Broken & Torn (Emerald Falls #1)

Prologue

Lyla - 8 Years Old

I hold my knees to my chest and try to catch my breath. The fear paralyzes me, my body shaking uncontrollably. This always happens when I hear my dad yelling. His booming voice feels as if it shakes the entire house, right down to its bones. I don’t know what my parents are arguing about this time, but it always feels unsafe when they get into it. The unease crushes my chest, making it even more difficult to take a breath.

My mom is crying and my own tears stream down my cheeks. I want to run to her, comfort her. She always tells me to hide when Dad comes home after my bedtime, so I stay put, despite my urge to be next to her. I love my mom and hearing her so upset makes me sick. I don’t understand why my dad always screams at her when he comes home. He’s rarely around for dinner and then barges into the house late at night, slurring his words and waving his hands angrily.

Tonight, when my mother heard him walk through the door, she slowly made her way downstairs. At first, I heard hushed whispers. Then their voices grew louder, until my dad started yelling. At the height of the volume, I quickly jump out of bed and run to my closet. Sitting on the floor, I realize that I spend too much time in here. My Barbies are laid out around me, and there’s a pillow already set out for the times I spend hours here. This is my safe space and it drowns out the voices a little bit.

My parents continue to scream at each other, and I hear my mom’s sobs as they reach their peak. I shut my eyes tightly and try to take a few slow breaths. The panic settles in as their fight escalates, and despite my best efforts, my breathing becomes rapid. I tuck my head into my body and rock back and forth. It feels like there’s a fist around my heart, squeezing it tightly as I sob into my knees.

Parents were supposed to love each other or break up and live in different houses. But my parents are stuck in between. It’s a never-ending cycle of fighting or not speaking at all.

Doors slam and the yelling continues well into the night, carrying into the morning. My house is always full of chaos and I sit and pray for the day that I feel safe.