Paying the Price

Chapter 4: June

Good Lord, I swear the four of us can never catch a break.

Poor Oakley, I hate what father does to him.

He refuses to tell us what father says to him but knowing him it's nothing good.

I see how Oakley acts around him and how much Oakley has changed since we were younger.

He used to be funny and like to play around but not anymore.

He's more distant and protective and serious.

I think it's official, I hate my father. He's crazy, insane, just plain stupid. I hate the way he treats not just Oakley but all of us.

His power gets to his head and he just loses it.

As soon as Oakley left the three of us run upstairs to Janae's and I's room.

"Why do you think he called him?" Janae says as we ran.

"I don't know, there's no way he could have known about him going outside or pushing me" Oliver replied.

"What if Oakley did something we didn't know?" I ask.

"Doubt it, we would have known if he did something bad wouldn't we?" Janae says as we reach our room.

"I don't know, Oakley has been getting more distant from us for a while" Oliver closes the door behind us.

"Why? He used to tell us everything," I say.

"When he's home, father has been teaching Oakley more and more, trying to train him I guess. He refuses to tell me what they do." Oliver confesses.

"We can talk more later, we need to get ready for when Oakley comes back," Janae says reminding us of what's about to happen.

"You're right, Oliver, go downstairs to the kitchen and get some cool water and towels. Janae, go to the medical room and get the pain medicine and bandages," I say with my "bossy tone". Being the youngest of the four of us my siblings like to call me "the bossy little sister."

They both leave and I hear the loud cracks, each one sending shivers down my spine as I knew what was happening to my brother.

I started counting, waiting for 14.

Around number 8 Oliver and Janae came back.

The last ones were awful, I'll never get that sound out of my head. I definitely had tears in my eyes.

I have no idea why I don't also hear Oakley's screams, I can only imagine the pain.

13...............14 finally, it's over.

I peek my head out the door, waiting for my poor big brother to walk out. I barely get a peek before Oliver pushes me back into the room shuts the door and runs towards Oakley.

"Why did he push you? Did you see Oakley? Is he ok?" Janae comes and puts her hands on my shoulders. "I don't know, I guess it's pretty bad," I say getting more worried by the second.

Oliver comes back in with Oakley leaning on him. He looked really bad, his whole face was red and sweaty. Oliver placed him on the bed and I ran over to his side.

"Oakley, keep your eyes open, I know it hurts but I need you to take this."  I take the pain medicine and push it into his mouth, as soon as he swallows his eyes closed.

He was lying on his stomach, there were bloodstains on the back of his shirt.
"Oh my God, he's bleeding, he's never bled before," Janae says.

"Yeah, thanks for stating the obvious"I roll my eyes "Get the shirt off I need to see and be quiet, we don't need mother and father hearing."

Janae cut the shirt off and 14 fresh bloody stripes covered my eldest brother's back.

There was a moment of shocked silence. Sure Oakley has been punished like this for more than half our lives but it's never been this bad.

Normally they were just pink stripes and would go away in a week or so, but these, these are going to leave a scar.

I went to work, I started cleaning the wounds with water and towels and Janae would dry them and bandage them.

Oliver left as soon as we started, he doesn't like blood.

It took 30 minutes to clean him up, and even though he was asleep every time we touched one of his spots he would flinch or try to pull back.

When Janae and I were done I went and woke him up. "Oakley we're done, wake up," I say as I gently shook him awake.

He turned his head and opened his eyes. "I gotta go, where's Oliver?" He said quickly while trying to sit up. His eyes were heavy and his whole face was red.

"Oakley what do you mean you "Have to go?" you need to rest, stay put," I say as I try pushing him back down.

"No no, I'm fine I should go," Oakley continues to try and stand.

"Absolutely not, you stay right there" I push him back down.

It wasn't much help because he's like double my size.

"No June I have to leave, father would get even more upset if he knew I came here" he continues to try and stand.

"Stop it, Oakley, stay where you are" Oliver finally walks in. 
Thank God because he's able to actually push Oakley back down. 

Oakley takes a deep breath and then says with a sigh.

"Guys please, thank you for your help but you have done more than enough for me and I need to go" 

I gave him one of my 'you're not going to win this so shut up' looks my siblings say I'm notorious for. 

"Eat" is all I say before shoving a spoonful of soup into his mouth. 

AN: Sorry this was kinda a late update and a short sucky chapter, maybe the next one will be better, who knows 

LOVE YOU<3