Door of Hope

Mandi Mac was carrying a big sack of to-go orders as she was walking back towards Washington Heights. One box was her BLT for later, and the other was a medium-rare burger for her dad. She was walking with a quick pace towards the building to try to get out of the misty rain, when she accedently bumped into and startled a woman.
"Oh sorry!" Mandi appologized.
"No problem. Taking the elevator?" She said putting her hand on the door.
"Eh, no, the stairs actually. Thanks though." Mandi replied back.

Mandi walked up the seven flights, down the gloomy hall, and into the wrecked room. "Huh," she let out as she opened the door to smashed chips on the ground next to a few beer cans, all in front of the TV on a channel that was fuzzy with white noise. At least he isn't home, she thought to herself. She walked over, turned of the TV, and settled down at the kitchen counter to eat her BLT, one of her all time diner favorites! Mandi crammed down the first half and then put the other half in the refrigerator for dinner. She settled into her room, locked her bedroom door, closed the shades, and snuggled up in the cold, dark room for a long afternoon nap.

"Come with me."
"But, I can't..."
"Mac, please come with me! We would have so much fun, it would be like the old days! I'll take you shopping and we can go out to lunch..."
"Mom you don't under-"
"Honey, please, I'm begging you we both-"

Bang! Bang! Bang!
Mandi shot straight up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Now what'd I do? She asked herself.
"Why the hell is the livin' room lookin' like such a shit hole? What have you been doin' all afternoon, huh? I give you a place to sleep and there is nothin' in it for me obviously..."
Mandi stayed quite and chose not to respond.
"Plus... plus... my burgers not done right damnit. Is it that hard to do stuff right around here?" He continued to bang on the door and yell at it, as if with every word he said it was getting closer and closer to falling down.
"Damnit! I know you're in there girl! Don't think I'm some stupid fool!"
Mandi used her hands to push herself back against the wall. She sat there bundeled up with her arms around her folded up knees, just listening to what he was saying.
"Open the damn door!" He continued to slur.
How pathetic Mandi thought. It's only 5 and he's wasted.
"Did you hear me? What the hell are you doing?" He jiggled the door handle. Mandi squeezed her eyes tighter with every band on the door, waiting for the door to bust open at any second, and for her fathers sweaty hands to grab a hold of her neck, and for the spit from his screamed curse words to fall on her cheeks.
"Ahhughhh!!" He screamed throwing something into a wall, breaking it.

Five minutes later the front door to the aparment slammed shut, and Mandi could finally breath. She stayed in her ball squeezing herself as tight as possible, rocking back and forth. Only 13 more days she thought to herself. Only 13 more. She was ready to stop being scared to death every time she stepped a foot into the Washington Heights building. Mandi rocked her self to sleep in her dark cold room.

"Come on hun, grab my hand, I promise it will be ok."
"I'm comin' mama, I'm comin'."