BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

78 - The Reveal (2)

I'm not great at making banners or covers but this banner I made using Paint is whoa-damn-Picasso-is-that-you??

People might not like Dappy but you can't deny the man has incredible talent, he can sing and rap and his lyrics have meaning.

A jolt of shock pulled me to my feet and I stared like a convicted criminal; guilty. I braced myself for the screaming that was sure to come but only saw the mirrored punch-drunk expression on both Darius and Ellie's face. The former looked like a defeated man; shoulders slumped, tired eyes and gaunt face. The latter brings a pang of joy but it is bittersweet; I haven't seen my sister for months. The ache I felt in missing her and Mum was one that kept me up almost every night in that cave and returned in full force, reminding me of the days I had gone without seeing them.

I was unable to draw my gaze away from her and I couldn't help but marvel at how we differ in both personality and appearance. Jet-black hair hung like a curtain over half her face, her almond-coloured eyes were widened in astonishment and her thin face is highlighted by royal cheekbones. Her skin was pale as if she'd been cooped up in a dark room for too long and her fingers gripped her crutches as if she was afraid her knees would give way. She wasn't a beauty but she held an allure, a mystery and a deep silence that concealed secrets but when she looked up and her mouth moved, I saw only my younger sister and not... not Dean.

"Bea?" she questioned as if she couldn't believe the sight in front of her. "W - what are you doing here?"

A smile broke my face in half, and I didn't know whether to cry or to laugh, I raced across the room, throwing my arms around her and hugging her tightly as if I was never going to see her again. Much to my surprise, my eyes were wet.

"It's great to see you, Ells." I stand back, almost voiceless at the startling realisation of how much she looked like her sister. It was an almost copy, a mirror, except these eyes weren't dead, and they weren't broken.

"Where have you been all this time?" Ellie looked upset. "I - I have been looking..."

"I'm sorry. I will explain," I said and know I won't insult her with a lie; she had to know the truth, and only she had the luxury. I looked at Darius, and almost winced out of bad habit. "Are you going to shout at me?"

"I should, but..." he sighed and rubbed at his face with his hand. "I don't know, you look like you've been through enough hell. What's happened to your face? You're covered in bruises and cuts. You're a sore sight, aren't you, kid?"

"Uh, I guess," I said awkwardly, knowing I couldn't speak of my escape from Maximal seeing as no-one knew I had arrived earlier than I said. After a moment I held out my hand.

"Don't be so stupid, kid," he rejected my handshake, and pulled me into a hug. I was unsure of what to do and so, my arms hung by my side but the hug was warm, and comforting and most of all, it felt safe - something I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

When Darius stood back, I inhaled deeply and said. "You guys want any breakfast?"

+ + +

We were all seated around the dining table, digging into the eggs, bacon, sausages, waffles and fried tomatoes. It was silent for quite some time and I still couldn't contain my incredulity over who I was sitting at the table with. Hans, Orion, Ajax, Phoebe, Darius and Ellie. I didn't know, out of all of us, who was the most unusual.

I sat back in my chair, unable to finish half of my plate and set down my knife and fork.

"You've hardly ate anything," Orion said.

Darius spoke up at the same time. "Finish your plate, Beatrice."

I rubbed at my stomach. "I'm full. I haven't got much of an appetite."