SPOILER FOR FANTASTIC BEASTS . Trigger warnings: dysfunctional family (but hey what did you expect from the Barebone?) and suggested Violence
«Credence where are you good-for-nothing ? » Her mother inveighed. She was in a fury her lips twitched in this ugly rictus. Oh she knows this rictus, she knows . It was the rictus she has during the most violent moment of her speeches, the rictus she has when she beats Credence bloody, the rictus she has when she watches over the printing of the flyers.
Modesty shivered. A part of her wanted Credence to stay away safe from the belt and the harsh hands but a part of her wanted him to endure the beatings of her mother for it was not him it would be her. She hated herself for thinking it but all these years taught that in order to survive you have to do anything.
If only Mom could disappear -die- and leave her and Credence alone. She rejected that thought. Wishing the death of someone even as horrible as Mom was a sin and she must not be thinking that.
Her nightmare who was watching at the door mumbled something and then she turned, belt in her hand ready to beat, she turned at her. Modesty stiffened up. She has a few times tried to escape the punishments but Mother always found her and then doubled the punishment saying it was because « she had been a bad girl ».
There is nothing except for witches that her mother hates more than bad and ungrateful children. This is what Chastity told her. Chastity who was watching the scene from upstairs. She was the favorite of Mother and she was rarely punished. Modesty envied her. If only her and Credence could be good children like her Mother said, they would be much happier !
Mother always said she punished them so that they could mind their places and be good people because all the spoiled rotten children never know their limits and it leaded them to sin and hell.
Sometimes Modesty almost believed it. Why else would she beat them for?
The door opened a tiny little bit and Credence stepped her unaware of the fury of mother- wasn't he?
"Come here"
Therefore he understood in a second.
The older woman and him went upstairs.
This time only one scream pierced through the darkness.
Modesty was trembling in her bed in the room she shared with Credence. Her hand found the short stick which always oddly reassures her.
Then Credence came. There was nothing on his face but this is not unusual since mother always beats him on the back.
She bites her lips. She wishes she could does something for Credence. But she can not heal the injuries.
But there is one thing she still could do.
She gets up and went to Credence's bed.
"Hey Credence?"
"Lemme alone" He muffled trying to repress a sob.` She stays away form him. When he was in this state, any attempt to comfort him would only make him more angry. He did not like to be seen as vulnerable.
Modesty remembered a time when she did not know Credence Chastity and Mother. The memories were blurry and misty but deep down in her heart she knows she had an younger brother. The first she had held him , she had felt love blossomed in her chest.
A part of her knows that Mother did not deserve this title and that Chastity is a poor excuse for a sister. But Credence always listened to her rambling about how she missed her siblings-by-blood, he tried to find her cake to eat, he sometimes distributes the flyers instead of her. He deserved something other than this ugly house.
You and Credence are the worse children I've ever adopted. You should be both living in the street instead of abusing of my generosity.
She shook her head.
"Credence I will leave you alone as you seem to wish but if you need me don't hesitate"
He sniffed seeming to acknowledge her. The little girl left the room and went to the "chapel".
The "chapel" was a very pretentious name for what it really was: it was just a room with blank walls, a bible and a giant wood crucifix. There was a lot of dust in one corner and that made her cough.
She kneeled down before the crucifix.
Please send someone to save me and Credenceshe prays. Anyone anything but not this.
She did not see the dust whirling in the corner like it was animated.
A review? This was my first fanfiction in English so please excuse any mistakes