Excerpt: Birds and Invented Cages

The water from the broken vase moved across the table slowly. The smooth wooden edges did not resist it, and the water flowed over like a small waterfall.

‘Oh my GOD, HAL! Grab a towel. The water will stain the wood. Ohhhh” she wailed “ It’s going to ruin the carpet! HURRY!” Hal’s mother screeched and smacked the back of his head with her open hand. She jumped away from the table with her arms up waving them frantically. Hal hurried to the kitchen and returned with a towel. He didn’t say a word to his mother. He knew it was better not to. It would only add to her panic and distress and cause her to lash out more.

“Hal are you stupid? Not that one! It’s dirty! You were just using it to dry the dishes. Go get something else, something clean!” she said. Hal saw his mother dancing from foot to foot out of the corner of his eye. He kept his face smooth, not wanting to give her another excuse to yell. He hurried back to the kitchen and looked in the drawer where he had put folded towels from the laundry that morning. His mother came to the doorway of the kitchen and screeched.

“Hurray, you are too slow. It’s already ruined.” She yelled.

“Mom, it’s ok. I am coming” Hal said. He realized his mistake when he turned around. His mother’s face was beet red, and she looked around wildly.

“Don’t you dare talk back to me. You ignorant shit.” She screamed. She reached for the nearest thing she could pick up. Hal ducked when the frying pan came flying towards his head. It crashed against the wall, breaking the plaster. His mother continued to shout and scream at him. Hal retreated to the corner. There was no way he could make it passed her, not without being hit hard with whatever she had in her hand at the time. It was three steps to the back door, then he could jump out to the porch, to freedom. Unless his father was coming home at the same time, then there would be no use in running. None at all.

As quickly as she exploded, his mother was suddenly quiet. She stood, bracing herself, and breathing heavily. Her hair stuck to her face and sweat dripped from her forehead. Black mascara trailed across her cheeks where tears had gone before. She couldn’t look at Hal. She left him cowering in the corner and stomped upstairs to her bedroom. Hal waited until he heard the slam of the door before standing up again. He breathed a shuddering sigh and started to cry too.
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