Shannon heard her stepfather coming up the stairs and quickly ran to the closet where she had already prepared her hiding place. Huddled under a pile of clothes, she listened as he approached. He stopped as he entered the room and she knew he would be surprised to find his bed empty. He has to try to figure out where to look next. Her heart was beating so loudly she thought he must surely be able to hear it and she was barely breathing when he stopped in front of the closet door. Opening it slowly, he looked inside but seemed unable to see it as he closed it and entered another room. He called to her but she stayed still until she heard him on the stairs. After a few more drinks, he passed out in front of the TV but, fearing he would return, she waited until she heard her mother come home from work. She slowly and silently opened the closet door and tiptoed back to bed. Sleep did not come. Shannon got up less than an hour later and went to school, one of the rare occasions she arrived on time. One of her teachers noticed her falling asleep in class and asked if she was feeling okay. Shannon admitted she didn't and was sent to the nurse's office. The nurse patted her head while she took her temperature and Shannon started crying. She hadn't even planned on talking about it because she knew she would get in trouble if she ever told anyone, but something about today seemed different. After hiding in her closet for most of the night, she knew she could no longer live in fear of being beaten or assaulted and made the decision to only tell one person. person. Fortunately, the school nurse acted immediately. Thus began a new chapter in Shannon's life when her impossible family situation caught the attention of the author...... middle of paper ......ion their choice of the same type of man repeatedly. Amazingly, Shannon survived with her sanity intact. She went to college where she excelled. She eventually became a senior manager at a store near her home. However, as an adult, she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder with flashbacks and nightmares that she seems unable to escape. Her years of stress and abuse have also taken a toll on her physical health and she is plagued by several problems that will likely be with her for the rest of her life. This isn't particularly a story with a happy ending, although it might seem that way. After all, Shannon survived and has accomplishments in her life to be proud of. It is probably safe to say that the result was as good as it could have been under the circumstances. But what a sad commentary on a private childhood life.