It's dark outside swollen rain clouds fill the sky br Like the very depths of this imperfect heart br Thunder rattles the sky and lightning brightens the heavens as they began to cry br I hug myself tightly as the storm inside my house starts br br My father storms in alcohol moving through his veins br His voice almost mutes the thunder overhead br As he shouts only my name br I just cower in a corner instead br br I her his footsteps coming up the stairs br Each footstep makes my heart skip in the worst way br He reaches the second floor my door swings open with him standing there br He stands breathing heavily br br He walks over to me I'm praying not again please br His hand encoils around my neck tightly br My feeble hands try to remove his but there is no sign of release br I find no voice or air to scream help me br br What feels like a mallet hits me in the left cheek br And then another one in the right and nose br Hope for rescue begins to look bleak br Blood slides from my nose to my lip like a stream from a hose br br Eventually lack of oxygen makes me collapse br I wake up hours late the taste of blood is fresh br Dried blood covers my chin, lips, and nose I know this won't be the last br That for being imperfect I'm severely punishedbr br Patrick Shieldsbr br