Cheer Me On (Under Construction)

7

Her hands were burning from the slap so there had to be a bruising effect on Sophie's face. Skaii didn't bother to spare her mother a second glance, her disgust towards her did not allow it. She trotted past her to the table and snatched up the keys to the house. She briskly walked towards the door and opened it. Her mother was still standing, frozen in the middle of the kitchen, with her hand on the cheek that Skaii had struck.

Skaii welcomed the cool evening air as soon as it hit her. She inhaled deeply and slowly shove the strands of hair that loosely hung in her face. She began walking down the concrete pavement towards the gate. As soon as she was out on the street she, she took her phone out and dialed her brother's number.

"Ian," Skaii breathe out. "Ian."

"Skaii?" His voice was deep and groggy, it sounded as if he was awaken by her call. Tears rolled out of her eyes as her brother called her name. She was glad he answered. He was the only person who she could talk to; he was the only person she had to talk to.

She cleared her throat and asked, "Are you okay? Were you sleeping?" She bit her lip anxiously, she knew by now that if her brother had seen the message she sent to him just moments ago, he would not be this calm.

"I think I should be asking you that. Where have you been? I mean, I called, I texted, I left a bunch of voice messages and I haven't heard back from you until now. What's going on Skaii?" He was fully awake now, his voice was laced with concern. Skaii took a deep breath, in an attempt calm herself down, Ian was too smart and he knew her sister well. She heard him shuffle on the other end, then his voice was stern as he spoke, "What did they do?"

Skaii paused for a moment, she had already told him what happened to her, but it was over the a voice message, now telling him, like this, was more difficult. "I broke my arm and neck,"

"You broke your arm and neck?" Ian's voice lowered but it held a double meaning and slightly more darker.

"Don't want you to worry about me, I'm okay." She hurriedly assured him, Skaii could only imagine what Ian was planning in the back of his mind but she knew it could not be good.

"I think it is a little late for that sis." He said softly but Skaii knew he was angry. She admired that her brother was always calm, no matter how he felt, he just knew how to control his feelings. But Skaii found it had now driven her into a state of unease.

"Ian, what are you thinking?" She finally asked.

The other line fell into silence and it stretched until what felt like a millennia when Ian spoke again, ignoring her question, "Where are you?"

"Outside," Skaii gazed up into the starry sky as she continued, "Ian, please don't tell dad, you know how it will affect him. His heart can't manage this." Skaii pleaded, even in her state, she still had the strength to protect her father. It was not hard to predict what would happen if he found out that if Ian kept him in the dark about what happened to her, but it was for his own good. He was diagnosed with a severe heart illness, about two years ago, then he had a heart attack a few months ago. Since then, he was off of work, focusing on his recovery, a blow like this would give him another attack. She didn't even want to think about it.

"I won't." She could picture Ian running his hand through his hair in frustration at her request but he couldn't deny it, he was aware that what Skaii asked was for his father's own good.

"Thank you." She whispered in the phone, taking more prominent steps along the neighborhood's asphalt.

"They're going to get what's coming to them. I can promise you that." Ian said absentmindedly and a chill raced down his little sister's spine.