A Childhood Trauma Memoir

Apparently, English was actually the third language that I learned in my life. I first learned Korean when I was a baby, and the first school I went to was a Spanish school (where I was obviously taught in Spanish). So, I didn't know how to speak nor write in English until I was like in first grade or something. But, how am I supposed to remember that? My mom always goes around asking me, "Do you remember this? Do you remember that?" And, I obviously don't remember since she's always talking about something that happened when I was only three or four years old. But, there is this particular story about me that my mom brought up yesterday that I actually could remember clearly.

I was about four or five years old at that time. You know, the age when you think there are monsters under your bed and ghosts in the closet. My room was located at the end of the main hallway. Since my parents' room was exactly at the other end, I just needed to walk straight from my room to get there.

Almost every single night, because of being startled by a nightmare or mostly for no apparent reason, I'd wake up. I could never go back to sleep since I had my own little world where things would crawl out of my bed and eat me alive or something (I mean, I was only four years old). So, I always went to my parents' room where I would feel safer. But, I didn't just walk normally to their room. It was dark and scary. I would close my eyes and run straight in the dark until I reached my sanctuary where I would keep on sleeping in peace with my parents.

It was okay to have my eyes closed since the hallway was wide and straight, and the door to my parents' room was always open. So, doing my nightly routine, I woke up like at two in the morning and ran on full speed straight towards the room just like any other night. But, this night was a bit different. My dad, of course, decided to leave the door closed this particular night. He didn't do it on purpose, but that still doesn't change the fact that the door was closed. So, I was running on full speed when I suddenly felt this wooden block hit my face. I somehow fell backwards and I was crying all alone in the dark. Soon enough, my parents sleepily came out of the room and turned the lights on. They got so freaked out the moment they saw me: My entire face was all covered in blood and I was still on the floor crying. But, they calmed down soon after they found out what happened and noticed that the blood was actually not that serious since it only came from my nose.

So yes, that's my story. It's probably the oldest happening that I can remember of my childhood. I guess it was a bit traumatizing for me at that time since I still remember it. Anyway, I think that's it for now.