One quiet evening.
Dark.
The streetlamp at the end of the street flicker infinitesimally and a couple of shadows lurking outside 24, Huntington place, the house was, without doubt, the smallest in the neighborhood, adorned with several greenery across the front yard.
"Don't make a sound, you!" a harsh girl voice came in, angry at her brother for stepping on a stray twig. The boy rolled his eyes and continue toward the door. "Do you think he's awake?"
"No." her voice came in full of doubt, she bit her lips and continue, slightly quivering from the night's chill "he can't be. Hopefully he's already wasted on the couch"
"I still can't believe he's our father"
"shush it you, you'll wake the neighborhood!"
Them both tiptoeing across the terrace, a small one at it, white wood flooring that's chapped and covered with moss at some part with white frail-looking railing, but it's all dark and the two siblings trying hard not to make a loose flooring creak when they step on them.
"pins" said the boy, hand outstretched toward his sister. Jane fumbled with her pocket looking for it, accidentally dropping a large needle. "sssh" was all her brother can form, himself being slightly shocked by the sound it made against the woven iron mat. With a scowl she open her palm and Alec snatch the pins from her hand.
JANE'S POV
Sheesh, why do Alec has to make such a fuss? It's just a needle. It's not like Jared's going to wake up over that. No, he must be too drunk to even wake up if the street was bombed by the Nazis.
It is too quite though, usually the sound of his radio would emanate to the porch, maybe it's broken again.
She keeps reassuring herself that all is fine, that even if Alec and her went back home late, he wouldn't notice, and hopefully, too sick from hangover tomorrow morning to remember why his foster children was missing last night.
True, her and alec has spent the whole day trying to place jinx and curses to their classmates, one by one. Even though It doesn't really work, them both like to think that it works. At least it gives them slight confidence to walk in the classroom for another day. Secretly knowing that their enemies have been placed with curses and all. Even the slightest disturbance with them would make them satisfied.
Click.
Alec made it, she quickly dismissed her thoughts and stare at the slightly open door in front of her, pushing it slightly, she grabbed her brother's hand, seeking for some comfort. He gruntled. Nice, brother. It really is time for you to get uncomfortable and annoying.
The room was dark, slight light comes from the next room, where father supposedly be, in his drunken stupor. It smells of cigarette and alcohol, If there's one thing that Jane's sure about of this house, it's that the owner doesn't care too much for decoration or cleanliness.
A quick nudge on her back signaled that her brother's getting impatient. Not daring to make any noises, she tiptoed toward the stairs in the far left corner of the room, trying to control her now uneven breathing.
It's not that her father would kill them, it's just..
"Where do you think you two are going?" A figure suddenly appeared in the doorway, obviously drunk, leaning toward the doorframe and on his hand, a half empty brandy bottle. "You two, are waaaay past your curfew, aren't you?" he walked toward them, forcing them to back down against the wall. Sometimes it's better to stay quiet.
"Of course, ya think the old man J wouldn't care, coming home whenever you feel like it." He smiles in his drunken state and waving the brandy bottle, "well" he take a breath, "THIS IS MY HOME I TELL YA! YOU UNWORTHY LITTLE BASTARDS KNOW NOT OF MY RULES, YOU CAN GET OUT AND FEND FOR YOURSELF" red-faced, he started screaming. Oh this isn't good. Her stomach lurched and she saw her brother trembled slightly. It was him who took his beating the last time. The scars and bruises still visible during daylight, now it's just deep shades under the moonlight. His father's crazy eyes dance at the sight. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO COVER THOSE UP?" he pressed his forefinger to Alec's bruises on his hand. Earning a wince and a muffled whine from the thirteen years old. I look away.
Sometimes it's better not to see what he'd done to her brother. As annoying as he may be, he's the closest to a family. Her brother, not her 'father'.
He has taken care of her since they were 10, when both of their parents died in a car accident. Then they were placed in an orphanage, Alec took role of protecting her from the kids there who likes to tug and play with her hair, sometimes more hurting than taunting. A year later a newlyweds adopt them. They were pretty, the wife looks amazing while the husband looks caring. Well that was 2 years ago.
The husband was now this man in front of them, huge with beer belly and bald head. His stench is almost unbearable from his work at the fish market. He was covered in dirt and sweat. He smells of cigarette and alcohol from his mouth, the stench swept in everytime he utter a word. In his cheeks there's a lipstick stain, probably from a hooker somewhere. His large hand is chubby and clubbed, usually used to hit them both on the face, hand, arse, everywhere. Usually to hold a piece of rattan stick, all the more hurting.
It wasn't like this. It shouldn't turn out like this.
She remembered how it's like the first day they stepped into the house. It was quaint, pretty, the sun's streaming through the many windows and the lawn outside is more taken care of than it is now. And then their 'mother' died when she miscarriage. Leaving them with only their father. It was good, at first. Then Jared lost his money in a gamble, and lost most the furniture in the house. And then the war started. Europe isn't in a very good state. And neither is their life.
Pain shot through her scalp, her father has gotten her hair and twist them in his hands, dragging her toward the stairs, her brother, still clasped hands with her also yanked along. He dropped her in the bottom flight of the stairs. Before being able to shriek in pain, pain shot through her wrists, a red mark appear across it. One of the many. Her father has gotten himself a rattan stick and starts hitting them both, first it was her, then her brother get in the way, sacrifice his back to get beaten by their angry father.
It's easier to run. She grabbed her brother by his collar and pull him upstairs, father's too drunk to follow us, at least not as fast. Alec jumped almost immediately, but Jared yanked him back down. With a thud, her brother is now writhing on the floor, still getting beat up. "HOW DARE YOU RUNNING! YOU THINK YOU AIN'T DESERVE THIS?" his beating got harder and harder, she could see tears forming on his eyes and her heart ache for his twin. She knows how he stands his punishment to protect her, her unselfish, caring brother.
Taking her chances when Jared lean to the wall, obviously getting slightly dizzy from all the alcohol and the 'exercise', she grabbed him again by his hand and half dragged him upstairs. His ragged breathing fills her ear and she reach out to circle his hand around her neck, knowing that her brother have no more energy to carry himself. She tries to go as fast as possible.
"OY YOU TWO, DON'T THINK I'M DONE!"
She closed her eyes and tries to block the tears, already streaming down her face and quickened her pace. Enter their joined bedroom and lock the door.
Silently placed his brother on the only bed available, a torn and small mattress, thinning from all the use and slightly dirty for no laundry is ever done in this place, she quickly make sure her brother's safe and kiss his forehead. Tears still streaming and she wipe some on his face. Her heart breaks seeing his guardian so broken, so in pain, and her tears broke again knowing she can do nothing about it.
She jumped at the sudden banging on the door "OPEN UP!". Jared. He still isn't satisfied. "NO!" Jane croaked through her now dry throat. "OPEN UP CHILD! THIS IS MY HOUSE! OPEN UP!"
More banging.
More yelling.
More tears.
Alec grunted in pain and she hug her brother. "I love you I love you I love you, I'm sorry" she whispers repeatedly to his ears. Her brother can only hug her back.
From writer: will be continued, more chapters to come. Hopefully I can do with one everyday. Reviews are appreciated :) xo
