Rainbow Reflection

Chapter 36 Betrayal

Rosy

I push the bite sized pieces of steak around the plate, lift my head to look along the hallway towards the master bedroom, then turn my attention back to the diced steak on my plate. I strain my ears to hear any whisper of voices from with in the house but there is no trace of the voices I wish to hear.

"Can't eat more?" Mikkarl asks from near the stove where he is dishing food onto a plate.

"I need to know how Terry is," I say fretfully even as I glace into the large open space of the living room to where Dacey and Wynn are curled up together on a mattress in front of the tv. Sasha is in a recliner chair near them, her closed eyes and the steady rise and fall of her ribs tells me she is asleep.

The sharp click of the switch as the light is turned on startles me and I take a deep breath as I try to calm my anxiety. I subconsciously flex the fingers on both of my hands, the fork in my left hand taps against the plate insistently and I quickly lay it down. My right hand grips the cloth wrapped book beneath it where it rests on the table and I ease my grip before moving my hand to trace the slight hollows and ridges of the etched picture beneath the cloth.

The faint sound of raised voices outside drifts in through the windows and I frown as I turn my head trying to make out the words. I recognise the timber of Micah's voice instantly, the tones of his voice feel like a part of me, as if the memory of them echoes in my very bones. I tilt my head in the momentary silence before the sharp tones of Malcolm's voice can be heard. Even from inside I can tell they are arguing over something and the knowledge grates on my nerves. Hasn't there been enough upset today?

I brace both of my hands against the table and push my chair back to stand up, catching the wrapped book with a fluid snatch as it slips from my knee to prevent it falling to the floor. With the book in one hand I head up the hallway, placing the book on a small table near the front door before stepping outside. I pause at the top of the stairs as I turn my head listening intently, a moment or two's pause and I move down the steps with purpose as I head towards the distant sound of angry voices.

The sun has sunk below the horizon but the afterglow is painting the wisps of clouds across the western sky in varying shades of sunburnt orange, the shades of the sunset changing almost noticeably by the second as my inner cat paces uneasily within me. As I reach the corner of the house I see the group of figures over by the far shed gathered around. Two figures seem to separate from the group and I recognise Micah's unmistakeable large silhouette as he shoves someone hard making them stumble backwards. Micah follows him and shoves him hard a second time, I watch in dismay as he catches himself then flings himself at Micah in a full body tackle that takes both of them off their feet. The outraged yell informs me it is Malcolm that Micah has just tackled and I break into an awkward, belly holding run on tired legs.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" I yell as I push past the warriors watching the two of them rolling on the ground trading punches. I kick out, my feet finding hard flesh and the two antagonists break apart to scramble to their feet. I duck between them, a hand on each of their chests as I push them apart.

"My son is in there ... they are cutting his leg off, his arm off! And you two are out here fighting like a pair of naughty school boys!" Even I can hear the threatening hysteria in my trembling voice. My entire body is shaking with the aggression and testosterone rolling off the two males in turbulent swells.

"You hear that Williamson? Instead of interfering and trying to do my job you should be looking after your family! Not coveting what's mine! " Malcolm snaps the order out tightly.

The level of aggression and testosterone coming off the two combatants suddenly skyrockets, the fury of their inner cats calling to my own. Suddenly she is ripping to just below the surface as Micah lets out an animalistic roar of rage and a hard shove that has me stumbling backwards. Instinctively I curl around the vulnerable lives within me, trying to cushion them as I stumble and loose my balance to trip and fall onto my left hip. I tumble and roll, a tight ball of muscle as I go with the momentum of the push.