DENIAL

13

                                  14 years ago..

                          Sunday, January 20th, 2009

                                          3:13 p.m

                                     ___________

"FATHER! FATHER! Brothers hurt!"  Mia Valak, 10 years old holding her 5 year old brother who'd stupidly fallen out a tree, breaking his left leg bone.

The injury unbearable for such a young boy, he was overwhelmed with such seething pain. Tears and tears were the only thing that filled his vision as his sister carried him in her arms.

"Shh, Mia. Your father's working. You know the rules- oh dear! What happened?" Mrs. Zenith exclaimed as her gaze falls upon the crying child.

"Can you get father, please! I-I don't know what to do. He- he fell out of a tree, I don't even know how a 5 year old can climb a tree!" The little girl was panicking, her emotions a mess. She felt guilty, for not protecting her little brother. She's supposed to watch him, to look after him and she failed.

"Oh, honey! he's in his study."

"Thank you Mrs. Zenith!" Mia said, hurrying up the staircase immediately.

"Please knock first!" The old woman tried to call out but the little one was already up the stairs by now.

Mia was exhausted from carrying her brother and the staircase hadn't helped, neither did her brother's whines. But she couldn't blame him, he was in unimaginable pain.

Mia bust through her father's study without warning and he turned around from his desk, his eyes narrowing at the sight of them. "What is this?"

"Da- Father, Leigh.. he's hurt, h-he's injured. He broke his leg playing outside." She stuttered, she lowered her head as she spoke to her father. Not daring to meet his cold gaze.

"Put him down." He ordered. "W-what?"

"Do I need to repeat myself, you idiotic little girl? I said put him down. You've already stayed longer than the limit." She shakes uncontrollably as she puts her screaming brother down, he can barely sit straight as he continually cries. Mia has to bite her tongue from sobbing herself.

"Why didn't you have Ophelia deal with this?"

"M-mom isn't here. Her and Alec had a doctor appointment today."

She can hear her father sneer.

"Do you have a stuttering problem?"

She shakes her head.

"Then stop acting like it and get out."

"And leave Leigh?" Her father doesn't answer as he gives a look, indicating to follow his instructions. She does, closing his door.