It seemed quiet for a couple of days. Perhaps it's the honeymoon stage that they talk about in the fear circle of abuse.

In the beginning they're nice, then it's the nit picking, then name calling, followed by physical abuse, followed by the apology. The back to the honeymoon stage, then round and round we go. It just cycles over and over. I had finished a shift at work and received a family bucket of chicken. 

Going to the front door, I walked up the stairs toward the kitchen and placed the bucket of chicken on the table. I heard some rapid-fire speech between husband and wife then Mrs. D picked up the bucket of chicken and passed it to me.

She waved me off as if to say, take it and go. So I left but not so fast as to not catch the glare of Mr. D's eyes on me. I took the chicken downstairs wondering what the issue was and what the exchange was about. Once again, all the hairs across my neck and arms were standing up at attention. My spidey sense was tingling louder than usual. I listened closely to the rise and fall of their voices. I knew what I was listening for too.  The tell tale signs of danger.

The clip of syllables and the deep rumble of Mr. D's voice clearly sounded malevolent to me...like a growl.

Mrs. D's voice sounded the opposite. Placating and soft. It was unclear whether the voices were escalating or descalating. After a while the voices quieted but I still didnt like it. 

I leaned back and listened, then felt myself drift off into a light sleep.

I was dreaming.

I knew this because I could see his fist come at me faster than life. Nothing in reality could move that fast and no fist could be so big. Just when I was sure of connection, my eyes snapped open.

I looked around, it was dark and I still hadn't taken off my work clothes. Quietly I changed into a night shirt. Then I ate a quick piece of chicken, lay down on the couch once again. It was quiet. It was much too quiet. It was happening or, something was going to happen. I could feel it in my bones. A shimmer deep within the marrow radiating outward. I waited, there was no sound but, that feeling still persisted. I waited so long that finally, I began to drift away again. Sleep took me for the next few hours. The reason for my trepidation made itself known. So much so I thought the sound would break my ear drums. "Aaargghhhhaarghhaaaiiieeee!!" 

I ran to the stairwell in time to see Mrs. D getting  tossed down the steps to the landing at my feet. I looked up in time to see Mr. D had thrown something heavy and dark which bounced off my skull.

Starlight, blackness...lights out....