I jolted upright in sudden panic, panting frantically. I wipe a handful of sweat of my forehead, then looked around. Today's the day. This is going to be scary, but hold on. I shook my head as I thought.
Already full of dread and energy, I jumped out of bed, and in front of my dresser. I ripped through my clothes, trying to find my baggy clothing, or at less something long and hard to take off. I couldn't find anything, and I was stressing out. I'd only been searching for les than thirty seconds, and I'm already freaking out. I rip out the draws, and start looking through them on the floor.
I sit still, silent. Not a single sound, thought, creek around me. Complete silence. I slowly reach my hand out into the darkness, and, making as little sound as possible, slowly pull my foot to my body. I do the same with the other leg, drawing my knees towed my chest. I pull down my grey singlet top, and slowly wrapped my arms around my legs. Still with no sound, I turn my head sideways and sat it against my knees.
I smile to the satisfaction of happiness. Something I haven't felt for days. I feel hot, sweet tears drop off my cheek and roll down my leg. After some time, I hear a small vibration. I ignore it, but then followed bye sound. Music. I smile and cry at the same time to my favourite song; seven years old. I begin to sob, and sing along to it.
"Once I was seven years old." I smiled, and adjusted my position. "My mother told me," I whispered, then lifted my head. "Go make some friends, or you'll be lonely." I looked off into the distance, thinking. "What did mum tell me."
"Holy shit! I forgot to call her yesterday," I let my arms and legs fall to the floor. I began to sing my own lyrics. "Once I was seven years old. My mother told me," and I spoke. "That f she didn't call, something was wrong."
I fell into a heap on the floor, and burst into tears.
"I'll call you now mum. Like it or not."
I looked around, to see my phone under he bed. "Pushing each other to our limits." I quickly crawled over to the phone, and grabbed it. I switched the alarm off, then checked the time. Seven forty-five. She'd have to be awake. I unlocked my phone, with this time a much bigger pin, and went through my texts. I hadn't been trough my phone really since we got here.
LIZZA: waddup ma Talster. How da holiday goin?? I'm just chillin. And OMG Thomas always asks about u. He iz like, OBSESSED wth tlkin 2 u
LIZZA: every time I tell him ur @ ur grandparents he's like, idc what her number I wanna text, or something, lol.
I guess I'll reply.
ME: ok then, jut give him my fone no. Idk what he'll say tho.
ME: *just
I scroll down to see who else wants to text me.
HARRY: IM GONNA MURDER UR BF NEXT TIME I C HIM!!!!!!! 😡😡
I roll my eyes and smile weakly.
ME: he's NOT my bf, and what he do.
I ignore the rest, and scroll down to mum. I tap in, and start texting.
ME: hay mum, wyd I just wanna kno if ur ok.
I got an immediate response.
MUM: yes I'm fine. now don't text or call me again.
I look at the text, then read over it again and again. It's not like mum to talk to me like that. So I call her. One call; doesn't pick up. After two, I panic. I'll wait a few hours.
So go draw a hot bath, then hop in. I fell asleep instantly. I wake up, and I can't move. How long have I been asleep? I reached my arm up to grab my phone, but freak out when I can't move my arms. I try to thrash around, but I can't move a thing. I scream at the top of my lungs, trying of get someone's attention. All I hear is slow, steady footsteps toward my bathroom. My heart fills but panic. It's grandpa. Oh my god but I'm so vulnerable. What do I do? I push that question away. Nothing. Obviously I can't do anything, because I can't move. But then an idea flys into my head.
"Don't worry, I fine. All good in here," I yell, then stay completely silent. But the footsteps continue to approach, but now faster, more rapid.
"Please go. I promise, no need to come in here." I scream, obvious panic in my voice. "Don't come in."
"It's ok, it's just me," grandpa's voice echoes in my head. It's grandpa. I know what's going to happen if he gets in here. I tense my face up, since I can't tense any other part of my body. I strain my ears to hear grandpa. I hear a small, clicking noise, coming from just outside my door.
"What? Grandpa what's that?"
The clicking sound continues for another few seconds. Then, it makes a crack sound, and stops.
"There. Now I can come in and help you." He whispered just loud enough for me to hear him. Followed by the door opening. I looked up, to see grandpa slowly closing the door, and locking it behind him. "It'll be ok, Talia. I just want to help you."
"Umm... No it's ok.. I'm fine, thank you grandpa," I feel tears rolling down my cheeks, but they don't feel so soothing, like they use to.
He laughed at that. "No no, haha. I insist, silly," he took of his green turtleneck jumper, and striped down to his underwear. I scrunched my nose at Gand site of a hairy ball hanging out of the side of the underwear. Shouldn't be my first thought, but it was just that gross. He put his hands to his waste, then painfully, one step at a time, pulled his underwear down to his ankles, and stepped out.
"Uh, most people don't help fourteen year old girls, by, um. Getting naked."
"Well, it'll be much easier if I just hop into the tub, so that I can help you from closer." He shrugged it off and put his feet into the bath. I tried to push him out, but my arms were still limp. He crouched, and sat down.
"There. Now let me get a more, comfortable, position," he smiled at me, looking me in the eye. My eyes went wide, when I felt, what his plan was. At least I couldn't feel it this time.
"Your not gonna do this, all day.... Are you?" I looked him in the eye, but looking away instantly in fright, because he was already looking me in the eye, concentration and anger in his eyes. As well as many signs of pleasure. After what felt like hours, he finally finished, and hoped out of the water.
"No, no. That was the last. You leave in one hour, so you should get out and get changed." He spoke sternly, as he buttoned up his shirt.
"But, um. I can't." I stuttered.
" Ah. Yes, that's it." He pulled me out of the bath, and laid me on the bed, and put a towel over me.
"You should be able to get up, within the next forty minutes. Which will mean you'll have just five minutes to get ready. Ok?" He nodded and walked out of the room, not letting me reply.
I lay there for the next forty minutes, trying to move. Until finally, I noticed my finger moving, and the silky feeling of the blanket on my legs and arms. I push up from the blanket, and sit up. I was still very shaky, but I had to get out of here. So I try to stand, but my foot rolls, and u drop. I just crawl over to the draws, thanking myself for not putting the draws back into place.
I tare trough the clothes, putting on anything. I didn't care what. I was down within seven minutes. I thanked God that I was able to move five minutes earlier. Then I just crawled over and threw all my stuff into the suitcase. I just put on some thongs, and by the time I had down that, Jessie came in.
"Hey Talia its- OMG Talia you look so gay, I can't believe your my sister. Anyway let's go," she laughed and walked out of the room, having her hips.
"Swag Jessie! Thugs for life!" I screamed and laughed. I was in such a good mood.
***
"Oh my god Talia. Why do you always fall asleep on the train?" She rolled her eyes and walked to the exit of the train. "Ugh lets go."
I smile, and walk off he train with my suitcase. I look around, and find mum. She had a bruise under her eye, and all over her arms. I was going to run up to her, but instead I sat down my suitcase and started shuffling through it. Mum noticed me, and began yelling my name. But I kept looking through my bag, until I found it. When I fell, I found a baton. I was going to use it on grandpa, but I figured it would be more respectful if I used it on Terry. I'll use it for everyone's need, not just mine.
I rolled my suitcase over to mum, and sat it there. Terry noticed me, and then noticed my weapon in my hand. He raised his hands slowly.
"Not this time. You. Caused us all too much stress. You need to pay." I raised it in the air.
"No no no no no no no, no, wait wait." He turned his head side ways. "What if, I bought you something. Something you want....?"
I shook it off. "Three soft hits, or one hard hit." I got no reply.
"Fine. I'll just do four." I smashed him in the jaw, knocking out his teeth, blood flowing. I then smacked him as hard as I could in his balls. He cried and roared at me. Then I felt people grab me, and drag me away.
A lady grabbed me from behind. "What on earth was that for young lady, you have no right to do that to someone."
I just pointed to mum, and she let me go. "Look all the bruises e has caused."
Everyone had stopped grabbing me, although this one man is still holding my arm. They were all staring at mum, then to Terry, then back to mum.
The lady walked over to mum, and rolled up her sleeve, revealing purple hand marks. "So- so this was caused," she stuttered calmly.
"It was caused by him, Terry Stark. He's been doing this for years to us all, until I told on him." By this point he man had let my arm go, and walked over to Terry.
"Do you..... Do you understand why I did this now?" I looked around at everyone, and everyone stared me back.
"Uh.. Well, then. I know that this is not very smart, but you can admit, that must have been well justified. Everyone?" The lady yelled, and the man repeated. They must be partners. And if not, secret soulmates. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"And," the lady looked around. "There seem to be no cameras around. Well, not facing us."
"And even if he says anything, We have witnesses, who can argue against he subject. You can say that I didn't do anything, except for prove what he has done. Done to my mum." I walked over to mum and stood next to her.
"Talia you friking idiot. Your gonna get us all killed," Jessie whispered in my ear. "Literally."
"But Jessie. You have to admit, you would love him to go." I looked her in the eye. She winced. I nodded.
"Well." A random guy from the crowed, holding his daughter on his shoulders. "Let's just all go home, or go on the train, or just go wherever you want to go. Let's just try, and forget."
"Yep." I clapped my hands and grabbed my suitcase. "Sounds good to me." Mum hugged me, and we all walked out of the train station, and jumped into the car. The whole trip home was silent. The next week we were completely isolated from each other. No-one spoke a word to each other. No -one spoke, even when people came to our house, to move Terry's stuff out of the house. Which was basically all of our stuff.
"At least we'll be safe, without him," mum whispered to me and Jessie suddenly, then pulled us in for a tight hug.
