Chapter Ten: Painx2
The next morning, Leon and Liam awoke at the same time; to their stomach growling.
"Morning" they greeted each other in unison and started to laugh.
"Do you smell that?" Leon asked, a smile coming on to his face.
"Yeah. It smells like chocolate chip pancakes" Liam replied.
"Daddy doesn't make chocolate chip pancakes" Leon said, raising an eyebrow.
"Neither does Rosie" Liam muttered, a look of confusion on his face.
"Then, that means-"
"MOMMY!"
The two boys jumped out of bed and rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen. They ran over to their mother and threw their arms around her waist.
"Oh, my boys. I missed you so much" their mother, Melody Hazel, said in a quiet voice as she bent down and hugged her twin boys.
"We missed you too mommy" Leon and Liam said quietly.
I groaned and headed into the kitchen, grouchy from being woken up by my brother's screams. I rubbed my eyes and stepped into the kitchen, freezing at the sight of my mom hugging my brothers.
"Hey, mom. How was your trip?" I asked, a smile coming to my face as Leon and Liam rushed up to me.
"It was really productive" mom said shortly. "How was your father?"
"He was ok" I replied shortly. I said the next part under my breath. "Besides the times he was drunk."
"Daddy hurt Rosie" Leon said quietly, staring up at his mom.
"What?" mom asked, a startled look on her face.
"No, he didn't do anything. He doesn't know what he's talking about" I said quickly.
"He slapped her because. . .well because Leon and I drew on the walls" Liam said, his eyes wide.
"Then he burned her neck. She was screaming but he wouldn't let her go" Leon added.
"When was this?" mom asked, shaking.
"Yesterday night" Leon replied.
"Mom, he's lying. He had a nightmare or something" I said quietly.
"No, I'm not. I'll prove it" Leon said, breaking out of my grasp and rushing up the stairs.
"Rosealyn" mom said in a quiet tone.
I stared down at my feet. Leon came down the stairs moments later with his sketchpad. He opened it and showed mom the picture. Her eyes widened.
"Rose, go and take Leon and Liam to the park" she said quietly.
"But, mom-"
"Now" she interrupted me.
"Go get your skateboards. I'll meet you on the front porch" I said quietly, running my fingers through Leon and Liam's hair. They did as they were told.
"Come here, Rose" mom said quietly, her green eyes, boring into mine. I walked over to her. "Turn around and lift your hair."
I did as I was told. Mom ran cool water on a wash cloth and scrubbed the makeup off the back of my neck. I heard mom curse under her breath and finger the three burn marks on my neck.
"Go hang out with friends or whatever" mom said, stomping up the stairs.
"What about breakfast?" I asked.
"Go to a friends house" mom called in reply. Man, was she pissed.
I sighed heavily and went outside, sitting on the porch swing as I waited for Leon and Liam. I looked up as Blake and Sasha headed up the driveway.
"Hey guys" I said quietly.
"Is your mom home? There's an extra car in the driveway" Sasha said with a smile.
"Yeah, she is" I replied with a nod. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Breakfast, duh" Blake said with a lopsided grin.
"Why don't you ever eat breakfast at your own home?" I snapped. Blake and Sasha's eyes widened in shock.
"Calm down, what's the matter?" Sasha asked, holding his hands up defensively.
"Nothing" I replied, suddenly irritable. I relaxed as Leon and Liam came out of the house. They were both wearing layered shirts and long jeans.
"Wouldn't you rather wear shorts? Won't you get hot in that?" Blake asked. Leon and Liam exchanged glances.
"N-no, it's ok. W-we're fine" Leon said giving a small smile.
I could tell that it was forced. Dad did something to them. That I knew for sure. It's only a matter of time before something happens to mom.
"We're headed to the park. Want to come?" Liam asked, being his polite self.
"This early?" Blake asked. Leon and Liam shrugged.
"No problem" Sasha replied, elbowing Blake in the side. He and Blake exchanged looks. "Let's go." We headed to the park in silence, Liam and Leon skated ahead of us.
"Are you sure nothing is going on at your house, Rose?" Sasha asked quietly.
"Would you lay off? Nothing is going on?" I asked impatiently, speeding up.
Blake and Sasha rushed to catch up with me. Blake put his hand on the small of my back. I stiffened and backed away from his touch. Blake flung out his arm and stopped Sasha from walking.
"What is it dude?" Sasha whispered.
"I think we need to check out their behavior online" Blake said quietly.
"You mean-"
"Yes, my suspicion about them being abused is becoming clearer to me" Blake said with a nod. . .
-
"OK, guys. I think you need a nap" I said as I led Leon and Liam into the house.
They kept their skateboarding stuff on the front porch and rubbed their eyes, walking inside the house. I let out a sigh and closed the door behind me. Turning back towards the stairs, I got knocked back an indefinable force.
"Why'd you have to go an tell your mother?" I heard dad growl.
I choked for air as his hands wrapped around my throat and started to squeeze tightly. Black spots erupted in front of my eyes. I reached out to grab something. . .anything.
"Rosie" I heard a small whisper.
Dad shoved me to the floor at the sound of the voice. I hit my head on the floor and rolled over onto my stomach and saw that Liam and Leon were still standing in the room. Their eyes were wide in fear. My head throbbed with pain as I fought to stay conscious.
"Boys. . .go. . .upstairs" I whispered, trying to get to my feet.
"You little brats" dad growled rushing over to them.
Leon and Liam turned to run up the stairs, but dad grabbed their arms and pulled them back. They stumbled over the lamp table and fell to the ground, the table landing on top of them. The lamp shattered next to their heads, hitting them with chipped clay.
They screamed and cried as dad kicked them in the sides, and head. I slowly pushed myself to my feet. Leon and Liam shrieked as dad grabbed them by the hair and dragged them up the stairs. I slowly followed, pleading with him to let them go. I finally got to their room as dad started to hit them with a belt. Liam had a gash on his cheek and Leon had blood running from a cut somewhere under his hair.
"Get off them. Get off them, you bastard" I whispered, grabbing one of the twins' chairs and hitting dad in the back with it.
He whirled around and backslapped me, the chair crashing into the wall. Leon and Liam fell to the floor, unconscious. Dad walked out of the room. I breathed a sigh of relief and closed the door to the boys' room.
Before I could lock it, dad kicked the door open, sending me across the room. Dad rushed over to me and pulled me off the floor. He had a vase in his free hand. I closed my eyes and waited for it to come smashing down on my head.
I fell to my knees, trembling in pain. Shards of glass embedded in my neck from the vase that had just been smashed over my head. I grimaced and held back a moan.
"You worthless piece of trash," dad spat the words like venom.
I winced.
I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I won't do it again...I'll try harder, I swear...please, just stop. Don't do anymore. I'm scared. Do you know what it's like to be this scared? Have you ever felt this kind of fear, father?
"Get up!" He yelled.
I could smell the alcohol on his breath from where I was. I carefully got to my feet. The room was spinning, I stumbled a few feet and then sank to my knees. I was too weak to stand.
"I said get up."
I can't. Can't you see that? Even you can tell I'm dying right now...
"GET UP!" He barked.
I tried to get up, I tried my hardest. The room was still spinning, pain shot through my body every time I moved. I moaned in agony.
Please, I'm begging you, please stop. I don't want to die...I don't want to die tonight!
Dad walked to where I was and lifted his foot above my body. I was on my hands and knees. I needed to move, to get away, but my body wouldn't let me. All I could do was sit there and moan. Dad put his foot down hard on my back, knocking me to the ground. My body fell on shards of broken glass. I could feel the glass in my stomach, the crimson blood started to flow from my body. He kept his foot on my back, pushing me harder and harder onto the blood stained mahogany floor.
Stop! I'm so sorry, father. I promise you I'll do anything you ask, just stop...please.
Blood trickled from my mouth and down my chin. I tried to swallow but spat up the blood onto the ground.
"Now, get up." he kept his foot firmly on my back.
How can I? You've still got your foot on me. I can't move...it's all I can do to keep on breathing.
I felt something sharp hit the back of my neck, pushing the glass farther into it. I screamed in pain and tightly closed my eyes. I heard something crash and break next to my head. I opened one eye and looked at it. Dad was towering above me, a large book in his hand. My head was swimming, pain filled my body. I clenched my fists and got to my knees.
I looked up at dad, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, just please...please stop."
I coughed up blood as I spoke. I keeled over and clenched my throat. I couldn't breathe.
"Stop? Stop? Why should I stop? I hate you, everyone hates you! You're worthless. Ugly, useless, worthless, trash!" the book hit me in the back, sending me a few feet across the room and back on the ground.
He's trying to kill me. He's actually trying to...kill me. His own son...his own flesh and blood.
"Please just stop!" I screamed.
"Why should I stop? You think this isn't fair? You deserve this!"
Before I could get in another word a glass had hit my in the stomach. I moaned as the glass broke and embedded itself in my stomach. He smirked and walked towards me.
"Don't come near me!" I screamed.
Dad's grin never left his face He pulled a gun out of his pocket. My eyes widened in terror, I scrambled to my feet and started for the door, stumbling the whole way. I fumbled with the doorknob. It wouldn't open. Why isn't it opening? I have to open it! Dad held up the gun and kept walking. My palms had become sweaty, my whole body was sweaty. I kept slipping with the knob never able to get a good grip on it.
Lord, please help me. Please protect me from this man. I don't want to die yet. I'm sorry, please forgive me for what I might have done to deserve such a fate as this. But please, don't let me die!
I kept fumbling with the door as I said this over and over in my head and then, click, the door opened. I pushed it open and started to run down the long hallway and for the stairs. But while I was running as fast as I could, which of course wasn't very fast at all considering my wounds, I tripped on the rug and sailed a few feet through the air.
I landed on her arm and twisted it all the way around. I yelped and held it gingerly with the other hand. My arm was broken, my body covered in glass and sticky blood, my head and neck swollen.
"Get out!" Dad demanded.
I stood up slowly and started for the stairs, a few steps down them I felt the gun run into my head, I lost my balance and fell the rest of the way down. Landing at the bottom.
I can't breathe...I can't...I'm not going to make it.
I gently got on my hands and knees, and with all my strength I managed to stand. I stumbled a little and then stood somewhat steady.
"Go!" He screeched.
I looked at the stairs, there was a trail of blood from where I had fallen, my eyes followed the blood and ended at a small pool of blood that had been from my stomach. I winced and turned around. I put my hands on the door and instantly pulled away with a yelp of pain. I looked at my hands. They were red and raw; glass was deep inside them. I looked at the door handle. That was all that kept me from getting away from him, from my father. I looked up at him, he was coming down the stairs slowly.
I have to get out of here, he's going to kill me.
I closed my eyes and gripped the door, it was all I could do to keep from screaming in pain. I fumbled some and then it finally opened. Outside the rain was pouring down, I saw lightning crack across the sky and light up the night. I took a step outside the door and then turned to her father.
"If you leave, you know you'll come back. You can't last out there on your own! You'll be back and I'll be waiting."
I don't care, I'm leaving and I'm never coming back to this damned place!
I ran and ran until I couldn't run anymore. I stumbled and fell to the hard ground. Lying on the ground, cold rain pouring on my back, I smiled. I was finally free. All the pain, all the suffering, I was free from it all.
"But what do I do from here?" I murmured.
"Nothing. I said that to give you a head start" dad said and held up a black pistol. . .