Reaper

1

I woke up to my alarm going off at nine in the morning. I groaned and just shut it off and rolled over. Shouldn't I be able to sleep in now that I don't have to worry about school? There was a knock on the lower part of my door and my mouth twitched. Which one of my younger siblings could that be? Brielle or Thiago? Thiago is eight so his knock would be higher on the door. So it must be my three-year-old sister Brielle. I got up and opened the door. "What's up, Bree?" I asked smiling a little.

"Mommy said to come get you," Brielle said holding her teddy bear.

I sighed. "Fine." I shut the door and took a hot shower. Then put on a green skirt, with a black T-shirt. I looked at my shoes and decided my combat boots would do. Then I brushed out my white-blonde hair and braided it. I touched the locket my grandmother had given me when I was a baby. It had a picture of a wolf in it and my grandmother told me it had been passed down to every female in our family. Except my mom hated it so she never accepted the family heirloom. I got up and went downstairs. "Uh-oh. It's a pancake day?" I teased my mom.

She made a face. "It was Thiago's turn to choose breakfast and he chose pancakes."

"Blueberry or chocolate?"

"Take a guess."

I grinned. "Thiago is definitely my brother." 

She raised an eyebrow. "You had doubts?"

I made a face. "Who the hell likes Brussels sprouts?"

She laughed. "Your brother."

"I noticed. Brielle doesn't even like them!"

"Bree doesn't like anything green," Mom pointed out as she flipped a pancake. "It reminds me of someone when she was younger."

I stacked a plate full of pancakes. "I have no idea who you're talking about."

She snorted. "Uh-huh."

I poured maple syrup on the pancakes. "So why did I have to get up out of bed?"

She sighed. "I tried to tell him no but he wants to help you get a job."

I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth. "Dad wants to what?"

"Help get you a job."

I set my fork down and pushed the plate away. "I just lost my appetite." 

"Nicki, you need to eat."

"Mom, Dad and I haven't been alone for a long time. I'm sure he'll try something." Though I wouldn't mind. I was tired of Mom having bruises and cuts from my Dad's beatings. I would gladly take them but Mom always says no child of hers will be beaten. I took a deep breath and said, "Mom, why don't you leave him?"

She froze. "Nichole Thatcher!"

"What? He beats you bloody all the time! Don't you want it to stop?"

Thiago and Brielle came in. "We'll discuss this later," Mom said sharply.

I nodded. Dad walked in. "Nichole, are you ready to go?" He said coldly.

I met his eyes. "Yes, Father," I said just as coldly. I stood and grabbed my purse. I then stalked out to his Honda Civic. I sat in the passenger seat and slammed the door. 

He got in and drove to an alleyway. "You need to learn a lesson."

Fear slithered through me but I glared at him. "Oh? I think you're talking about yourself. You shouldn't hit Mom."

The blow came so fast that I didn't even know what happened until I felt the pain. I touched my cheek, shocked. He had actually hit me. He wrapped his arms around my throat and squeezed. I started choking. I beat and clawed at his hands but he didn't let go. I slammed a punch into his nose and he let go. I gasped and flung open the door and ran for my life. I ran all the way to the park. I sat on a bench and panted. "That jerk," I hissed under my breath. At least I had gotten a hit in. Though I know I hadn't broken it. Though I wish I had. 

I put my head in my hands and breathe slowly trying to calm down. I shakily pulled out my phone and called my friend, Stacy. "Hello?" She said.

"Hey, Stace. Could come pick me up?" I asked hoarsely. Damn. Now she's going to know something's wrong.

"Nicki? Why does your voice sound like that?"

I leaned back against the bench back. "I'll tell you when you get here. I'm at our favorite park."

"I'll be there in ten." And she was. She rushed over to me. "Nicki! What happened?"

"My Dad told my mom he was going to help me get a job but instead he took me to an alley and punched me. Then tried to strangle me," I explained tiredly. "Do you have a water bottle by chance? My throat is killing me."

She ran back to her car then came back. I gave her a grateful look as I drank half of it down. "You should call the cops."

I shook my head. "I can't. Dad is the only one working and we need the money." I paused. "Stace, I can't even go to college because we don't have enough."

"But he's hurting you guys. You can't just let him keep doing this," Stace said in a pained tone.

I shut my eyes. "I have no choice. I'm just glad my Mom wasn't there."

"Well, I know one thing for sure."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Your father is going to hell."

"Does that place even exist?" I asked her. "Does heaven?"

Her eyes widened. "Nicki! You know these places are real."

"If there is a heaven then why the hell haven't my Mom and my prayers been answered? Why hasn't my Dad changed? Why did this happen to us? Just why?"

Stace sighed. "I don't know how to help you, Nic. Maybe you should talk to a reverend or something." She paused. "Maybe you can go to a church tonight."

"Stace," I warned.

"Just try it. For me?"

I groaned. "I hate you."

"I know. Does that mean you'll do it?"

"Fine."

"Yay!" She hugged me. Then we got into her car and drove to her house. I texted my Mom to let her know where I was and what Dad had done. But I only told her that because she was going to see the bruises anyway. Stace and I went to her room and flopped onto the bed. Then she turned on a movie and that's what we did all day long.