the night I will never forget

they say that you aren't supposed to be scared of your family. 

they also say that they are supposed to be there for you;

protect you from harm;

make you happy..for the most part.

what no one ever tells you is that sometimes your family will hurt you. 

they never tell you that your mom will choose drugs and grown men over her own kid.

they never tell you that parents aren't always faithful.

they talk about splitting up but they never talk about never seeing them again.

no one will ever tell you that even though they are family,

even though they are supposed to protect you

they can cause so much damage you can become irreparable.

I remember the day so vividly.

so young.

it circles in my head over and over and every time I close my eyes I see him.

I hear his demands.

I hear the roughness in his voice. 

We were on a camping trip.

A family camping trip.

and then we disappeared into the forest to walk the dog. 

we didn't walk the dog and I was the only one who knew that.

two years later;

everyone found out we didn't walk the dog.

I wasn't the only one.