EVEN THE BRIGHTEST STARS EXPLODE

Chapter Two

I hurriedly got up, ran to my bedside table, and reduced the lamp's lighting.

"Where are those foolish children?" I heard my father yell as the door to my room banged open, right as the room became dimly lit.

I can do this. I am brave enough. I'll protect him.

Those were the only words that became a recital in my head as my father stalked closer.

"Where is Jason, Laila?" His voice was dangerously low.

My heart beat even faster as I gazed at him.

"You'll never get him again," I said.

No, that was a whisper. Be brave Laila! You have to be brave for Jason! I scolded myself.

"You know I don't ask a question more than once Laila." He yelled.

I closed my eyes in fear as he was now too close to me. My 5'4 height was intimidated by his 5'11.

My heart hammered in my chest for I knew not what to expect next. My defiance this time was out of the ordinary, the routine had never been broken before.

Suddenly, his hand reached for my hair and I shrieked in pain and sank to the floor as he held on too tightly.

That didn't make him loosen his grip. Instead, he seemed to hold on even tighter as he dragged me across the room with my hair.

I screamed in pain as it felt as though my brain was being pulled out of my skull. Without remorse or mercy, he pulled me out of my bedroom by the hair.

My body swept the cold concrete floor, and despite the pain from my head, I could feel the bruises my body had started to suffer too.

"Let go please!" I had screamed over and over again. Yet, those pleas fell on deaf ears.

He dragged me down the stairs, and with every step I hit, I felt a rib or a bone crack within me.

Those pain could however not drown out the fear of the unknown that was about to happen.

Soon enough, we got to the living room, and the first thing he did was kick me with his boots.

"Please, no, I'm sorry." I struggled to get the words out but they eventually drowned with the sound of the boots hitting my flesh over and over again.

I felt myself being dragged into oblivion when the beating ceased. I could barely hear his footsteps fading into the distance.

Amidst the pain, I was strangely relieved that I got all the beatings this time.

I had told you that you were strong enough to handle it, didn't I? I smiled to myself.

The joy was however short-lived as I saw through my half-closed eye, the outline of my father with a sack.

What is the sack for? Is he planning to bury me?

A wave of fear coursed through my veins as I watched him get closer. I felt myself slipping into oblivion and I gladly embraced for I did not want to face what was to come.

However, my blood froze when my almost gone vision got a clearer view of him. I realized that what he carried was not a sack but...

"Jason?"

Right then, darkness seeming rushed forward and surrounded me. It was as though it knew what was going to happen and it wanted to protect me from it.

I laid helplessly as it fully engulfed me and pulled me into unconsciousness, blanking my vision.
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CeeJhay Walker

C.J.W