Looking over at the stove, I notice there is still plenty to eat as long as he doesn’t go for second and thirds this time.

Polishing off his plate of food, he asks for another helping. A sinking feeling in my stomach, I realize that today I will be hungry. There is only enough left to feed one small person on the stove. Nancy and I will have to share.

Finishing his second plate, he stands leaving his plate on the table. He looks directly at me, and my heart starts pounding at what I might have done to warrant his attention today on my birthday.

"Spencer, come with me." Backing into Nancy for protection, I stare at him. "Nancy, clean up the mess in here!"

Before I can move, he grabs my arm pulling me violently towards the hallway. Throwing me into my bedroom door, "Get in there. NOW!" he screams.

Entering my room, I notice my unmade bed. How could I have forgotten? I know it’s against the rules. It’s number seven in his list of rules.

"Spencer?" I look at him even though I know exactly what he’s going to say. "You must be punished in order to receive forgiveness."

Before I can blink, his hand has made contact with my face sending me to the ground. I can taste the blood in my mouth from the cut.

"You know better then to let your room get dirty" He’s standing directly over me now. I quickly look around my room to notice the rest of the room is spotless; however, he changes that very quickly. His arms sweep across the top of my dressers sending everything to the ground. The glass items shatter.

Anger getting the better of him, he tears through the rest of my room pulling out all my clothes and dumping them on the floor. He looks around the room quickly spotting the mouse sitting on my bed. It’s Fievel from the An American Tale movie. My grandparents had gotten him for me before they died. He is the only thing I have to remember my family by. Everything else was sold or given away at Uncle Earl’s request. He takes him off the bed. Looking at him for a moment, He rips his head off.