Preface
Claire Fuller was a good girl.
She went to church. She went to college. She didn't fool around with boys. She made her daddy proud.
She made her daddy proud.
And right now her daddy was telling her to kill him. The first man who she'd ever loved. The man who had taught her the meaning of unconditional love. Who had forgiven her everything, and would also forgive her this, was begging for her to kill him.
Shaking fingers flexed reflexively around the splintered piece of wood he was pressing against his chest. Blood, cold and sticky, coated her hands and tears coursed hot and wet over her cheeks. She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill him.
Surely there was another way? Isn't that what happened in the movies? The hero found another way? Only, there were no heroes here. Just two scared little girls and a father terrified of the monster he would become.
Her younger sister was warm against her side, silent weeping punctuated by heart-wrenching hiccups. Little Katie-Kakes. Barely a woman and now a victim of war. Because that's what this was, a war. And there were no heroes here, just scared little girls and monsters.
The silver cross around Kate's neck caught the light, reflected off the desperate sheen of her father's eyes. Claire started when she felt slick fingers curl around her own and blinked the tears back to confirm that Kate was gripping that piece of wood now too.
Green eyes met green and Claire was overwhelmed by the resolve in her little sisters gaze. Grief, torment, fear, but a firm resolve to do the right thing. To be a dutiful daughter and follow her father's wishes. Even if that took away a part of them they would never get back.
Claire had always been a good girl. So she did what she had to.
In that moment Claire gently knocked her sister aside, prayed that God would forgive her, and drove that piece of wood into her daddy's chest with all the strength within her. She held his gaze throughout, her penance for this sin he was making her commit. She listened as the words of forgiveness and praise that fell from his lips were drowned by the blood bubbling down his chin. A sound like a wounded animal tore free from her throat as she shuddered and tried to remember how to breathe.
There were no heroes here.
AN: Hi guys! Please let me know if you enjoyed this snippet of Claire's tale - I've got 3 chapters finished and waiting but it all depends on how much interest I get as to how fast they'll be posted.
Read and Review!
- susiesamurai xo