Family Feud

This is another writing exercise for English. This one is about a tense situation written in 3 different perspectives: 1st, outsider view and 3rd person omniscient. It describes a moment that happened a few months ago between… well you’ll figure it out.

***

He grabbed the mask from me as I tried to squirm away before he got it. I leapt to my feet and pushed him back. Invading my space at this point was not a good idea. My eyes glowed red, and I could feel a smoldering in my nostrils. He stood there, rage filling his being from his toes up to his head. The moment seemed to drag on for minutes, though it was probably only a second or two as he fully processed his uncontrollable anger. My mind went clear. The blood rushed into my arms and legs and I was ready. She was underfoot and I was able to keep her in my peripherals as he stormed toward me, neither of us knowing exactly what he wanted. His arms went forward and so did mine. I grabbed on, and held on, keeping him a safe distance away from my face and from my daughter who quietly sat on the floor. How could I have let her witness this?, I thought. I kept pushing him back and finally toppled him onto the stairs. A cracking sound let me know that the mask which caused the charade was split in two. I picked her up and stood there a moment. He picked up the broken pieces and went into his room. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find all the pieces that have been missing ever since I was my daughter’s age.

***

Where did the mask go? We were having so much fun! Grampa is so tall from here… What? What’s happening? Why are they pushing each other? Did I do something? It must be my fault. I better not saying anything though. I’ll just pretend like I don’t see them. “Mama? Can we go read a book now?”

***

It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want her to have the mask. It was the fact that she blatantly disregarded his demands, which he barked at her like a toddler instead of asking civilly. Grabbing the mask from her only sent her into offensive territory, a place she does not often visit. She shoved him back and he leapt forward at her. They grappled with each other while the poor child sat between their feet on the floor. The sharp, silent movements left the girl confused and in the end she wasn’t really sure what had just happened. The man lost his footing and toppled down the stairs, crushing the mask as he fell. The mother picked up her daughter and silently moved into their room, closing the door behind her. The man picked up the pieces and said to his wife, “The mask broke.” That was the last time any of them laid their eyes on it. A piece of family history was buried, along with the remaining hope that they might one day understand each other.