Authors Note (for guest who goes by the name 'Kitty'): You asked if Alex was adopted by the Washington's! I just need to clarify that- no. He doesn't live the Washington's :D… He hasn't actually been properly introduced yet… But he will be a main character eventually! This will mainly follow the lives of Lafayette, John and Alex for the most of it! Buutttt… I've said too much! Hope you all enjoy!
-X-
Her words were few… but they meant so much… How did they manage to keep something like this from me for so long? Why were they so worried? Why the hell did the Universe decide for them to tell me now? Now while John was staying with us? All this information burst through my blood stream, swimming like a new type of adrenaline. My eyes widened so far I thought they may permanently stretch my skin. My mind was fuzzed and I could barely comprehend anything other than this…
The Universe has really bad timing…
Chapter 5- Three Rules of Survival
(? POV)
Despite the intense heat radiating off the soldering building, the night's air was still cold…. Crisp…
Each tread of my legs sent jolts of agony spark at each of my joints, not to mention the way my shoulders throbbed with every sway I had to make. All of my limbs were like a lead weight on my already pressured body. And my eyes weren't any lighter.
It was always the eyes…
The lack of sleep over the last few weeks had kept me fuzzed away from reality. Though as long as I focused on the main points to keep me alive… I would survive. All I had to remember was:
-Keep quiet
-Don't talk
-Stay invisible.
Those were the three rules of survival…
Though that last rule I had broken… He spotted me… They spotted me…
I had been seen by four people… No doubt blabber mouths. Who at high school wasn't? Well… with the exception of me…
And my heart stopped when their eyes laid upon me.
It was always the eyes…
Down where I lived, there was many shady places, people and activities going on… So I learned to keep my head down… Stay out of sight… And if I was seen… There was a chance I was dead…
The scary thing about death isn't that you'd never see anyone again (to be honest, that was a bonus). No, the worst thing about death is that you never know when it's going to happen… Could it be that car zooming past way above the speed limit? Or maybe that 'not-so-innocent-lady' who works behind the desk at the corner shop down the end of your road?
Scary… but true…
The sad truth about this world was that you could trust know one. Not your best friend. Not your teachers. Not even your family. Something I had barely had over the years… family. Something I also couldn't risk to have…
Letting someone in can have splintering effects… I learned that the hard way… But doesn't everyone?
I mean, in the laws eyes- sure. He was lawfully my family. But not if anyone knew what he actually did… Even thinking about it shook shivers down my spine…
Each tread down the long tarmac road, had lead me back to the splintered gap in the fence behind an old dustbin in the depths of the dark, murky alley on the back streets of town. My lip drew an iron blood on the bitter part of my tongue. I tried not to wince as I slipped into the narrow gap between un-hinged fence panels. My figure was nimble and skinny so, to be honest, if it wasn't for the echoing electric, sparking in agony up my almost fractured bones, it should have been simple to slide in unnoticed.
My hand hesitantly gave three simple knocks to the door. Now it was just a waiting game before he opened up. So I made my way to sit down under an old shack of wood I had made on our arrival here this summer (not that I ever dared step out the house unless I was given a command). He would open the door when he felt like it- sometimes leaving me out for a whole night. Though despite the cold, it was a luxury instead of being in that torcher house…
Now in most books I had read, this is the part when the rain starts to pour down and I burst out into a pool of sobs. But… no. They were just stories. This was real. And besides, I was to numbed by fear to feel anything else.
During this wait, I couldn't help but flash back to the look plastered on that boy's face lit up by the abolishing inferno. He was distraught, to say the least. There were so much his eyes illuminated by the reflection of the hungry, lapping flames… Too much there to name…
It was always the eyes…
But what teased mainly at my mind was,
What the hell did that kid have to do with Henry Laurens? Was he like me?
I shivered. But not because of the cold…
No… He couldn't be like that… Why else would he have been so distraught? Henry Laurens was not a good man. Does that mean… That boy was like him?
I shook off the thought. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible. He was too young to be part of something like that monster. Plus, he had an impression that was pure. Kind… Innocent… His looks too added to my theory… The way he flashed a smile and kept looking at me throughout the whole school day (yes, I noticed).
But looks can be deceiving… I learned that too…
Though when we both stood at the that shocking scene, I think (and prayed) that I was the one to see him- not vise-versa. Also, even if he did spot me, his mind should have been too overwhelmed to remember anything clearly, right? I think that's what I had read anyway… I mean, before my foster 'father' threw out the book during the 'Traumatic Experience' chapter. It took me all summer to pay back the Library. Over the holiday's, I had picked up a book on Psychology. It really interested me (along with Law, History and English). Though unfortunately I had to choose either Law or Psychology (along with other subjects I showed no interest in). Science was a good subject, along with Math too but the other three came out on top.
"Get in." His dark gruff voice stabbed slightly slurred.
He must have had a few beers… I thought.
"Now!" Without any delay, I rushed with his gravelly tone and outstretched my arm down the tatty black rucksack- sending my vision a raw selection of stars. Each of my limbs throbbed every time I stumbled over loose cobbles to try and rush inside the house- he chuckling at my pathetic state. The door smashed shut with dangerous click to the lock signaling it shut.
Only four more days…
Only four more days… I recited in my head.
Though it can only take a second to kill someone…
With my head kept to the floor, not making eye contact, I tried to slide through the door. Still risky… but not as risky if I stayed put…
"Look at you." He spat. Like, actually spat landing only a few inches away from me. "You're running away. Not taking the risk of standing your ground. What are you?"
All I had to remember was:
-Keep quiet
-Don't talk
-Stay invisible.
"Answer me you pathetic bastard!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, and of course I flinched- bad move.
"Oh." A monstrous smile erupted over his face. "That makes you flinch, eh boy?"
-Keep quiet
-Don't talk
-Stay invisible.
"TALK TO ME!" He screamed obviously letting the neighbors hear. Not that they would care… They'd never try to help before…
"I… I…" I squeaked extremely hoarse. I didn't want to speak at all… But that wasn't the problem… The problem was that I couldn't… Not without a tsunami of immense pain cracking through my eyes… One of the most recent beatings wasn't like his usual ones… This one was much more severe… Though I had it coming really… I had fallen asleep on the job because of lack of sleep (but I wouldn't be surprised if it was also due to me being malnourished). Plus I had actually spoken back against his word which he really made me pay for… If he had carried on much longer… I would have sworn he could have broken my neck…
"Ah that's right… I remember…" He hissed like a real snake. Catching me off guard (not like I could have done anything to stop it), he shoved his weight on top of my own against the wall making all my belonging scatter over the tiled floor. My heart beat sped up too fast for me to catch my breath. "You can't."
His hands caressed my neck as if it was a stress ball, up and down my bruises pinching down hard on each of the bad ones. It was a scary thing how he knew each 'pain-station' off by his own cold, stone heart and found pleasure in my weak cries of distress. Well… He was a scary man…But, it wasn't until his claws arrived at its final destination, that the thud of my heart began to break through the tough casing of my ribs. Before he went in for the final dive I could swear I saw a wave of delight cloud his pupils. A deadly sense of delight…
Without any sign of a warning call, his thick, alcohol coated, bitter mouth thrusted down upon my own. Before I could resist, his serpent like tongue prodded with pain at the bottom of my throat. My limbs shoved and thrashed against his Python-like hold around my neck which gained a tighter crush every second. It only seemed to fuel this devils fire…
Every time he did this is was a shock. Though he had only taken it too far once or twice… I never really kept track… I just wanted to forget as soon as it happened…
It wasn't what most people described as a 'kiss'… he only used this as a wretched, distressing way to muffle my sheiks of terror.
He wasn't a man… He was a monster…
This must have gone on for around ten minutes. His ruff, tugging hands prodding each bruise and injury he had inflicted on me recently. My muffled shrieks that echoed and reverberated my skull, not being able to escape of closed hole he blocked with his own snaking tongue.
The agonizing wait finally arrived and he let go. The sound of breathless heavy splutters filled the air as I tried to regain my lack of pure oxygen. His were too, deep, but he still had energy to kick the ground from under my feet sending me crashing down into a sea of stars against my sight.
"Heh." He cackled. "Now that's what being speechless is meant be like, Ali."
I hated it when he called me that. It wasn't my name.
"Did you like that?" He questioned in a whiney, whispered tone.
No I hated it you monster. I wanted to scream at him… but that was never going to happen… So I didn't do anything except try and gather together my books in a breathless mess.
"I'm not even going to waste my breath on you… You ungrateful little brat! You deserve it all and you know it! Now get out of my sight! You're an eye-sore." He hissed and I gladly took up the offer of leaving… Sooner rather than later…
As soon as I had grabbed everything in my arms, I sprinted away up the stairs to the place where I slept. Not a bedroom. Literally a small room with uncarpeted floors, no paint or wall-paper, just a broken wardrobe and a bed with a mattress that dug into your back along with thin sheets- no pillow.
I didn't have the energy to clean up my neck at this moment. So I just lay down in the clothes I wore all day. My stomach stabbed at me with a thirsty gap of hunger. I hadn't eaten a thing for what? Four? Five days? But the last decent thing I had was a sausage bun… and was burned with the frying pan along the spine of my back. Throughout most days, I just scraped off the leftovers from all his dirty plates and ate them… Still, that wasn't enough…
Don't ask me how- because I don't know myself- but he somehow managed to check out the foster care system and has had me in his care for two full years. He must have had to pull a few strings to keep me because there was no way he would have gotten away with it. I mean, he forced me into keeping quiet which I reluctantly obeyed. If I did tell someone, he would somehow manage to clear the picture… He always did…
Eventually my eye lids began to weigh the weight of a thousand galaxies as I finally greeted myself to the common nightmares that lingered in the paths of my sleep…
The sun pursing through the edge of my eyes was almost as painful as my almost fractured neck. I never needed an alarm clock as my eyes always sprang open at the exact same time every morning…
06:12
Don't ask why as I don't know myself… I can only track it back to the day my mother passed… That was the time I first awoke like this…
In the past I had always tried to go back to sleep but realized that it was pointless.
So I swung my heavy joints over the edge of my bed and made my way tentatively to the bathroom. The water ran as quietly as it could and I splashed the chilling liquid over my face. I also used a small amount of toothpaste on a green toothbrush that had lasted me three years but the sharp bristles started stabbing my gums to blood a long time ago… My mornings weren't eventful unless 'he' got up before me (though that was very unusual and thankfully today was one of those days).
After I finished in the bathroom, I brushed through my tangled hair but I didn't change out of my clothes… I didn't have anything else to change into… The last thing I needed to do was pack my school bag (which may have well been my travelling bag). It contained school books, three regular biro pens, a ruler, a pencil, my string white headphones, an MP3 player (very old and almost broken) which held exactly four songs (all with a hip-hop beat), its charger with frayed wires, a tatty sleeping bag, three filled notebooks along with one half filled one and last of all a photo of my mom… It was her on top of a cliff with the breeze whipping away stray hair from a messy brown, bun atop her head. Her dark eyes sparkled at the reflection of the dazzling sun that beat down a heavily heat upon her. She was wearing a pure, light blue sundress which covered up the dainty shoes she wore on her feet- though I remember them as clear as day… White, floral flats with a light brown sole. Also placed around her neck was a shiny, silver locket that inside held a small photo of our family.
And by family… I mean it this time… It was a place you could go when you felt down… scared… alone… They were a best friend except… closer… More trustworthy… Everybody was different, yet accepted for who you were or whoever you already were… They were always there for you but the main point was that they would still love you no matter what happens… That was a family… Something I missed oh so dearly… Something I may never have again…
Even though it was only four more days, it probably wouldn't be any different… Still no family. They'd be the same as him… Even if it took them a year to at least slap me, it would still happen. With him it took years of care and kindness before he let his true color's shine… And they weren't even colors… They were tones… Tones of grey and black…Though no white… Nothing pure… Unless you counted the bright stars that would prance around my vision whenever he landed a hard blow. But that was all…
Watching out for the mentally loud creaks of the floor boards, I snuck over the frayed rug and down the bare staircase. My burned hand landed over the cool metal of a handle that attached to a cheap chipboard door to the cigarette smoke ridden living room. Though- with no surprise- he was sprawled over the ashy sofa passed out (most likely because of all of the empty beer bottles lined up beside him).
Despite his loud, muffled sleepy breaths the room was silent. My feet took slow paces towards the kitchen… The most places of my beatings…
His hands caressed my neck as if it was a stress ball, up and down my bruises pinching down hard on each of the bad ones.
My mind couldn't contain it. I had to get out. Fast- before I had any chance of waking him up… There was too much adrenaline in my bones I had to contain my pulsating breaths.
His serpent like tongue prodded with pain at the bottom of my throat.
It wasn't like this wasn't normal… Even though I tried to forget as soon as it happened, there was always a flickering flame that would light up a random beating without will. My breaths quickened beyond control and my limbs frantically reached for the brass key underneath an empty plant pot outside the door. The lock barely had a chance to click before I shoved it back through the post box (I wasn't allowed a key to myself).
My muffled shrieks that echoed and reverberated my skull, not being able to escape of closed hole he blocked with his own snaking tongue.
The memories actually hurt…
After I gave my best (but messiest) sprint towards the road, still keeping my head down all the way. I didn't have time to check the clock when I rushed out so I could only presume it was around half six.
Great. Even more time for people to spot you now. Good job.
I sighed at my thoughts sending even more pain splintering my neck bones.
Fabulous. You can't even breathe without wincing. You wuss. There are probably others who live worse than you. Stop complaining. You brat. Maybe everything he says is true. I mean, he was nice to you at one point. What changed? Oh, I know what… You changed. Still wonder why he hates you? Why everyone would hate you? That's only if you manned up to give them a chance though. Coward.
"Shut up." I huffed instantly regretting giving my throat extra work. I shook my head trying to clear the stars and picked up my pace towards the friendlier area of town.
Down the long walk to the park (because going to school seemed way too early) I took many hidden paths. The paths were all dark, littered and fusty. At night, it was most likely full of dealers and wasted bodies with many other 'not-so-legal-activities' but I had to shrug it off for stopping could put me higher to gods waiting room, for turn of phrase. I was not religious in anyway ever since I had last saw my mother… Because if things like this had happened to people who have had nothing, why don't the monsters of the world get what's coming to them faster? Why blame it on innocent people? It made no sense.
I had passed the school ten minutes ago still limping with my frayed hood loosely covering my face. The arrival to the park had brought a surprising calmness to me for a few seconds as I continued to stroll to it's center. Bringing relief to my being was also the fact that not many people came down here this early. All there was were morning dogwalkers and business persons, all rushing to be somewhere. None of them acknowledged my presence which was good. I never even caught their eyes with the rush they all moved in.
After establishing to myself that was 'safe', I sat down against a tall ash tree and took out a note book. I began to write non-stop. Spilling my passion to the bare pages and filling them up within minutes. My writing was neat, detailed and full of care. There was never a word misspelt or crossed out amongst the pages. I cherished these paragraphs with my life. They are the thing that has kept me going for so long… the reason I hadn't given up sooner…
Once I had been sat down, vigorously scribbling at the pages for far too long, I eventually looked up. The sun's rays were stronger than during my timid walk here in the first place and it lit up the park immensely. Each tree seemed so much more elegant with its broad branches swaying with the motion of the slight breeze. The grass was so much more luscious with little drops of dew scattered about it. In the park, it didn't have any flowers but the stunning arrays of green compensated for it dearly. Now I would say it was beautiful but that would be false. When someone says something is truly beautiful- they're lying. Nothing can be completely and utterly pure. The tree's may be beautiful… but they could easily fall on you… and that would be ugly… The person you are in a relationship with may be beautiful to you… but it's most likely the relationship will end sooner or later… and that would be ugly… Wolves roaming freely about the glistening realms of the snowy mountains would be beautiful… but they have to brutally slaughter other living creatures to survive… and that would be ugly… Fire was beautiful… except it needs to destroy something to burn those lapping flames… and that was ugly… My mother was beautiful… but she was snatched away from me far too soon… and that was ugly… That boy at the fire was beautiful… but it his father must have been Henry Laurens… and that monster was ugly…
I shuddered at his name and snapped my book closed, shoving it down to my bag. I scanned the park looking for a person to ask for the time…
This will be fun…
I pulled my hood tighter around my face, still letting my eyes dart around to look for a person. But instead I found something else… Or more like someone… A girl… Crying behind a wall in a back ally just across the road… I should have walked away… But I… couldn't… My legs limped towards her weeping body while my mind screamed for me to turn away… I wouldn't be able to actually speakto her! What was the point?! Though it was too late… I was crouched on the ground leaning out my arm to her despite the raging pain shooting through them. With this action, she screamed over the sobs and crawled backwards with heavy, intense breathing. I lifted up my hands to tell her I was safe and she… trusted me? Not only that, but she lunged for my chest and I tensed for longer than I should have. It took all my willpower to not scream out with her because of the bruises her hands landed upon. All I did was place one hand to her back in nothing more than a comforting way. After minutes of her endless wails, her cries eventually halted to strong breaths. My throat was going to kill me but I had to squeak something… anything…
"…You… okay?" Yep. Just as predicted my throat may have well have exploded with stabs and jabs to my inside flesh.
"I… I… No…" She heaved out against the barriers of deep splutters.
I didn't have any guts to pull her back into a hug. Who knows… she could have a knife… a gun… a drug… I couldn't trust her… Looks were deceiving… My throat didn't have any chance at another word so just got her to look in my eyes and gestured to her and the space around us and thankfully she got the idea…
"I… It wasn't much… just… S… Sorry I can't tell you what happened…"
So at least this girl had some sense about her. She's already learned to trust no one. Especially a stranger in the streets. I forced a smile to my lips to say it was okay and she didn't have to say anything… I respected her wishes.
"T… Thank you… I'm… I'm Maria… Maria Reynolds…"
I couldn't respond to this. My name wasn't just a free balloon to be handed out without thorough thought! But I didn't want to sound rude… She could still have a gun… So I just waved awkwardly.
Dammit!
"Don't talk much, eh?"
I shook my head partly forgetting that moving my neck would be just as bad as talking…
She gave a sad laugh, "Don't worry. I don't think you're weird. You're smart. For all you knew I could be a mass murderer with a knife in my pocket. In fact I was stupid to even give you my name. No offence."
Wow this girl was smart. She seemed to be able to read my thoughts exactly. But it still could all be an act… I couldn't trust her… I just couldn't…
"I'm so sorry for wasting your time… I have to go… G… Goodbye…"
And with that she ran off as if she was never there before… It was all so quick I could barely even comprehend what happened in the first place… But I did remember that there was no way, I would be able to ask for the time… So just took the initiative to walk towards the school… Replaying what had just happened in my head… and how I may have just committed myself to death in the process…
Author's Note: Hate me all you want! I'm so sorry to leave the cliff hanger from last time hanging from last time! Buuuttttt… I'll be worth it ;)
This was the shortest chapter yet it took wayyyy too long to write! But I have been busy with other stories! I have completed one (A Christmas Special and I really hope you check it out!), a parody FanFic of songs from the musical and another story that will just be for fun!
'ITAMS' is still my main priority though! And I DO still have inspiration to write this! The thing is this one was really hard to write! Anyway… The next one will reveal the secret form the Washington's! So stay in tune!
I also want TO THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH LIKE I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF THE WORDS TO SHOW MY GRATATUDE TO HOW MUCH YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THIS! LIKE, OMAG! Sorry… I just got really excited at the fact I have had 19 REVIEWS IN FOUR CHAPTERS! … Sorry?
Yeah well anyway… I can't wait to hear what you think about this! So please get reviewing!
Yours Truly,
-L.E-Rae _x_
(Oh and P.S I got tickets to see Hamilton for Christmas like OMG! :D)
Goodbye again!
-L.E-Rae _x_