I Am Here (UNEDITED)

Chapter 10

Lunch and dinner passed peacefully in the Knill household. Nobody mentioned the police's visit our what Delia had written. During the afternoon Gracen had taken his three youngest siblings on a tour of the house. Although the house looked huge most of the rooms they had been in where toward the front of the building, but the tower expanded the mental maps they had of the place. Most of the rooms on the second floor were guest bedrooms, some had been renovated into studies for all of them. On the first floor was the living room, kitchen and dining room, towards the back there is a work out room, library and the game room. All of the rooms were quite spacious. However Delia's favorite area wasn't in the house but rather the backyard. In the backyard is a beautiful, neat and simple garden and beyond the garden to the left is a large field where a trampoline and wooden playground reside. To the right is a a small pocket of trees large enough where someone in the center won't be able to see where the forest. Delia mentally made a mental note to come and explore the forest when she had time.

Time to herself was something foreign to Delia, but she had started to feel safer around the home. Her level of trust wasn't far from strangers, but she trusted them not to be a serious threat to the twins. Leaving the twins on the own for a long time wasn't in the cards but an hour or two would be fine — probably.

Once Delia arrived back in her room she didn't even glance at her bed she walked towards the window that faced the backyard and stared up at the moon it wasn't full only about one-third hung in the sky. She wasn't planning on sleeping tonight, she had suppressed the memories dig up by writing on that paper, but when night feel and all was quiet her demons would come out to hunt. Sleeping would only make it easier for them and she would have absolutely no control over what happened. It wouldn't really be a problem for Delia not to sleep. Habits die hard and the longer she stayed awake the higher the protection she could provide the twins it's not like sleep gave her anything good either. Nightmares always made sure she woke up frightened, tired and confused. Delia had been awake for 48 hours already: nothing compared to her record, of an entire week.

I don't know what to think of my older brother's. Artie said they wouldn't hurt us at least physically, but even though he is mature for his age he is innocent to the most complex parts of human nature. Although I want to hope for the best that ability to do that has been pretty much crushed.

*Cursing and violence warning*

Flashback ~
Mom will change. I know she will, someday she will treat me well. She'll hug and kiss me, take me on trips to playgrounds, and help me with my chores. She'll give me all sorts of food, and talk nicely to me. Before I could get swept into my self-made fantasy, Artie and Drew began to cry. Seven-year old me began to panic. The twins had been peacefully gnawing on some clean rags that I had knotted, but now they were both hysterically screaming. As I tried to calm them large footsteps began to make their ways towards our room, the door slammed open. Revealing the woman who gave birth to me, her stare sent shivers down my spine and my heart began to pound.
"You stupid bitch, you can't even take care of two little shits. Do you know why I keep your repulsive, weak ass around? Let me tell you it isn't because your my flesh and blood. It's to work you to the bone and have a punching bag that can't fight bag, then one day when I get bored, angry or you just keel over, your body well be easy to get rid off and who would suspect that the single mother who worked so hard to provide for three kids abused you. Even if they do discover something who do you think they will blame? So do your fucking job." Her expression has only disgust, rage and indifference. And for the first time Delia actually saw her biological mother as who she was.
The beating that followed seemed dull and all hope for an actual mother died.
Flashback End
*Warning over*

Of course I was still hoped for someone to trust and protect me but given time that to got crushed. Before I was dragged into another spiral of memories I heard steps stop outside my room the creaks giving the person away, a soft thud of a small object was heard before the steps retreated. Opening the door I discovered something the made my lips twitch upwards. There was a whiteboard with a cloth and dry erase marker and next to that was a notebook with colored pencils. On the first page of the book a note had been written:

Hey,
We want you to be able to communicate without the twins. Since we weren't sure which you would be most comfortable with we got you paper and a notebook. They are yours to use! If you want other or different supplies please ask.

Sincerely,
Your older brothers

After sneaking across the hall to do a check on the twins, who were soundly sleeping, I curled up at the head of the bed and began to use the notebook writing and drawing whatever came to mind until the sun rose.

The twins hurled into my room at 6 A.M. Immediately they began to ramble about their plans for today. They wanted to practice Mario Cart so they could defeat Gracen and Hunter. They also were going to convince Hunter to show them how all the equipment in the workout room. A small smile appeared on my face. I couldn't help it t seeing them like this was exactly what I dreamed of when I thought about escaping our "home". Artie and Drew carefree, excited and relaxed. It was to easy to forget they were eight five years younger than me. They deserved this and I am determined to keep it that way even if my older brothers abandoned us I had to keep them like this.