“The River” By Harry Alexiou-

Looking at the reflection in the water of the man standing behind her, she rippled the water with a deft touch. He disappeared, as he had done on the previous nineteen occasions.

“What do want from me?” No reply came.

Melissa was alone; her voice calm, but her inner-self trembled, aghast with fear. Delicate tears spilled onto perfect, velvety cheeks as she fought the demons refusing to let her be.

He’d deserved to die and she thought it was the end of him, wanted it to be. She could no longer bear the nightly arguments culminating in pitiful screams and heart wrenching sobs. Melissa dared not leave her room to check on her mother; what if he turned on her too. The battered and bruised face, come morning, told her all she needed to know about her father. Mother had said not to make a fuss, “It was just daddy’s way,” she’d said, through accepting tears.

Melissa would never forget the day he died, the day the house fell silent, a beautiful silence which he would never, ever, break.

“Let’s leave your mother to do the house chores, he demanded, “The river’s running real fast today, let’s go take a look.”

“But I have lots of homework daddy.”

“Goddamn it Melissa, you need fresh air, now come with me!”

“Okay daddy,” her stomach, knotted with fear as she pulled on her favourite pink jacket and matching Wellington-boots.

She followed him out the back door toward the river, his work-boots stomped the leaves underfoot as he hurried off, leaving her to follow the alcohol trail emanating from his every pore. The river had always been her quiet place, to escape from the shouts and cries, but today he’d wanted to go there. She hated how he treated mother and wanted, with all her heart that he leave them and go far, far away and never come back. Melissa knew this could never happen.

“Come on, stop dawdling kid!”

“I’m going as fast as I can daddy.”

He stopped and turned, glowering, “What did you say!”

Melissa froze, eyes wide and open mouthed, the words trapped. The rushing of the not too distant river, the only sound she could hear above the thumping of her heart.

“I’m sorry” she whispered.

“Lucky for you I'm in a good mood girl.” He turned and forged ahead. “Keep up!”

She trotted along trying to keep up with the long, purposeful, strides of her father. The fallen branch was well concealed but just proud enough to halt her progress and she fell to the ground gashing her knee. Melissa dared not scream out as she spat out dead leaves and earth, recovering to her feet, so he wouldn't notice. She looked at the sleeve of her favourite jacket, ripped in two places, and then the tears came, in quiet floods, her grazed knee forgotten. Heartbroken, she hurried to catch up but the moment of epiphany which overtook her shifted her focus to something altogether more pressing than her torn jacket. All at once she knew what to do as she glared at her father, who now stood at the water’s edge. He beckoned for her to hurry up then turned to face the river, fists on hips. She picked up the pace, her unblinking eyes bore into his back as she charged at him, a child possessed.

The impact had been harder than she'd expected; she bounced back to the ground and watched him struggle for balance, his arms flailing as he tipped awkwardly into the raging torrent. She stood, gasping for air, just in time to see his head strike a large boulder, his body no longer fighting for life as it hurtled down river smashing into another boulder. Transfixed, she watched him disappear and suppressed an unexpected urge to call for help. He was gone, forever gone.

Melissa shook herself from the flashback. She was sure he wasn't coming back but her deep seated fear remained as she stood and turned back toward the house. She'd be back again tomorrow, just to check one more time.