Eddie's heart was beating out of his chest. At just seventeen, he had witnessed his dad beat the absolute sh*t out of his mom. Eddie screamed. Eddie cried. Eddie threatened to call the cops. Nothing he said or screamed seemed to help the scenario that played out in front of him. This wasn't uncommon. This wasn't a one-time, random, ill-fated, evening. This was an all-the-damn-time occurrance. His dad would come home completely blasted, he would storm through the trailer and find things to pick at. Once he fixated on something, nothing could change his dad's mind - sh*t was going down. 

This night was no different, but it was worse. This time around, his dad wasn't stopping. His mom wasn't moving or screaming anymore. If he didn't do something now, this was it. This would be the absolute last time at the cost of his mothers life. Hands shaking, Eddie charged at his dad, knocking him to the floor. Sh*t. Sh*t....sh*t! Before Eddie could grab a weapon, his dad was on top of him blowing punch after punch. 

Managing to claw his way out from under his dad, Eddie scrambled to his feet, blood dripping like a running faucet from his face, "F uck. YOU." he spat, backing away slowly, a phone now in his hand. His dad scowled, "You're a f***ing coward, Eddie. I didn't raise no snitch." 

"Yeah, well, I hope you rot. You piece of absolute shi-" and just like that hands were wrapped around his neck so tight that not one fraction of air could fill his lungs. Time slowed, the room began spinning, his big brown eyes blurred with tears as he clenched the phone in one hand, while his other was attemping to pry his dad's hands off of his neck. One last surge of adrenaline proved useful, and Eddie crashed the phone into the side of his dad's head. His grip loosened on Eddie's neck, and the boy flew to his feet and towards the front door.

"You better run, boy. I'll f***ing kill you!" and with one last fear stricken look at his mom crumpled on the floor, Eddie threw open the door and bolted out of the trailer so fast that he nearly face-planted into the dirt. He could hear heavy footsteps behind him, and the loading of a gun. He'd never ran so fast in his life, as bullets whizzed past him, and he ducked and dodged blindly. 

The neighbors must have heard, because sirens wailed in the distance. 

Eddie never stopped running.