Our parents storm outside, and Felix follows. I grin when I see a brilliant purple bruise blossoming on his face, but one look at my parents' faces and I immediately stop. We're both in deep, deep trouble.
"Which one of you did this?" Dad spits, pulling Felix up next to him, "Which one of you hit him?"
"Me." Clove replies firmly.
'Why is she doing this? She saw me do it, so why is she getting herself in trouble for it?' I think to myself, then it dawns on me.
'She loves me. She's trying to protect me!"
"You didn't Clove, so don't say you did." I say to her firmly.
"What?" My mother hisses, "You did this to him?"
"Yes. I did." I say to her.
"Saskia…" Clove starts. But I don't let her finish her sentence.
"Don't Clove," I say to her, "You didn't do this, so don't say you did." I push her behind me, determined to face our parents myself.
"Get here now." My father says with barely concealed rage.
Clove stands stock still, knowing she can't change my mind. I walk over to our father, and he grabs my shoulders in a biting iron grip. I turn to look at Clove, and she looks like she might be about to faint.
He grabs me and marches me away, our mother following, and I know they aren't going to let me off easy. They drag me into the old garden shed and bolt the door behind us. The shove me away and I turn to face them. They start walking towards me slowly with malicious glints in their eyes. Before I know what's happened, my father has punched me in the face so hard that I see stars. I crouch down, clutching my face, just trying to get rid of the pain. When I raise my head again, my mother's hand is there, and she slaps me so hard that I can't see properly.
I stand up again, pausing only to spit blood from my mouth. They keep beating me, and I just stay silent. At some point someone kicks me in the stomach and I collapse to the ground, unable to breathe. I lay on the cold, hard floor, trying to get my breath. But the abuse doesn't stop. They keep kicking me even while I lay limp on the ground. I don't know when, but they come to an agreement. They've been doing this for nearly half an hour, but they must have decided it was boring now. My father reaches to the wall and picks something off it. He raises the shovel above his head, and brings it down hard on mine. Then my world turns to black.
When I wake up, I find myself on a bed, and there is a throbbing pain in my head. I give a small moan, and someone comes and crouches by my head. I can't see who it is though. My vision's still a little bit hazy.
"Sas? Are you alright?"
"Clove? Is that you?" I ask weakly.
"Yes," She says to me gently, "It's me."
"Good."
"I've fixed you up, but sleep down here tonight."
Then I realise where I am. She's brought me inside, and I'm on her bed in her room. I don't want to sleep down here. I want to sleep in my own bed, and let her sleep down here. This is her room, and I made her have it for a reason.
"No."
"Saskia, don't be difficult." She says in exasperation.
I know I'm being stubborn, but it's for a reason. She just doesn't know it.
"Clove, I'm not sleeping in your room." I say firmly. She's not going to win this argument. But she's still going to keep trying.
"Just sleep down here!" She says loudly, "Why don't you want to?"
I stay silent. I've decided to let her have her way.
"Fine. I'll sleep down here then."
"Thankyou," She says quietly, "Do you want to sleep now?"
"Yes, please." I say quietly.
"OK. I'm right here. They aren't going to hurt you again." She says to me.
I relax and snuggle deeper into the mattress. It's so much comfier than mine, but I don't mind. She gently pulls the thick, soft blanket over me, and tucks me in. I feel like a little kid, but I feel so safe in her hands. She gently pulls a stray hair out of my eyes, and strokes my face. She leans down and kisses my forehead.
"I'm staying right here Sas, OK?" She says softly.
"OK. Night Clove." I say sleepily.
"Night Sas." She replies.
I close my eyes and let the darkness embrace me.
