"How dare you do this?", my dad seethed with impotent fury. As tears trickled down my chubby cheeks, I felt a strange dampness on my collar. With great difficulty I looked up at my mother and saw that she has make-up streaked all over her face. She looked wan and it was such a far cry from her usual radiant self. Everyday we had to put up with this torment.

As I grew I had to go through everyday with so much pain. My dad abused my mother for all the wrong reasons. I would always crouch against the corner in my room and hear the shattering of expensive glasses. One day my mother could not bear the abuse. She started packing her belongings and at that point my father stumbled into the room drunk. He mouthed words that was obviously hurting her. All of a sudden a missile shot past my face awakening me from my troubled thoughts. An expensive vase shattered into pieces against the wall. The door clicked shut and that was the last time I saw my mother.

Today, I sit in prison, thinking about everything I went through and all the pain my loved ones through as well. The jailors arrived and took me towards a van. Handcuffed, all I could do was to stare at the ominous dark clouds momentarily as we moved and recalled the incident.

June 16 2007, I was fired from a big company which I had worked in for nine years and my boss felt that it was time for me to go. Dragging my feet to the doorstep, I dropped the boxes which held my belongings and searched for my keys. Upon opening the door, the joyous souds of my two lovely sons filled my ears. "Get away from me," I bellowed, frightening the wit out of them. My wife hurried towards me and laid a gentle, consoling hand on me which I shoved off, pushing her to the ground.

(By now you would have realised that I played a male character in my story)

Ever since then, chaos reigned my household. Everyday I picked a fight over trival matters till one day, it could not have gotten worse.

I came back home after another day of failed interview. I sunk into the sofa and sipped the coffee on the table. "Yuck", I spat, dropping the cup on the floor, complaining about the bitterness. My wife ran towards me and i started throwing tantrums. I started cursing and grabbed things within my reach and threw at her. I saw my two boys crouching in the corner whimpering and I felt infuriated that I flung the antique vase right at my wife's head. As she fell to the ground, she writhed in pain, screaming for help. I fell onto the floor and saw blood ooze out of her head.

Now two days after the incident, I silently got out of the van. I see my sister who had not gone through the pain that I went through sobbing uncontrollably. My two sons seeked refuge at my father-in-law's arms as soon as they saw me. As I walked towards the coffin, my relatives moved back. I felt shame overcome me and as I watched my wife's body buried into the ground I saw a reflection of myself on the glass panel and realised the grave mistake I had committed.

As I was being escorted back to the van, I asked the jailor,"can I please have a word with my sons?'', seeing his questioning face,"it won't be long, I promise," I said. After his agreeable nod, I walked towards my sons who were still afraid to look me in the eye. Bending down , I said, "Promise me that you will never become like Daddy. That you two will over your family and never follow my foot steps". As tears trickled down my cheeks, my sons kissed my tears away. I took it that they still loved me.

Back in the van the jailor asked me, "why? Why did you do this?". With a one word answer. I replied, "Influence". Now lifelong in prison all I could was to reflect on my sins.