The Darling Boys (Rose Award Winner) (#Wattys2017)

Replay and Rewind

"God Dammit, Sarah!"

My head rolled back against my bedroom wall, tears continuing to pool in my eyes and blur my vision. I could feel Sam's heavy breathing beside me, could hear the huge intakes of breaths he kept taking in and then letting out.

"Every time! Do you not know how to do a damn thing right?" I could hear my mom's whimpering, the sound of her cries echoing through the house as yet another loud thud was made.

"Si?" Sammy breathed out, "Cover your ears." He didn't look like the Sammy I knew, the Samson that was always sure of himself, that always made sure to be on time and ready for the unexpected to be thrown at him.

His pale hands were trembling where they were rested on his knees, his lip curled back as he tried to prevent it from quivering. His blue eyes, filled with so many diffent emotions, were nearly impossible to disect to find just one.

"No." I responded, resting my chin on my knees.

"Sienna, please." He whispered. I started to shake my head again when I felt and heard a loud bang on our door. Sam immediately ripped me away from it, pushing me a few feet behind him, his hand still hovering over me, as if he were afraid something were going to hit me.

"Kids, open the door. It's just Daddy." I shook my head, grabbing on to Sam's forearm as he glared at the door, an uncertain look resting on his face.

"Samson, open the fucking door." Dad repeated, knocking lighter this time. Sam took another step back, pushing me along with him.

"Sienna, baby girl, open the door for Daddy." I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but Sam threw his hand over it before I could.

"I'm coming in." Dad let out one last growl before the door was kicked open, swinging back and forth until the door knob slammed into our wall.

Sam straightened out beside me, making him look his actual, above average height for a fourteen year old. It didn't take our drunk father by ny sort of surprise, if anything, it only pissed him off more.

"Sammy." I whimpered, gripping my brother's arm even tighter. He glanced at me quickly before puhsing me behind him entirely, blocking my view of our father.

"Sienna. Come here." Dad crouched down so he was at eye level with me, his bloodshot and dialted midnight blue eyes on me. I hid my face again, burying it against Samson's back.

"What did you do to her?" Dad's voice was rising now, a growl leaving his mouth.

"Nothing." Sam's voice cracked, "You did it, Alan." I could feel a scream building in my chest as he stalked toward us and grabbed Samson by the hem of his shirt, their faces only inches apart.

"What did you just say to me, boy?" He snarled.

"Stop it!" I screamed, pulling on Sam's hand, "Stop!" My scream gave Sammy enough time to kick Dad away from us.

"You think you're smart now, boy? That you're too old to get your ass kicked by your Daddy?" I started screaming again when Dad pulled Sammy from my grip entirely.

To my surprise, my older brother only stared into our father's eyes, his expression stone cold. He wasn't squirming or trying to fight back, he looked ready to take the blow that was ready to come.

"I hate you." Sammy spat in his face, "You ruined my life, I'm not going to let you ruin my sister's too." Sammy headbutted Dad as hard as possible, causing our father to stumble back, dropping my brother. I tried to reach for Sam's hand, but he had started to throw punches at our stumbling father until he collapsed on to the floor.