Bethany watched in horror as her stepfather beat her mother. Even at the age of ten, she knew what he was doing was wrong. She wanted to help her mom, but she was too frightened. The last time she had intervened, her stepfather had hit her so hard, she had a black eye and couldn't go to school for a week.
Her mom screamed as her hair was yanked so hard, her head was lifted off of the kitchen floor Ray had her pinned to. She tried to get out from under him, but his weight wouldn't allow it.
"I asked you once, you fuckin whore! I won't ask you again! Now answer me!!"
"I don't know, Ray!! I swear!!"
Bethany wasn't even sure what they were fighting about. She had came home from school when the fight was already in progress. She knew all too well how it felt to be at the center of his drunken rages. On more than one occasion her mom had to pull Ray off of her.
When her mom didn't give the answer Ray was looking for, he gave her head a punch so hard, Bethany could swear she heard bones breaking. Then he slammed her head on the hard tile floor. Bethany saw the blood oozing from under her mother's head. Her mom went silent. Ray shoved her away from him and staggered to his feet.
"What the hell are you looking at?!"
The instant he spoke, Bethany realized she was standing where he could see her. She had thought her hiding spot behind the kitchen door would conceal her from his view. Apparently not.
"Noth..nothing, sir...," she muttered.
He lunged towards her, wrapping his filthy hands around her tender throat before she could run. He leaned in close to her face.
"You're a no good slut just like your mom. Fuck with me and you'll get the same thing she did. Do you understand me, you fuckin retard?!"
She couldn't stop the tears from flowing from her eyes. The horrid smell of his breath made her want to vomit.
"Yes, sir.."
Ray turned back to her mother.
"Get your lazy ass up and fix my supper!"
Her mother didn't move, nor did she make a sound. Ray kicked her once more for good measure, then spit on her limp, bleeding body.
"Wake your mom up. Now."
He walked to the living room and flopped on their tattered couch. Bethany made sure he was not paying attention before she walked over to her mother. His attention was on the TV. If she couldn't wake her mom up easily this time, Ray would take his anger out on Bethany again.
She gently touched her mother's shoulder.
"Mom?", she asked softly. "Please wake up.. Please.."
Bethany's tears dropped onto her mother's swollen face.
"I made you a Mother's Day card at school today. I colored it purple. Your favorite color.. I even wrote you a poem inside it.."
Bethany wasn't sure why she was talking about this to her mom right now. She just felt like she needed to say something positive, something that would get her mom's mind off the pain she was surely in.
"Maybe on Mother's Day this Sunday, we can make breakfast together like we used to.."
Since Ray had come into their lives four years ago, she had spent very little time with her mom. Ray made sure of that. He seemed to be jealous of any attention her mom gave her.
Her mom still hadn't moved or said a word. Bethany collapsed on top of her mother's body, crying like she never had before. She laid her head upon her mom's chest and sobbed. Not even the pain Ray inflicted upon her hurt as much as seeing her mom like this. It only took a second after her sobs subsided for Bethany to notice she didn't hear a heartbeat. A heartbeat that had comforted her so many times before. In a panic, she yanked her mom's shoulders.
"Mom!! Mommy, please no!!!"
She ran to Ray.
"She's not breathing! I can't hear her heart beating!"
"Good," Ray replied. "I hope that bitch is dead."
Bethany's young mind didn't think to call 911. After all, the police had been there many times before and always let Ray off with a warning. Her mom would never press charges on him.
She ran back to her mother and listened for a heartbeat again. Nothing. No breathing either. She curled up beside her mother's body and cried. She wanted to die with her. She had no one left in this world now. No friends. No family. No one at all. Just Ray.. There would be no one to protect her now. No one to save her. No one to love her. Ray had taken the only person that she loved from her.
Without a second thought she walked to her mom's bedroom. She retrieved Ray's pistol from under his pillow. It was loaded. He always made sure of that. She walked into the living room and stood closely behind the couch where Ray was sitting. She aimed for the back of his head and pulled the trigger and watched as his body slumped forward. Suddenly, she felt release. She didn't even mind the blood and brain matter that splattered on her face.
She threw the gun down and walked back to her mother. She leaned down and placed a kiss upon her mom's forehead.
"I love you mom.. Happy Mother's Day.." 
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