She had learned

She had learned to be as quiet as a mouse, no sound whatsoever emerging from her being.
She had learned how to make her very breath imperceptible.
She knew how to be invisible.
To sink back into the earth and be camouflaged against her surroundings.
She had learned to only speak when given permission.
To answer the question correctly.
To give him the answer he wanted to hear.
Answer immediately, sufficiently audible for his ears, not too loud, not too soft.
Think quickly, the answer must please him.
She had become skilled at anticipating what was required of her.
She knew her duties.
She knew when, and which way to respond.
She had become adept at sensing his moods.
The changes were frequent and violent.
So, she had also learned to duck.
Cleverly, she had learned exactly how to manoeuvre swiftly to avoid his hand, or the object he was bringing rapidly towards her head.
For the full force of his strength was too powerful for her tiny stature.
But she also knew to move only enough that it just clipped her scalp.
Just enough to make contact and satisfy his anger.
If he missed her entirely, it would be worse.
His rage would be magnified.
She had learned to ignore the immediate throbbing pain.
She had learned that it could be worse.
She had learned that an unexpected blow to the back of her skull was something to avoid at all costs.
She had become proficient at all of the rules.
Rules that she knew would change at any moment, at his discretion.
Rules that never made any sense and only seemed to belong to him.
His rules.
She knew her only choice was to dispel or to satisfy his anger.
Most of the time she inevitably ended up fulfilling his cruel urges and uncontrollable rage.
But she also knew that it was her fault if she broke the rules, even though the rule was now opposite to what it just had been.
She knew that everything was her fault.
She knew this because he had told her it was.
She knew that she was insignificant, useless, and a hindrance, because he had told her many times.
So, it must be true.
She knew that once he had taught her another 'lesson', he would be pleased, and leave her in peace.
In peace to nurse her painful skull, and throbbing, spinning brain.
In peace to soothe her trembling emotions.
In peace to repair her shattered soul.
Yet again.
Until the next time.
Yes, she had learned a lot for a child of six years old.