Answered Prayers

Sometimes you get your prayers answered, sometimes you get more...

He walks in the house, another day of work behind him. He does not get the purpose anymore. He tries to support his family but every day he gets knocked flat on his a*s. Mortgages he cant pay, credit cards maxed out, and all those high interest loans have came back to bit him in the a*s. Working overtime, no time for the family. Work is all he knows, yet that alone does not solve his problems. Cant afford to put gas in the tank, barely enough to put clothes on his daughters back. On a good night there’s food on the table, other nights they rely on family for dinner.

At school, the daughter is made fun of. Shes poor, nothing but a worthless skank. Everyone hates her, and those who do try to befriend her are considered the outcast of the school. She gets pushed in the halls, spit on, and called names. She sits alone at lunch, and people make fun of her because she gets free lunch, because her family can't afford it. She hates school and just wishes she was invisible because then no one would see her and she would not have to suffer this hell she endures each day.

The wife sits at the house, waiting for her husband to come home from work. She remembers when life was going well, she too had a job. However, in the recession she was laid off. Since then, they have been pinching pennies, both doing what they can for their daughter. She does odd jobs, like cutting grass for neighbors or babysitting. Yet, that still is not enough. She knows they are drowning in endless debt.

At work, the husband brushes the sweet off his face. Working in the hot sun, he can feel the heat. Its 102 today, but he tries to think positive. After all, it was 105 yesterday. The building is almost done. Some people would be happy with that, but not him. After this job is done, he'll have to search long and hard just to make ends meet.

The daughter is walking home from school, and some of the rich kids pull up and call her names. They think they are better then her, simply because their parents have money in the bank. She is tired of their s**t, and cusses them out. Big mistake, as two of the girls get out of the car and chase her down. They beat her until her face is bloodied and busted open. She cries for help, but no one comes to her aid.  Some of her classmates watch as she is being jumped by the mean girls. Why won’t someone save her?

It's almost 4 now; the daughter will be home any second. The mother has a present. It is not much, but at least they were able to get her a gift for her birthday this year. It's 5 after 4, where is she? At 10 after, the daughter walks in crying. Her mother rushes to comfort her. She asks her daughter what’s wrong. The daughter says nothing, and rushes upstairs. The mother decides to wait to give the kid the gift that she and the kid’s dad bought for her birthday. She rushes upstairs to check on her, but her daughter locked the door.  The kid tells her to go away, and the mother decides it's best to give her some time. What the hell happened?

The job is finished. The father is pretty upset that he won't have work until the next job comes in. His job foreman approaches him with some shocking news. The supervisor is impressed with his work ethic and they want to offer him a position in their union, along with a bonus. The husband thanks the man and accepts their offer. Finally, life will be better for his family. He rushes home to tell his family the news, God answered their prayers.

The daughter lies in bed, crying because she has been through so much today. Its her birthday after all! She is tired of having to endure hell at school day in and day out. She tried telling her teacher and principle but they would not listen. Kids will be kids, they say. Today it ends, she says. She opens her dresser, and pulls the rope of death out. She ties the rope around the vent and hangs it. She steps onto a chair and ties it around her neck. This is it, those girls will not torture me anymore, she thinks to herself. She wraps it around the back of her neck, and tightens it. This is it, she kicks the chair out from under her.

The mother sits on the couch, crying. She thinks about how hard she tried to give her daughter this gift. She will enjoy it after all. Sure it’s a old used car, but it’s a car none the less. She won't have to walk to school anymore, now she can drive. Her and her husband made many sacrifices just to give her this gift for her 16th birthday. She decides to go check on her daughter; it's been 30 minutes now. Surely she has calmed down. She knocks on the door, no answer. The mother thinks she went to sleep, but is worried so she gets the key and unlocks the door. As she opens the door, she sees her lifeless daughter hanging there...

The husband is on his way home and can't wait to tell his family the news. Life will be better for them, and there prayers have finally been answered. God has provided for his family after all. They won't have to suffer anymore! As he goes around the curve, he gets stuck in traffic. Up ahead, he sees the lights flashing. Most have been a wreck he thinks. However as traffic forces its way forward he sees where the lights are. They are at his house! He ditches his truck in the traffic, and runs on foot to his house. He sees his wife who is in tears. He sees the EMT's coming out of the house with someone covered in a blanket on the cot. He runs over, and lifts the sheet. It's his daughter, who turned 16 today. He sees the lifeless expression on her face, and falls to the ground.

Author's Note

I wrote this after my fourth beer, I'm trying to figure out if I write better under the influence. Kind of like Edgar Allen Poe, cause he did drugs when he wrote. I'd appreciate criticism as I want to be a better writer.