin' me now.'

Ceri stood - her body shaking - and shook her head.

'Yer women are all the same,' he said, not realising it was his
daughter he was speaking to. His wife wasn't here and he was too drunk
to realise the real world and what he was doing in it.

'N-N-No dad,' she shouted as he rose the belt above his head.

Dragging the belt down, the noise was deafening as it seared the
enptiness, hitting Ceri's clothes. 'Yer deserved tha' 'chelle,' he
said. The belt rose again, 'Yer shouldn' ha' che'ed on me,' and brought
it down hard once more.

Giving a sharp cry, Ceri tried pulling herself from her father.

'Yer are goin' nowhere,' his force was stronger.

Throwing her onto the bed, he repeated himself, 'Yer are going'
nowhere,' and walked towards the bed.

Letting his belt drop to the floor, he was surprised to see Ceri kick
out hard at him. 'Don' do tha' to me. Yer are stayin' wi' me.'

'No dad,' Ceri screamed.

'Yer che'ed on me 'chelle, and I am goin' to mae yer pay.' He wanted to
teach his wife a lesson - if only he was sober.

'Dad, I am not mam,' Ceri cried as he jumped on her. 'I am n-n-n-not
mam,' she tried telling him once more.

Not listening, he hit her across the face.

Ceri cried hard, covering her face with her hands.

'Don' hi' yer face,' Keith said, pulling them from her face. 'I wan' to
see wha' a sla' lo' li'.' He pulled her clothes from her, leaving her
bare as far as the underwear she wore.

'L-L-Leave me dad. I w-w-want to go. You are d-drunk and I w-want to
get out b-before you do any-anything you may regret.'

'Yer are no' lea'ing me. I am going' to keep yer here wi' me.' He
reached for his belt from the floor. Hitting her across the body again,
he said, 'No-one will wan' yer now. Nobody wans anyone who ha' been
mark li' tha'.'

Ceri kicked out at him once more and he kelled over this time.

As she climbed over him, he grabbed her arm,'Don' go,' he
whispered.

'I have to dad,' she tried to realise his grip.

Holding her tight, his fingernails dug into her skin.

Seeing blood, she said, 'D-D-Dad l-l-let me go.' The blod ran down her
arm, onto the floor in front of her.

'No!,' he smiled.

'D-dad, I am not mam.'

'Yes,' he pulled her towards him.

'No!' she shouted when she gave a last pull to free herself.

''chelle, yer can' lea'. I won' know wha' to do wi' meself.' He pleaded
with her to stay.

'I am not mam,' she said, pleased to be free, but in danger as long as
she remained in the house.

Running to the bathroom, she grabbed a towel from the radiator,
wrapping it around herself to run down the stairs.

'Don' go,' she heard her father cry.

Looking back, she had to continue with her journey. 'B-B.' She felt
nervous inside and left the house before finishing what she started to
say.

Hearing the door slam, Keith shouteed, 'Don' go.' The words echoed
throughout the house to the sign of empty corners. He was alone and had
dreaded this moment. There was no-one to share his life with and it was
all his wife's fault. She should not have left the second time, and
would not be given a third chance, if she came back.