How to hide a body

Argument in the landing

"Where have you been?" The little girl's mother yelled from downstairs to her father when he returned late at night. She was hiding in the corner of her room, hugging her lamb teddy tightly with her dressing gown draped over her, shivering slightly as she wasn't in the comforting warmth of her bed Her bedtime was meant to be hours ago but they always woke her up with their shouting, she was never a light sleeper and could never go to sleep until they stopped which was usually really late. She tried counting all of the stars that her uncle had stuck to her ceiling to distract her when this happened. They both named the stars together. Her favourite was Peggy and her uncle's was Sirus but that wasn't fair because a star was already called that so she told him that he cheated. She had declared Peggy the queen of the stars and claimed that Sirius was her favourite knight because that's what her uncle would've been if she was queen. Her parents would be her tenth because they shout at her but they were still her parents. Weren't they? Sometimes they were nice when they'd had a good day but that was rare and usually, her uncle wasn't around so they wouldn't all be happy so she didn't really like it.

 Shadows moved around in the crack underneath the door as footsteps thudded back and forth around the landing, shuffling against the carpet that was being worn away quickly by the number of times people turned on it. Though it probably would never be replaced because her parents would think it was a waste to do such a thing.

"I told you...I've been at work," his words were slurred and all blurred together in a heap of nonsense that she could barely understand.

"You've been drinking again. Haven't you?" Her mother continued as they moved down the corridor, "look at me!" She shrieked at him, "wake up. You whine about not having money when you waste it on gambling and drinks with your stupid friends."

"Don't speak to me like that," he yelled back at her.

"I will speak to you like this when you forget your responsibilities," there was a crash in the hallways that sounded like the bookshelf falling down again. That's what her father would go to first when he was angry. They never got a new shelf because it wasn't worth it despite the number of times he'd say he wouldn't do it again. He couldn't sweet-talk her mother, no one could except her uncle, sometimes. 

Their fights were always worse when he was away. Normally they'd just stay in the kitchen when he was there otherwise he'd tell them off and he'd cradle her in his arms, telling her it'd be alright, and covered her ears to try and help her get to sleep. He wasn't home tonight. He hadn't been home for a week. Her mother had kicked him out because of an argument they had about her. They liked to disagree a lot. All the adults did in the house. She didn't think her parents liked her uncle but he stayed with them anyway for some reason. She wouldn't if she had to live with such horrible people.

"There you go again. Smashing everything in your way because you know that I'm right. I've always been right about you. My father was always right. You're a no-good, money-stealing arsehole. I wish I never met you," her mother screamed at him from the other end of the landing.

"Yeah! Well, I regret marrying you and having a daughter with you who is the spitting image of your brother."

"Don't bring him into this."

"Or what? He's the reason we're even arguing right now. He put all this nonsense inside your head and changed you. You've become the person you used to hate Helena. I don't want that for you," he spoke softly now, "I love you too much to let this be ruined."

The little girl's eyes widened when her mother didn't shout at him for saying things about her uncle and she pushed herself further into the corner as the shadows came closer to her door, covering her mouth with her hands to stop any sound from escaping.

"He's my brother Gale," her mother had lowered her volume too, "he's not trying anything. He and Tyler are just close."

"She idolises him. There's not been a day when I haven't heard his name come out of her mouth," he spat.

"It's not her fault, they spend a lot of time together. He cares about her a lot like she's his own daughter. He spoils her like we can't, it's good for her."

"He shouldn't though, he should get his own blooming children and not nose into other people's lives.  What does he say about us though?" He muttered, "he could be telling her all sorts of things. All these different lies to make her hate us. So that she'll run away with him and we'll lose her. We can't lose her Helena. You can't lose your daughter to your own brother."

Her mother stayed silent as she thought through what she was going to say until she finally replied, "We could ask Tyler, she wouldn't lie to us. We are her parents," she gasped as the handle on her door twisted open slightly but stopped suddenly, "wait until tomorrow. She's probably asleep, she'll miss him so she'll just talk whatever she can about him."

"Tyler," she glanced up from her breakfast when her father's tall figure loomed over her, "we'd like to ask you a few things." She nodded with her mouth full of cornflakes as both of her parents sat down at the table.

"Has uncle Jonah said anything about mummy and daddy," her mother spoke slowly and pronounced each word as clearly as she could as she placed her hands in front of her on the table.

"He said we were going to ask you if I could skateboard because he wanted to take me to the park and teach me all the cool tricks he does," she replied and happily slurped up her cereal, digging her spoon into the deepest depths of the bowl.

"Has he said anything bad about mummy and daddy?" Her father pressed and leaned forward so that he was speaking right into her face, sending spit flying into her face, particularly her eyes.

She shrank back away from him and shook her head, "Nope. Why would he? You're not allowed to say naughty words," she placed a finger on her lips and shushed her parents, "you told me that didn't you mummy," she pointed at her mother with her spoon and they all watched as a drop of milk landed on the table. Tyler giggled as her father facepalmed and huffed in frustration, turning a dark red hue.

"You're being difficult. Just like your uncle," he accused his daughter and she flinched away from him as he grabbed her arm tightly.

"Gale," her mother warned and he removed his hand off of her, leaving a red mark in the shape of his hand. Her mother got out of her chair and kneeled in front of her face too, "Listen hunny, Uncle Jonah's going to be away for a long time now."