Glass Walls

Chapter 11

"Hey, are you ok?" Libby asks.
I open my eyes and look at her. I've been trying to keep myself awake all day.
"Yeah. I'm just tired that's all." I say groggily.
I pick at my lunch with a fork. I was so tired I accidentally took green beans when I went through the lunch line. I hate green beans.
The only thing I've eaten is a bite of a hamburger and an apple.
"You look dead." Libby says.
I shrug.
"Eh."
She frowns when she looks at my tray.
"You didn't eat your cookie. You always look forward to those."
She catches my friend Damien's attention with the word cookie. He stares at my food.
"You gonna eat that?" he says flipping his long dark hair from his face. I still don't understand why he bothers trying to get it out of his face. His hair goes right back to cover his eyes.
"No. You can have it." I slide my tray towards him and he takes it.

"I know how much you love these so I'll only take half."
He splits it in two and tosses me a half. Damien isn't one to offer food so when he offers you some you best take it. It's his way of being nice and honestly it's a miracle if he shares.
I flash him a weak smile and nibble on the chocolate chip cookie.
"What's going on?" Libby whispers to me.
"Bad dream. Couldn't sleep." I say quietly.
She looks concerned. I wish she wasn't. This whole thing is bound to blow over.
***
You'd think I'd still be freaked out over dad going up to the attic at night to talk to 'someone'. That is not the case anymore. It's more annoying than scary and I worry he's going to hurt himself. His behavior is unsettling but I'm used to it -- sort of.
He was up there carrying on again. Pacing the room, shouting. I doubt he cares to be quite anymore.
I haven't been able to sleep knowing he's up there.
I'm constantly exhausted and tonight I've had enough. I grab my phone, put it in the pocket of my sweat pants, and head out.

I tiptoe to the attic. I'm nervous but I can't let this go on any longer.  I slowly open the door and carefully ascend up the stairs. He's crouched on the floor.
"Dad?" I say quietly.
I walk closer and that's when I notice it. He's carving something into the floor with what looks like a nail.
I don't think he heard me so I speak up. "Dad."
This time I'm heard. He drops whatever's in his hand, stands up, and spins around. He looks to the right of him and his eyes get wide.

Suddenly he pushes me backwards with all his strength and I tumble down the steps. The worn down stairs have splinters sticking up and they pierce my skin.
I'm tangled in a few cobwebs.
"Ahh!" I brush dust, dirt, webs, and a spider off me.
My body hurts and stings. Dad starts coming towards me so I hurry to my feet.
He's crazy!
I sprint as fast as I can and as far away as I can get even though my body aches with fresh bruises. He isn't even running at me, he's walking at a moderate pace.
"Olivia!" he calls. I don't stop, not for a second.
I throw open the door and run outside without bothering to close it. I run back towards the barn and the woods behind the house.
Jewel barks loudly giving away my location.
The grass is wet with dew and it threatens to send me slipping face first into the ground. It's cold as hell out but I would rather freeze than be in that house.
"Olivia!"
My name echoes into the night. I hide on the top floor of the barn behind an old rusted lawn mower.

I hear him calling for me outside. His voice gets closer and closer until it's right outside the barn.
"Olivia! I'm not going to hurt you! Just come back inside." He opens the barn door.

I'm not buying it.
How am I going to get out if he comes up here? I look around and there's a broken window behind me, the glass completely smashed from the frame. I inch closer to it and the floor creaks. Fuck!
I hear him start to climb up the metal ladder. I have to get out!
The first step he takes on the floor alerts me he's here. I look out the window and without giving myself time to think, I jump.
My feet hit the ground and pain sears up through my ankles. The landing made me slip. I pick myself up and run towards the woods ignoring the burning sensation from the impact. He must have heard me because minutes later I hear the slick grass shift underneath his feet at a fast pace.
Sticks and pine needles stab my bare feet. Branches protrude from all angles scraping against my skin but I no longer care. I'm in survival mode now.