A Child with a Broken Heart
Trapped—Book 1
by
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It always started at night. A muffled slam followed by words that at only 5 years old I was too young to say and didn't fully understand. The raised voices of my parents ensuring that any sleep would lead to nightmares. Sometimes, too shaken to even lay still I'd creep to my closed bedroom door and open it just enough to see them in the hallway. They were like two boxers circling each other in the ring but the rules which had been set before I was born meant only my father was allowed to throw any punches. My mama seemed to know better than to even dodge or weave or run, she just took the knock-out. And this is just how things were. And it wasn't just my mama or me. It felt like daddy had a grudge against the whole world. He even hit is own mama so hard once that she was still missing two teeth. The only one he didn't seem to want to hurt was my little sister Diamond. She was safe and she reveled in it, getting me in trouble every chance she could and smiling like she was in on some great big secret. And maybe she was. What did I know? It was 1983 and my whole small world was mostly Michael Jackson songs and what little I saw from my house or the area surrounding it. I was shy and quiet, a "sissy" according to my daddy. I think he thought that he could beat the sensitivity out of me. But I'm not sure I know anyone who could watch helplessly and in horror as their mother as punched and kicked and yelled at and not feel as if they were being beaten too.
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About the Book
In 1983, Ace’s small, five-year-old world consisted mostly of Michael Jackson songs coming in full of static on a small kitchen radio as his mother cooked. He assumed that the frequent beatings meted out to him and his mother by his father—a man who was all vodka and venom—were all part of a normal, picture-perfect family. Labeled a sissy by his father, Ace was a prime target for the frequent tirades.
Trapped: A Child with a Broken Heart shares gut-wrenching stories of Ace’s family, which included his domineering and drunk father; his mother, who was too afraid to leave; and a little sister who somehow escaped the torment. Left to do battle with real-life monsters, Ace made his way through school stumbling two steps behind as he navigated a never-ending barrage of bullies, questions, and sexual uncertainty. Still, he dreamed about getting ahead. Far from a traditional hero, he attempted to save himself.
In this personal narrative, one man recalls his powerful journey from boy to not-quite man. It is a story about hope and about how the choices one makes can help make life better.
About the Author
Ellery LaFavor was born and raised in a small southern town. As a former victim of child abuse and bullying, he has taken those negative experiences and used them as inspiration for his creative endeavors. Currently, he resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and is working on his second book.