1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Warning, this episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. Listener discretion 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: is advised. Lighthouse is a production of iHeartRadio and Bamfur productions. 3 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: When you're eighteen and full of ambition, you don't always 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: think things through. Of course, I was happy to be 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: out of Lighthouse, away from my crumbling family life and 6 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: the oppressive darkness that lived there. For the first time 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: in my entire life, I finally felt free, free to 8 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: pursue what I desired, free to make my own choices, 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: and free from the overbearing gloom that I had grown 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: so accustomed to. College was a high point in my 11 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: life and will forever remain just that. But college doesn't 12 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: last forever. The lulls and studying come more often than 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: I realized. When I left Lighthouse at eighteen, I was 14 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: so sure I wouldn't have to return until I was 15 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: done with my degree, and even then I was hopeful 16 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: to get a job straight from there. You don't think 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: about the holidays or summer breaks, where they often force 18 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: you to leave campus, sending you back home, or people 19 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: often enjoyed the times with their families, not me. If possible, 20 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: I tried to avoid going back to the house by 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: either staying with new friends, taking on odd jobs to 22 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: pay for off campus housing, or in one situation, hiding 23 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: out in my dorm room for two weeks hoping that 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: no one would notice. But during times I had nowhere 25 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: else to go, nowhere else to turn, I returned to Lighthouse, 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: much to my dismay. Even then, I tried to spend 27 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: as much time out of the house as possible, but 28 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, the outcome was the same. 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: I had to return home. My days and nights there 30 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: were filled with more of the same as when I 31 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: was a child, restless evenings and encounters with the various 32 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: entities that roamed its halls. I did my best to 33 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: ignore them, avoiding spots I knew they would frequent, but 34 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: sometimes it was impossible not to engage, and my family 35 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: was well. Things with them were getting worse by the day. 36 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: A part of me was sad I couldn't do anything 37 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: to fix it, But the rest of me was just 38 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: glad I didn't have to watch it unfold before my 39 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: eyes in real time. As much as I wanted to help, 40 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: I couldn't help those who didn't want to help themselves. Instead, 41 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: I merely saw snapshots flashes of the deterioration every three 42 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: months or so when I spent time at the house. 43 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: When I first left for college, I thought my life 44 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 1: was finally just beginning. But when I was finished with college, 45 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: which unfortunately was not on my own terms, I realized 46 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: how low life could get. I had no choice but 47 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: to return to Lighthouse then. But that was not even 48 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: the worst of it. No, that was to come shortly 49 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: after I moved back home and realized that Lighthouse demanded 50 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: a sacrifice, one that my family would pay for. In 51 00:02:54,600 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: Blood Lighthouse, Chapter four, nineteen seventy three. Over my years away, 52 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: my family drifted further and further apart. My father, drunk 53 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: and unemployed, spent what little he had from workers' compensation 54 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: on his vices, spending long days still in his study. 55 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: When he wasn't in there, he was often getting angry 56 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: at the slightest altercations, beating my mother for them, and 57 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: then falling asleep back in his study. It was a 58 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: cycle that was off repeated, and while I was thankful 59 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: to not be privy to it while I was away, 60 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: the moments I did see broke my heart. My mother 61 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: tried to stand up for herself a few times, but 62 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: over the years she stopped trying. She would never win 63 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: in these fights, and though she once had some sway 64 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: over my father's actions, she had lost that since moving 65 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: into the house. Instead, she coped in her own way, 66 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: taking solace in a bottle of her own. She was 67 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,919 Speaker 1: often lost in her thoughts, staring into space, perhaps imagining 68 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: a better life for herself. She once stood tall, a smart, 69 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: respectable woman, conscious of her appearance and self worth. Now 70 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: she was lucky if she even got dressed for the day. 71 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: Alcoholism was beginning to run in the family. Cleanie was 72 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: well despite our meager age difference, it was obvious that 73 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: Lighthouse had stunted her growth and maturity. While there were 74 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: flashes of her acting like a mature young adult, she 75 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: seemed to be stuck as an eight year old version 76 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: of herself. She wasn't making many friends at school and 77 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: often spent her time isolated, much like my parents. However, 78 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: she had a friend, Abigail, who she spoke of often. 79 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: She spent much of her time with her in the 80 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: dark room. Unfortunately, those things concerned me the days leading 81 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: up to my eventual return to Lighthouse. For breaks, I 82 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: was often thrown into a terrible depression. My mood would 83 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: dampen and I was inconsolable. My sleep was plagued with nightmares, 84 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 1: nightmares about everything the house had to offer, and sometimes, 85 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: just sometimes, I thought I would catch glimpses of the 86 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: man in the hat around campus. It was silly to 87 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: think that, of course, as I was sure that he 88 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: couldn't be anywhere but the house. I did have a 89 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: bright spot, someone that could make me feel better and 90 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: showed me that the world I wanted to live in 91 00:05:55,400 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: was worth fighting for. His name was Mark Henderson. I 92 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: met Mark shortly after I arrived at college. I was 93 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: assigned a room, but a few weeks in I began 94 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: to have issues with my roommate. Instead of waiting it 95 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: out until the next semester, my roommate went behind my 96 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,239 Speaker 1: back to complain about me to the housing authority, which 97 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: resulted in my getting a room change, which thankfully worked 98 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: out to my advantage. Anyway, on the day of the move, 99 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: I lugged my suitcases across campus to my new building. 100 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: As the light rain began to fall, I tripped over 101 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: something on my way, perhaps a rock or my own 102 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: clumsy feet, and even though I was fine when the 103 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,359 Speaker 1: suitcases hit the ground. One of them sprang open, clothing 104 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: spilled all over the sidewalk, and with the rain coming 105 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: down harder, they were getting soaked. I quickly dropped to 106 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: my knees, embarrassed and began to grab at everything. The 107 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: wind was picking up and caught some of my shirts 108 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: in the breeze, taking them further away. I was about 109 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: to cry in despair, thinking that I would never catch 110 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: them when he appeared. A strong and handsome Mark grabbed 111 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: the wayward clothing for me and helped me gather everything 112 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: back to where they were supposed to be. I had 113 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: never met him before that moment, but he was kind 114 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: enough to carry my suitcases for me the rest of 115 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: the way. Once inside, both of us drenched, I got 116 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: my first good look at him and instantly fell in 117 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,679 Speaker 1: love and to think all of that before he even 118 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: introduced himself. After that, we were inseparable aside from a 119 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: few puppy love encounters when I was a young girl, 120 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: Mark was my first true boyfriend the entirety of my 121 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: college career. We were together. I spent some holidays with 122 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: him and his family, and even went on vacation a 123 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: time or two. We grew close and I shared everything 124 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: with him, everything but lighthouse. Whenever the topic of my 125 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: family came up, I tried to divert to something else. 126 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: Most of the time, Mark was respectful enough to understand, 127 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: but he did try to at times. The tiny morsels 128 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: of information I gave him seemed to sate his curiosity, 129 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: but I knew eventually I would have to talk to 130 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: him about it, especially since as we got closer to 131 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: our senior year we began to talk about our future together. 132 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: I only mentioned Mark to my family once before realizing 133 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: that it was better not to. My mother seemed wholly uninterested, 134 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: her entire view of marital bliss having gone down the 135 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: drain in recent years. Leani took an attitude as if 136 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: I thought I was better than she was for having 137 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: a boyfriend, and it just started a fight with my father, 138 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: as he didn't like his little girl spending so much 139 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: time with a boy. I'll rip his throat out if 140 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: he lays a hand on you, he said, his violent 141 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: nature seeping out again. The irony of him saying as 142 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: much while he was abusing my mother was not lost 143 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: on me. It was all so strange that he became 144 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: so protective in that moment, since he had been so 145 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: distant for years, perhaps it was meant to be more 146 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: controlling than anything else. He ranted raved After that, I 147 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: let him go until he tired out, and he collapsed 148 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: back in his easy chair before running to my room 149 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: to cry. When I got back to college, Mark consoled 150 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: me over it. He sensed what a toxic environment it 151 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: was there, but he wrongfully assumed it was just because 152 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: of my family. But he was so kind and sweet 153 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: to me and assured me that after school ended, I 154 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: wouldn't have to go back to that house ever again 155 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: if I didn't want to, and I didn't want to, 156 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,719 Speaker 1: I wanted to be with him. Unfortunately, he didn't get 157 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: to keep that promise. At the beginning of our next semester, 158 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: I found Mark consoling another young co ed in our 159 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: bed when I came home from class early one day. 160 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: He had been consoling many others in our bed over 161 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: the years, because college was a time to have some fun. 162 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: I had staked my entire life on this man, only 163 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: for him to break my heart into a million pieces. 164 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: I watched the life we had planned together, the one 165 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,599 Speaker 1: I had cared fully constructed, and my head over the 166 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: years crumble before my eyes. I dropped out of school 167 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: during my final semester. I should have stuck it out, 168 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,679 Speaker 1: since I had worked so hard, but it was too 169 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: late to find affordable housing, and Mark was in all 170 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: my classes. I couldn't handle going to a class and 171 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: seeing him there every single day. The heartbreak was too 172 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: much to handle. I packed my things and within a 173 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: week I was back at Lighthouse. As the cab pulled 174 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 1: up to the long driveway, a house looming in the distance, 175 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: my heart dropped to my stomach. I didn't want to 176 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: be there. I didn't want to get stuck in a 177 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: rut like the rest of my family and be chained 178 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: to a place I hated. I didn't want to lose 179 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: myself in Lighthouse with no hope of ever getting out. Foolishly, 180 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: I put all my eggs in one basket with college 181 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: and with Mark, and when the rug was taken out 182 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: from under me, I had no backup plan. Now I 183 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: was forced to come up with the new life plan, 184 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: will be trapped there forever. When the cab stopped in 185 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: front of the house to let me out, I happened 186 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: to glance to the third story window. Standing there behind 187 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: the glass was the man in the hat. A ghastly 188 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,839 Speaker 1: smile formed on his lips as he tipped his hat 189 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: in my direction, welcoming me back home. I read something 190 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: more into this gesture, something far more sinister. As he 191 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: disappeared backward into the shadows, I saw something more than 192 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: a simple greeting. This was a message, a message that 193 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: said I belonged to Lighthouse, and no matter what I 194 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:50,079 Speaker 1: did to get away, there was no escape. Lighthouse will 195 00:11:50,120 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: return after these messages. And now back to Lighthouse. Being 196 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: as how, it was early February and I should have 197 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: been in class. My mother was unsure of who I 198 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: was when I found her in the solarium. I startled 199 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: her out of a mid day stupor, an empty bottle 200 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: of Chardonnay by her side on one of the long couches. 201 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: Her glassy eyes were unfocused in the sharp sunlight, and 202 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: at first she confused me for LENI. When I helped 203 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: her sit up and told her it was me, she 204 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 1: shook her head as if to try to shake the 205 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,839 Speaker 1: drunk away. Her hands cold and clammy, reached out for 206 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: me and cuppt my face. A smile appeared as she 207 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: kissed my forehead, telling me she was happy I came home, 208 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: until her expression changed. She asked me why I was home. 209 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: I hadn't cried on any one's shoulder, let alone my mother's, 210 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: for years, but in that moment I needed her more 211 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: than ever. I let it all out, from the blissful 212 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: ignorance of my relationship with Mark to the eventual downfall 213 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: of our life together. She listened. For the first time 214 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: in forever. I felt like my mother was truly there 215 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: for me. She caressed my hair as I poured my 216 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: heart out, and continued to hold me until the tears 217 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: stopped flowing. When I finally lifted my head up, she 218 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: looked at me and told me how sorry she was, 219 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: right before she slapped me across the face. I was 220 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: too shocked to feel it at first, but my hand 221 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: instinctively went to my cheek. Foolish girl, she uttered as 222 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: it began to stink. You should know better. She walked 223 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: out of the solarium, leaving me alone to cry again, 224 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: but this time for a wholly different reason. I sobbed 225 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 1: in silence, my eyes looking toward the lighthouse outside. Later 226 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: that night, I somehow mustered up enough courage to join 227 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 1: my family for dinner. My mother was already seated, leaning 228 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: by her side, holding on to that teddy bear she 229 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: found in the dark room. Once Leni saw me, she 230 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: bounded up and wrapped me in a big hug. I 231 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: hadn't seen her since I returned, as she presumably was 232 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: in the dark room, but seeing her now did bring 233 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: a tiny bit of joy to my day. I fiercely 234 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: hugged her back. I'm so happy you're home, she whispered 235 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: in my ear. Before I could respond, she followed up with, 236 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: Abigail is too. At the mere mention of the name, 237 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: my body unconsciously recoiled back from her, but she didn't 238 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: seem to notice. She sat back down, placing Abigail on 239 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: the table next to her plate as I studied her. 240 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: Dinner had apparently come in the middle of her applying makeup, 241 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: as there was a dark patch on her right cheek 242 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: where she apparently started to apply some rouge and then 243 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: stopped to come down to eat. We picked out our 244 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: food for a few minutes, an undercooked chicken that my 245 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: mother didn't mind risking salmonel for when, much to my surprise, 246 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: my father appeared in the doorway. He had somehow tore 247 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: himself away from his busy schedule of locking himself away 248 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: in his study to join us. He slumped down into 249 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: his chair and looked up at me, and then to 250 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: my mother. What's she doing here? He asked? To everyone 251 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: but me, there is home now, my mother replied. My 252 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: father finally looked back at me. School's done, he asked, 253 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: it is for me? I told him, miserably, still picking 254 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: at my dinner. What's that supposed to mean? He said, 255 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: She and Mark broke up. My mother chimed in. Before 256 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: I had a chance to say anything else, he cheated 257 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: on her. A silence fell over the table, no one 258 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: quite sure what to say next. I was embarrassed that 259 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: my mother told my father, as I would have preferred 260 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: to tell him on my own terms. But it was 261 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: out in the open now, with no going back. My 262 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: father broke the hush on his own good, he said, 263 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: shoveling a forkful of half wrought chicken in his mouth. 264 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: I never liked him anyway. Abigail never liked him either, 265 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: LENI followed with quickly. My father roared at her in response, 266 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: What did I tell you about Abigail? He yelled, leaping 267 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: from his seat with a quickness. I wasn't aware he 268 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 1: was still capable of I told you I don't want 269 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: her anywhere near the dinner table let alone. You speaking 270 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: that name in this house again? Do you hear me? 271 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: Leni's eyes looked down at her plate, quick to comply, 272 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: A meek sorry escaped her lips. What was that? He 273 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: roared again, still staring at her. Her eyes darted in 274 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: his direction for a second before looking away again. It 275 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: dawned on me then that the dark spot was not 276 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: an interrupted make up attempt, but instead a bruise, one 277 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: that looked fairly fresh. At some point, my father had 278 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: apparently added hitting my sister in his repertoire. I'm sorry, 279 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: she said, louder this time, all the while my mother 280 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 1: ignored the goings on. That's what I thought, he said, 281 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: You listen to me, if you know what's good for you, 282 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: you hear It was clear to me that things had 283 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: degraded even further in the past few months, With both 284 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: my sister and my mother living in fear of my 285 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: each was eager to ignore the plights of the other 286 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,199 Speaker 1: as a way to escape his wrath, if only for 287 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: a few seconds. But now that I was home, now 288 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: that I was forced to be here again. It wasn't 289 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,120 Speaker 1: how I wanted to live. I refused to be under 290 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: his thumb, meekly obeying him. No one was standing up 291 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: to him. No one said a thing, but I wasn't 292 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,880 Speaker 1: going to stand for that. I don't know what came 293 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: over me then, but a single word escaped my lips. No. 294 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 1: The room fell silent again. Leani gave me only the 295 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: briefest of glances, clutching Abigail tight while my mother turned 296 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: her head. My father, still standing, slowly walked over to me, 297 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: rubbing the scar on his palm a feat of champions 298 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: in his apparently inebriated state. He placed a hand on 299 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: the back of my chair and leaned in close, his 300 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: sour breath causing me a bit of nausea. What was that, smartmouth? 301 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: I turned my head and looked him square in the eyes, 302 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: stealing all of my nerves to stand up to him, 303 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: I said no. I felt the impact of his hand 304 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: before I saw it. A backhanded slap sent me sprawling 305 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: off the chair and onto the dining room floor. My 306 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,199 Speaker 1: father's eyes burned with hatred as they stared down at me. 307 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: How dare you, he bellowed, you ungrateful little bitch. I 308 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: said nothing. I just laid there on the floor, my 309 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 1: hand cradling my face from his hit. In a single day, 310 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: both my parents had struck me, and the emotional repercussions 311 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: of that were worse than the physical ones. You think, 312 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 1: just because you run off and leave your family to 313 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: get an education, that you can disrespect a man in 314 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: his own goddamn house, you think you're so goddamn special. 315 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 1: He was working himself up into a frenzy, now, spittle 316 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: flying from his lips as he raised his voice higher 317 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: and higher. His avalanche of emotion scared me as it 318 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: was apparent that he kept all the sin for years. 319 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: It up to all come out at once. I don't 320 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: care what fancy books you learn from out there, but 321 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: this year is my house, my house, and you will 322 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 1: obey my rules. To accentuate his point, he took my 323 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: chair and tossed it backwards, shattering the wood backing. My 324 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: sister flinched as it cracked, while my mother finally looked 325 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: in my direction, my eyes silently pleading for help, anyone's help, 326 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,879 Speaker 1: But neither of them moved muscle. As my father continued, 327 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have been in 328 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: this mess. You know. You forget all I did for you, 329 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,640 Speaker 1: all the money I spent on you, trying to make 330 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: you well. But if you're going to be back here, 331 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: you're going to have to learn some respect. And I'll 332 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: be goddamned if you don't respect me in my own 333 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: goddamned house. And if you don't, I will teach you 334 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: some respect. You understand me, do you? Every part of 335 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: my brain screamed at me to agree to say whatever 336 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: needed to be. He said, to stop this before it 337 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: got any worse, but something inside me refused to do so. 338 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: I couldn't stop the words from spilling from my lips, 339 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: and I regretted them almost as soon as they came out. 340 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: Fuck you. The air in the room changed. It became 341 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: stale and lifeless, like we were running out of the 342 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: fine eye amount of oxygen. We were locked in therewith lean. 343 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 1: He gasped, and my mother looked, shocked that such words 344 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: would ever be uttered in her presence, and my father 345 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: fire raged behind his eyes as his brain began to 346 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: comprehend the disobedience I had displayed behind him in the 347 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: darkening hallway, over his left shoulder stood the man in 348 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,439 Speaker 1: the hat. He looked on, a smile crossing his face 349 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: as he nodded his head, clearly enjoying how the scene 350 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: was unfolding before him. You little bitch, my father said, 351 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: d my attention back to him as he undid his 352 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: belt and wounded around his hand. I'll teach you some respect. 353 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: He whipped me with the belt, the buckle, slashing a 354 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: thin cut across my arm. I cried in surprise, beads 355 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: of blood falling onto the floor. I crawled backward, trying 356 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: to get away, but the buckle found its target again 357 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: and again my arm, again, my leg, and even once 358 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: across my cheek. My father kept coming toward me, dark 359 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: circles growing under his eyes, and his body stinking of 360 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 1: sweat every strike. I begged him to stop, and yet 361 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: he didn't. I finally backed up against the wall as 362 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: he stood towering over me. I put my hands up 363 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: to my face to block the next blow as he 364 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,880 Speaker 1: prepared one, but it never came. I chanced to look 365 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,359 Speaker 1: and saw that my mother had grabbed the belt and midswing, 366 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: preventing it from hitting me again. Get away from her, Henry, 367 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: she said, with a slight tremble in her voice. He 368 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: turned to her, his fury growing, but my mother didn't care. 369 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: Despite her flaws, she had had enough of his abuse. 370 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: She looked at me and shouted run. I didn't hesitate. 371 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: I got up, ran towards Leanie and pulled her with 372 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: me out of the room. We ran out of the 373 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: dining room and into the main hall. Behind us, we 374 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: heard our father strike our mother, the impact reverberating through 375 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: the house, but we didn't stop. Self preservation was the 376 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: only thing on our mind. I directed us towards the stairs. 377 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: My hope was that we could barricade ourselves in a 378 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: room up there while we called for help. We had 379 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 1: only taken the bottom step when he appeared around the corner, 380 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: a murderous gleam in his eye. Get back here, you 381 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 1: little bitches. We bound up the stairs as fast as 382 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: we could. He gave chase, taking the steps two at 383 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 1: a time to close the gap between us. My mother 384 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: appeared behind him as well, still trying to stop the madness. 385 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: Once we were up the stairs, we made down the 386 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: hall for one of the spare bedrooms. We passed a 387 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: window and I could see the lighthouse in though it 388 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: was dark. Earlier. That was no longer the case. The 389 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: glow was back. I was distracted. It stopped me cold 390 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: in my tracks. I stared at it, the glowing pulsing 391 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 1: brighter than I had ever seen, as if energized by 392 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: the goings on in the house. This frightened me more 393 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: than anything else, because it meant that it was going 394 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: to get worse. This momentary distraction was all the time 395 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: my father needed to gain on us. Thankfully, he tripped 396 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: on the top step, giving us a few seconds to 397 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: escape and my mother time to catch up with him. 398 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: She threw herself at him, jumping onto his back, clawing 399 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,680 Speaker 1: at his face. Hell hath no fury like a woman 400 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: protecting her young, and I was never more glad to 401 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: see her do so. I don't know why, but Lennie 402 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: and I stopped running for safety and instead watched their struggle. 403 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 1: Mother had the upper hand first, managing to get the 404 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: belt away from him, but my father was stronger. He 405 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: stood up, my mother still attached to his back until 406 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: he slammed himself backwards into a wall. My mother let 407 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: go of my father, slumping to the floor. He turned 408 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: on her wildly, aiming to strike, but she avoid I 409 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: did a punch and went for his legs. Somehow he 410 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 1: managed to keep his balance and grabbed her by the hair, 411 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: pulling her off of him. Just beyond them again was 412 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: the man in the hat, watching intently, sinister smile never 413 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: leaving his face. My parents paid him no mind as 414 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: they continued to fight, my father striking her again and again, 415 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: weakening her defenses. They were dangerously close to the railings 416 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: separating part of the hallway of the second floor from 417 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: the drop down to the first. For each scratch, my 418 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: mother lashed out with my father returned two blows. I 419 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: could see mother slowing down as LEMI began to cry. 420 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: He pulled my mother up and hit her in the 421 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: face again and again. As the man in the hat 422 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: got closer, his grin was ear to ear, now filled 423 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 1: with bloodlust. My mother's back was to the railing, now 424 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: the wood the only thing preventing her from going over. 425 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: But I saw what my father intended to do. With 426 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: one strong thrust, my father pushed my mother through the 427 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 1: railing beneath her. She stumbled backward over it and bounding 428 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: the floor below. Lighthouse Will returned after a word from 429 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: our sponsors, and now Lighthouse continues. Lenie screamed and wrestled 430 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: out of my grip. She ran down the stairs into 431 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: my mother's side. My father just stood there looking down 432 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: at them, breathing heavily. When he didn't make a move, 433 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: I thought it was safe enough to follow and ran 434 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,160 Speaker 1: down to my mother as well. She stared upward, unmoving 435 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 1: but thankfully still breathing. Lenie pulled her head into her 436 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 1: lap and rest her hair, crying into it, repeating, please 437 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: don't die, mother, Please don't die. I love you. I 438 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: ran for the kitchen. I dialed the police and tried 439 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 1: to gather my thoughts to explain what had happened. The 440 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: line rang and rang and rang, a seemingly endless call, 441 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: until finally the operator picked up on the other end. 442 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: Just as I opened my mouth to ask for help, 443 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 1: Leni let out a blood curdling scream from the hall. 444 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: I dropped the phone, leaving the person on the other 445 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: end hanging. As I made my way back to her, 446 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: I stopped short when I saw her still holding my 447 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: unmoving mother, staring down the end of the hall. My 448 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: father must have come down the stairs when I went 449 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: for the phone, because now he was coming out of 450 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: his study He held the shotgun, the one from the 451 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: trophy wall in his hands. He wasn't done with us yet. 452 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: He intended to finish the job. Get up, he said 453 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 1: to Leni, and pointed the shotgun straight at her. She 454 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: didn't move at first, still cradling our mother's head. My 455 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: father pointed the gun at the ceiling above him pulled 456 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: the trigger. The blast made us all jump as it 457 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: echoed within the hallways of the house. He aimed it 458 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: back at leani I said, get up. This time she did, gently, 459 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: lowering my mother's head to the ground. Leanie, tears streaming 460 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: down her face, pleaded for her life. As my father 461 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: moved closer, leani I said, trying to be calm, come 462 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: to me. You're not going anywhere, my father replied, moving 463 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 1: the end of the shotgun between us both. Leani I 464 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: said again. She started to move toward me, but my 465 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: father had other ideas. He aimed for her and pulled 466 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,159 Speaker 1: the trigger again. The blast struck her legs, knocking her 467 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: to the ground, her cries of agony bringing me to tears. 468 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: I'll teach you to disobey me, you little bitch, my 469 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: father said, as he looked at me. He started to 470 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: reload his shotgun, pulling a shell from his pocket. I'm 471 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: coming for you. Next, you have to the count of five. One. 472 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 1: I didn't move. I didn't want to leave both my 473 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 1: mother and Leni there to incur his wor but I 474 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 1: also hoped to keep his attention on me to get 475 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: away from them. Two. I didn't have much time to think, 476 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: but I wasn't sure what my decision would be. Three 477 00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: run Leani yelled at me, and that did it for me. 478 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: I took off down the hall again, back toward the kitchen. 479 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: Four I grabbed the dangling phone and yelled for them 480 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: to send help. Five I took off again, this time 481 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: toward the pantry. I hope that somehow I could lure 482 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: my father down into the basement and lose him among 483 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: the stacks and rows to double back up the stairs 484 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: and lock him inside. It wasn't the best of plans, 485 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: but it was the only one I had. I threw 486 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: open the basement door and nearly tumbled down the stairs. 487 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: My legs, still sore from the beating he gave me earlier, 488 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: slowed my progress. I had to be quiet down here, 489 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: not give away where I was hiding. And then, maybe, 490 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: just maybe, my plan would work. My eyes darted around 491 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: in the darkness for somewhere to hide. There weren't many 492 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: things to hide behind down here. There was only one 493 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: suitable hiding place that came to mind, darkroom. I made 494 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: my way toward it as I heard my father's footfalls 495 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: overhead coming for me. I was glad to find the 496 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: dark room's door open. Once inside, I huddled down and 497 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: held my breath, listening. He was coming down the stairs. 498 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: A creak of every step was like the sound of 499 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: my own death approaching. When he reached the bottom, he 500 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: cried out again, come out here, tera don't make this 501 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 1: worse for yourself. I covered my mouth, trying to quiet 502 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: myself more, and waited. There was only silence. Was this 503 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: a trick? I waited some more, straining my ears to 504 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: listen for him, but there was still nothing. Where was he? 505 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: As I hid there in the dark of the basement. 506 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: I decided to brave a look and peered around the 507 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: door frame of the dark room. I nearly screamed when 508 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: I spotted my father at the end of the row, 509 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 1: shot guns still in hand, his shoulders heaving, he merely 510 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: stood there, a hulking form in the dark It looked 511 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: as if he was collecting his thoughts, determining his next 512 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: move My breath caught in my throat as I saw 513 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: a movement on his right side, swirling mass of darkness, 514 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: almost imperceptible to the human eye if not for the 515 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: slight contrast between the gloom of the basement and the 516 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: darkness of its form. It was the shadowy thing leaning 517 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: over my father, whispering in his ear. Again, it wrapped 518 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: itself around him, tendrils of its darkness seeping into my 519 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: father's skin. As it became part of him. Even from 520 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: where I was standing, I could see the light go 521 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: out in his eyes, the fire replaced by a funeral 522 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: pyre of blackness. I was frozen with fear, not believing 523 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 1: what I saw. I clenched my eyes shut, hoping that 524 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: my old trick would help wish it away. One two, three, 525 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: four five. I took a breath and opened my eyes, 526 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: and my father was still there, the shadowy thing still 527 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 1: forcing its way inside him. Just like the way it 528 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: bulged and stretched out the walls, it did the same 529 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: with sections of his flesh. It was revolting. Just before 530 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: the last of it absorbed into him. He looked up 531 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: and what was left of his eyes met mine. I 532 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: dropped back, hopeful that it was a mere coincidence, but 533 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: in my heart I knew better. I heard the gravel 534 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: crunch under his boots as he made his way toward me. 535 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: I panicked. In the heat of my fight or flight, 536 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: I wasn't thinking clearly and had backed myself into a 537 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 1: literal corner by hiding in the dark room. There was 538 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: nowhere to hide in there, nowhere to run. But this 539 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: is where I would make my final stand. If this 540 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: was the moment I would die, I was going to 541 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 1: go down fighting. I had only seconds before he arrived, 542 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: so I frantically began to look for something, a weapon 543 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: of some sort to defend myself. My hands searching the shelf, 544 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: knocking photo albums and chemicals from places they had sat 545 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: for for years, but alas there was nothing. In my desperation, 546 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: I had a moment of clarity. It had been years 547 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: since the incident, but I thought back to the first 548 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: time I found Leani down here, laughing with Abigail. She 549 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: held a hunting knife out to me then before I 550 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: took it and hid it away beneath the work bench. 551 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,479 Speaker 1: It was a long shot but it was my only chance. 552 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: I fell to my knees, my hand searching for the 553 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: hidden shelf beneath the bench, fingers grasping for purchase. But 554 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: there was nothing, no shelf, no knife, and sadly, no hope. 555 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: I pulled my hand back, only to brush up against 556 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: something solid, the knife. Somehow I missed it earlier, but 557 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: it was still there. I grabbed it and jumped to 558 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 1: my feet, pressing myself against the wall adjacent to the doorway. 559 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: My father's shape filled the small doorway, as he was 560 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: too tall to walk in directly. His body blocked what 561 00:32:57,800 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: little light was allowed in the room, and I was 562 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 1: plunged into darkness. I could see the glint of the 563 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: shotgun's barrel poke through first, its tip almost sniffing the air, 564 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: searching for me. I raised the hunting knife above my head, 565 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: but hesitated, taking in the weight of what I was 566 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: about to do. This was my father, the man who 567 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: raised me, who cared for me, who comforted me when 568 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: it was needed. Our relationship had not been good for years, 569 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 1: but in that moment I remembered all the good times 570 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 1: that had come before, followed shortly by all the bad. 571 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: He was also the man who beat my mother near daily, 572 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 1: who wasted his life away drinking in his study, and 573 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,880 Speaker 1: now was coming to kill me. Using all the strength 574 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: I could muster, I plunged the knife downward, directly into 575 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: his left shoulder. It met very little resistance as it 576 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 1: slid into him like I was carving at Thanksgiving turkey. 577 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: He screamed a mixture of pain and fury as he 578 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: dropped the shotgun to the ground. I tried to be 579 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 1: quick to grab it before he did, but he somehow 580 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: managed to turn his body and land a punch into 581 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 1: my sternum. With the wind knocked out of me, I 582 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: slumped back against the wall, trying to regain my footing. 583 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: I washed as my father fully entered the room. As 584 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: he reached for the knife still lodged in his back. 585 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 1: He managed to grab it, and I heard his skin 586 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:17,360 Speaker 1: rip as he tore it out. He threw it to 587 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: the ground, blackness swirling around him. I grabbed for the knife, 588 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: but he kicked it away, out of the dark room 589 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 1: and far out of my reach. I struggled to catch 590 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: my breath, but he was already on me. His hands 591 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 1: found their way around my throat and squeezed, pulling me 592 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: away from the wall and down onto the ground, into 593 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 1: the dirt. He straddled me, his hands never losing their 594 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 1: grip as he began to use his leverage to pull 595 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: my head off the ground before slamming it back down again. 596 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:47,720 Speaker 1: The first time he did this, my vision went bright. 597 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: The pain at the back of my head competed for 598 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 1: attention with my gasping lungs, neither of them really winning 599 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,040 Speaker 1: the battle. I struggled against him, my hands reaching for 600 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 1: his trying to pry them oft so a vail. As 601 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 1: I felt my consciousness slip away, he slammed my head 602 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: against the floor, and my consciousness came back to reality. 603 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: Blood from his shoulder dripped down, splashing onto me and 604 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: into my mouth, making it even harder to breathe. The 605 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: only thing I could focus on was the raving madness 606 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: that consumed my father, My eyes pleading with him, trying 607 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:25,640 Speaker 1: to reach a part of him that still loved me, 608 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: but I was failing. There was nothing but hatred there. 609 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,240 Speaker 1: As his fingers clasped tighter, I thrashed my legs, trying 610 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:35,840 Speaker 1: to find enough purchase to tip him off balance, anything 611 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,200 Speaker 1: to help relieve the tension on my throat. I tried 612 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 1: to jam my fingers into his eyes, but I was 613 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 1: losing ground and my strength was leaving me. By the second. 614 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: I began to see things, white spots appearing at the 615 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,360 Speaker 1: corner of my vision as my body struggled for a 616 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: breath of fresh air. I felt my limbs betray me 617 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: as I willed them to keep moving, but they slowed 618 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 1: to a crawl. I felt myself drifting away as my 619 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: brain told me to stop fire and let it all go. 620 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,880 Speaker 1: Just a few more seconds and I could finally be 621 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: at peace. The darkness began to encrouch in on me, 622 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 1: and I saw the man in the hat one final time, 623 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: standing behind my father, a hand on his bleeding shoulder 624 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 1: as he smiled at me, and I hated that his 625 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,800 Speaker 1: face would be the last thing I saw. I closed 626 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: my eyes, and as my last breath escaped my body, 627 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:28,880 Speaker 1: I finally found solace in the fact that if my 628 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: only escape from a lighthouse would be death, and so 629 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: be it. I let go. Embracing the open arms of 630 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 1: my demise, I felt relief. I was free, Fresh air 631 00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:01,680 Speaker 1: filled my lungth I was confused. I was so sure 632 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: I was dead, So okay with that fact that I 633 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,840 Speaker 1: was almost angry that I could breathe again. I opened 634 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: my eyes to see my father still above me, but 635 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: he looked different. The darkness could no longer be found 636 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: behind his eyes. Instead, they looked like two wide saucers 637 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 1: staring at me in shock. His mouth parted as drops 638 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: of blood fell from it and onto my face. He 639 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,279 Speaker 1: hung that way for a second before he collapsed, the 640 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,359 Speaker 1: full force of his weight landing on me the air. 641 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 1: My body was so desperate for moments ago escaped again. 642 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 1: There was something sticking out of the back of my 643 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: father's head. I had to focus on it to make 644 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,280 Speaker 1: sure I was not imagining it. It was the hunting 645 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: knife buried in the base of his skull up to 646 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 1: the hilt. My father was dead. I looked above him, 647 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:51,439 Speaker 1: expecting to see the man in the hat standing there, 648 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 1: but he wasn't. It was Leany. Her eyes were equally 649 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,320 Speaker 1: as wide as my fathers were. She was in shock 650 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 1: and on the verge of a full blown pain attack. 651 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: I tried to call out to her as the realization 652 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 1: of what occurred came to me. Leni had somehow made 653 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: her way down to the basement to save me, at 654 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: the cost of taking the life of the man she 655 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 1: called her father. That decision was something that would stay 656 00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,560 Speaker 1: with her for the rest of her life. With what 657 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:19,440 Speaker 1: little strength that was returning, I managed to push his 658 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 1: body off of me. It rolled to the side with 659 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 1: a sick thump that almost made me pass out again. 660 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: Leani covered her mouth in horror. I I killed him. 661 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: I took my little sister into my arms, and we 662 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,000 Speaker 1: both began to cry. The events of the day had 663 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 1: taken a toll on us both, but there was a 664 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:41,760 Speaker 1: sense of catharsis as we let it out. I shielded 665 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,080 Speaker 1: her from the view of his body, but I couldn't 666 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 1: take my eyes off of this lifeless husk that had 667 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 1: once been my father. I just didn't know when it 668 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 1: stopped being him. I could blame his misfortunes and that 669 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 1: alcohol for creating the thing that he had become, but 670 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: deep inside I knew that wasn't really him. He had 671 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 1: tried to protect us from lighthouse, from the darkness living 672 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: inside it, but we had foolishly come here anyway, and 673 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,640 Speaker 1: when we did, once that darkness got him into its clutches, 674 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:14,319 Speaker 1: it consumed him from the inside. I don't know if 675 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,280 Speaker 1: that rage that overtook his mind was always there, bubbling 676 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:20,360 Speaker 1: beneath the surface. But I do know that the house 677 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,359 Speaker 1: did nothing but make it worse. The person that Leany 678 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 1: killed that night was not our father. It was something 679 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,280 Speaker 1: that was twisted and distorted by an evil that gripped 680 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 1: his soul and turned him into something he was not. 681 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:38,080 Speaker 1: Henry Michael Hollis was long gone, and now here we were, 682 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:41,799 Speaker 1: two young women huddled together in the dark, crying for 683 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:46,360 Speaker 1: what once was. We cried as someone finally arrived to help. 684 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: We cried as the police pulled us apart to question 685 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,359 Speaker 1: us about what happened. We cried when we saw our 686 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,640 Speaker 1: mother broken by her fall down the stairs, but still 687 00:39:56,719 --> 00:40:01,160 Speaker 1: holding on. We cried as they took our father's body away, 688 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 1: covered by a sheet, as if that would do anything 689 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:08,319 Speaker 1: to protect us from seeing him. We cried for the 690 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:12,279 Speaker 1: nightmares that were yet to come. We cried for our 691 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 1: ruined childhood. We cried for the impossible choice LEMI had 692 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: to make. We cried because we realized that lighthouses hunger 693 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:46,800 Speaker 1: for blood was sated for now. Lighthouse is a production 694 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:52,320 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio and Bamfur Productions. Chapter four featured the voice 695 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:57,759 Speaker 1: of Ali Trasher, written and directed by Jeff Heinbuch audio engineering, 696 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 1: an original musical score by Celeste Production assistance by Alex Gona. 697 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:09,879 Speaker 1: Executive produced by Holly Fry. Questions comments, you can reach 698 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,279 Speaker 1: us at the Man in the Hat Is Watching at 699 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 1: gmail dot com. Thank you for listening.