Ruby's POV

I don't understand. Kelly let him in, that monster. I hate him. First he made mummy go away and now he is making Kelly go away. I hate him I hate him I hate him! It makes me sad that my first memory is my daddy holding a knife to Kelly's throat. I was only about two then so Kelly was ten. But it was always her job to look after me, mum died before I remember but I had Kelly. When I was really little I used to call her mummy by accident, I couldn't understand why my family was so different to everyone else's.

Sometimes I think Kelly doesn't realise that I'm older now, that I can understand. She still thinks of me as her tiny little sister but I'm nine now not three. I am older than she was when I was born and older than she was when she basically became a mother. My mother. Fundamentally (I learnt that word at school the other week) she is my mum. I see her as my mum and I think really she sees me as her daughter. As for Flash, well he's brilliant. He loves my "mum" so much, you can see it in his eyes when he looks at her and he is nice to me too and not like some people are. Not because he has to be just because I come as part of the package, he likes me for me. He likes watching Scooby doo with me and helping me do some school work and teaching me what to do when I get to St Trinians (and of course how to get expelled from enough schools to end up there).

We are going to be a family, the three of us, and dad, our real dad, well he can piss off. After everything he's done. I remember when he tried to cut a nasty word into Kelly's face. She struggled enough that he gave up. Instead he pinned her down and cut it into her back instead. I hate him. He is sick and wrong and the worst dad ever. I want to go and live with Flash, but what if they won't let me? What happens if Kelly moves out to live with Flash because she is nearly a grownup? And they might decide they don't want me? Might have real children together?

I will be on my own with this demon. Look at him sitting in the chair snivelling and pathetic trying to come up with excuses for being a failure as a husband, father and in life in general. He's not good enough to lick the dirt off my shoes (That expression is another thing I learnt at school). He thinks I care, thinks I will sympathise with him and his reasons. I won't. No matter what he says, no matter what he does I will never forget. I had my childhood taken away from me. Sure he never hit me, but he killed my mum before I had a chance to know her and then hurts my "mummy" Kelly.

I know he killed my real mum because I heard Kelly say it once. She didn't know I was awake (I am a very good pretend sleeper) and she was shouting at him. I went out onto the landing and he had her at the top of the stairs. If he had let go, my Kelly would have fallen down the stairs. He was screaming all the usual things at Kelly, but this time it was worse. She had done something grown up that she wasn't meant to and (in an argument over me) had screamed it at him to spite him.

I still have nightmares about that day. I learnt a lot of new words though. He was screaming at her for being a "fucking slag" and a "prostitute" and a "whore" and a "skanky street girl" and lots of others. I don't know what she'd done but it was probably sex. That's what grown-ups do right? It's where babies come from. And that's when she screamed back. That's probably why I remember it so well. It wasn't just what she said it was that she screamed back at all. I think she had drunk some of the stuff my dad drinks too. She screamed: "what are you going to do daddy? Kill me? Push me down the stairs and break my neck? Like you did to mum?" (I put the daddy in italics because she said it in a silly voice because she was taking the piss). He didn't like that much. In fact we had to go live with friends for a little while because he got his hunting rifle out every time he saw us. That was scary. I was only six then so Kelly was… fourteen (because Kelly is seventeen now and it has been three years and 17-3=14).

He is still talking. I need to get out of here.
"I'm going to the toilet" Flash only nodded at me.
"Do you want me to come with you?" I don't I want him to; I want him to stay here. I know what I'm going to do now. I'm going to end this before Kelly lets that slime ball back into our lives. Look at the mirror, look at how little I look. How innocent and childish. I know I'm only nine. But sometimes, sometimes I don't feel nine. In fact I never feel nine in my head. My friends haven't seen the things I have. Haven't lived through what I have. They would never understand. All they think about is listening to girly music and the pretty dresses and toys sent by their ever doting and rich mummy's and daddy's. I get just as many things as them though. I never ever EVER fall behind on all the fashions. I have all the most up to date toys and clothes not from Him though. Kelly sends them, using the money from her work with flash. I don't think it's legal.

I am forever in fear that my friends will ask to come and visit in the holidays and that someone will find out. There is no proof. To the outside my dad is totally normal. He is very clever that man he knows how to use and play people. He would get away with it and then he would blame Kelly. He would hurt Kelly even more and it would be my fault. My fault for having friends.

I hate him so much. I can't even have friends without worrying. Without flinching and thinking sad things every time one of them mentions how lovely their daddy is. I can't have friends, don't have a family, wouldn't have nice things if not for Flash aren't often happy even though I'm only nine. No one apart from people in the same situation as me could ever ever ever understand. But I am going to end it.

I am using cold water deliberately. I want my hands to be cold, ice cold, so that's the last memory. How cold someone close to you can be. A nice… simile? Or is it a metaphor? for him. I need to pick something up on my way back to Kelly's room. There it is, over there. Damn it has a wrapper on it and I have to put it together like a kinder egg toy. Its more complicated though. Ok. I can go back now, thank goodness. He's still talking.

"I love you Kelly, and your sister and I loved your mum too." He is still sitting in his chair, but he isn't watching the floor any more he is looking her straight in the eyes. The room is lit by electric light now because the curtains have been closed on the window that goes into the corridor. He has his back to me. This is it. All over. No more hitting, scratching kicking fighting smashing knives crying. I am going to stop it all. For my Kelly.

There, It went into his artery more smoothly than I thought it would. I wonder what would happen if I pushed the air from the syringe in? He is trying to scream now but he cant. Flash stopped him, he's got good reactions flash. Very fast. He had a pillow in dads mouth within seconds of me plunging the needle into his neck. Kelly has gone paler than I have ever seen her ever. I should take it out now.

Flash won't let me.
"Right, ruby, we can still sort this ou' bu' ya can' take tha' ou' or he'll bleed too much and we won' be able to do nuffin." I understand now. We can stop ourselves getting into trouble as long as there isn't too much blood. It's just hit me it is actually over. He is going to die or at least get close and now he will never do anything to Kelly again and that makes me very happy.

Flash' POV

I wanted to rub this man's face on a grater until there's nothing left of it. He is talking in a low voice so I can't hear most of it. But from what I can tell he is more of a bastard than I thought. Which is impressive.

Ruby is in the toilet. She has been a while actually I might go and see where shes got to. Oh no here she is, she looks angry, I don't blame the poor kid, Kelly's tried her best to protect the girl I can tell that but the kid is still fucked up by this bullshit, hell what kid wouldn't be.

My mind is reeling. I zoned out for all of three seconds and it all happened so fast. Ruby just walked across the room and shoved something into Mr Jones' neck. The blood began to slowly ooze. I need to shut him up. He is going to yell and scream and then they will take Ruby away and Kelly's heart will shatter. What can I use? A PILLOW. It is as far into his mouth as I can get it and just in time. It's a needle, and she's pushing the oxygen straight into his neck. That must be so painful but yet I can't bring myself to feel pity for him. Not after everything he has done to the two of them. Oh shit she is pulling the needle out. No she can't. I am more than happy to cover this up but if that much blood goes all over the place it won't be possible.

"Right, ruby, we can still sort this ou' bu' ya can' take tha' ou' or he'll bleed too much and we won' be able to do nuffin." I need to make her understand. She gave me a swift nod and let go of the needle.

"ok. Rubes. Go inta the corridor and get a bandage. Alright?" she has gone. Is Kelly ok? She seems it, a little shocked but otherwise ok. Ruby looks scared too now shes back. I am going to wrap the bandage round his neck then walk with him out of here. I am going to let him die, theres nothing much I can do to stop it, but not here. He can't die here.

"OI you" I am deliberately as close to his face as possible. "I swear if you say anything or scream or make any noise at all whilst I walk you out of here. I will make your death hell."

He looks terrified broken. Good. Right, now down we go. Best go in the lift, I don't think he'll survive the stairs. The looks we are getting are interesting. People probably think we're drunk, stumbling around and leaning on each other. The music in the lift is driving me insane. Right time to move. Back to looking drunk. We have just about got here, thank Christ. In the passenger seat. I need to drive. I just need to drive, to get as far away as possible from the hospital and ditch this guy.

Ten minutes later.

Ok I need to stop the car. I need to think. I have a dying man sitting in my car. How is he doing? I should check. Oh shit he's stopped moving and … oh god. He's dead. I have a corpse, in my car what the fuck am I meant to do about that….

DUNDUNDUN. I know this chapter is a little bit sudden. And I am not particularly proud of it please review with advice of how to improve.