Sound of Caution

With exaggerated care I slowly, cautiously and quietly stepped back towards the cold floor of the bathroom, before he woke up. One step at a time. Moving slowly so his eyes would hopefully not register my movement. I imagined the animal on seeing its predator, where the predator was not yet aware of the prey presence would attempt to negotiate its way back to safety. My aim was to reach that same spot on the bathroom floor I been told to be at. Slow step, by slow, slow step. Delicately shifting my balance….. When suddenly. He moved. He shifted his head and his mouth smacked as his head lolled back against the chair. His eyes had closed again and I retreated more quickly now. Concerned that my opportunity was past. I must regain the necessary position before he revived and looked to check on me. I was now back to the bathroom and moving into the position. I could see my fathers head against the back of his armchair. Then, a snort, as he coughed a little, and woke himself. I stopped exactly where I was. I was not quite where I should be. Almost, but not quite there. He turned his head to look into the bathroom and on seeing me standing in my pyjamas, almost appeared surprised. As if he had forgotten I was there.

Then I saw his memory return. Sharply. He pushed himself up from his chair and moved heavily towards where I stood. About two feet off from the ‘assigned position’. Would he notice I wondered. I would not wonder for long. It was either going to matter or it wasn’t. It didn’t. He came into the doorway and blearily looked at me. He sniffed. A large nasal sniff. “Well?” he asked as if he had already questioned me. I looked blankly at him. “Do you understand?” I couldn’t agree to the question as I didn’t know what I was agreeing to. Was he meaning, did I understand I was going to be further punished for moving? I slowly nodded. Tentative, and unsure. “Right, then get to bed.” He stated as he pointed me towards my room (Technically, it was around the corner, but I took the opportunity and moved forward). “And don’t do anything so stupid again.” He said, clipping the back of my head for good measure as I went to pass him.

I quickly made my way, relieved, to my room where my other brothers slept and climbed gratefully into the now well-cooled sheets. The extra warmth of the heavy blanket was wonderful. My feet, I tried to squeeze into one, to get the warmth back into them. I was sore from the cramps I had experienced. I was tired from the unexpected night time activities, and I knew tomorrow I would have some bruises and marks. But just then, with the pressure off my feet, with the thick blanket and the main punishment finally done. I could sleep. The ‘sleep of the innocent’. And I was. Sort of.

(Continued tomorrow)