On Christmas Eve my father gave me bruises as a little gift. He dragged me down the stairs by my long hair and beat me under the tree’s lights.
“You think Jesus never got a whipping for doing something bad?” he yelled.
He wasn’t drunk and he wasn’t out of his mind either. My father just beat me because he was mean. I didn’t even know what I had done wrong.
“You’re a leech,” he told me. “A leech.”
I wasn’t even sure what a leech was but that night I looked it up in the dictionary.
On Christmas morning my father woke up with my teeth in his arm. That was my little gift.
“What are you doing?” he yelled.
“Being a leech,” I said. “I’m a leech.”
My father didn’t call me a leech no more after that but he did knock out my front teeth. They were just baby teeth, though. I didn’t need them anyway.
Benjamin Grossman 
That’s an emotional piece
Yes. But there is some hope in that we can overcome the past.
Yes indeed. We died to the old wound and born again anew.
Heart breaking.
A sad one! Breaks my hurt when parents are so mean to their little ones!
Agreed. I can’t understand such actions.
Wow. That’s a powerful post.
Sadly too many children suffer like this, but I like the girl’s spirit! She will be a survivor.
Sadly, yes. But you are right: A strong spirit can transcend.
Geez. Ugh. Perfectly written but hard to read too.
Thanks.
My heart aches
Thanks for reading this one. Sad piece, but it’s one of my favorites. Some hope at the end, too.
Yeah, this one is powerful
Enjoyed reading
I agree with you
You are so talented, love reading your words
Keep writing 😊
Thank you again! Wow, that means so much to me. Very special comment. I’ll keep trying. 🙂