My shorts were ripped off my body, leaving me in nothing but a vest and thong, as I silently prayed to whatever God could hear me.
“Enough fighting!” He growled as he pulled a knife out of his boot and held it towards my face. Fear stilled me as I prepared to have my life ended by this piece of shit claiming to be a man.
I would die before I let him touch me, but that didn’t mean I would enjoy having my life ended.
“You best kill me Micah,” I grinned maniacally, “or else I’ll have your heart.” Micah laughed and shoved me to the floor.
His large knee forced my legs apart, and I prepared to die fighting.
“Kaida!” I heard my name screamed as Dari blurrily came into my vision, standing in the doorway in her all-black outfit I knew she used for stealing. That was why she had taken so longer to hear us; she had been out trying to get us the money we needed to leave.
“You fucking bastard.” She roared, jumping onto Micah’s back without a care for her own safety.
I watched on in horror as my sister fought off a man twice her size, only daring to hope when she knocked the knife from his weakened grasp. The blade bounced across the carpet floor to my feet as Dari was flung against the wall, her head immediately bleeding from the impact. She stilled and a fist was raised towards her again, and I acted without a thought.
I charged at the monster before me, as my sister lay low on the floorboards praying for her life. I tackled him to the ground like a pro footballer, brandishing the blade he meant for me. I didn’t even know where the strength came from, but I cut into Micah’s skin like it was nothing more than butter.
I refused to stop stabbing him. Even after he was completely still, and his body riddled with so many holes that he resembled a cheese grater more than he did a man. I couldn’t stop myself from bringing the knife down, only managing to remove my hands when Dari stumbled to her feet in tears, removing it from my grip.
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” She mumbled into my ear as she held me close to her chest.
“Lainy’s in the closet.” I spoke without emotion. “Take her and pack up your things.”
Dari stared at me for a second in understanding, before removing our half unconscious sister from the safe place I had put her.
“We have to run Dari, we can’t ever be found again.” I said, sounding completely hollow to my ears.
“I understand.” She smiled gently at me, placing a hand on my shoulder in comfort. “What about that?” She nodded at the body, and I told her I would deal with it.
With a strained smile she grabbed my things and left, the pair packing the miniscule number of belongings they owned too, leaving me to calmly walk towards my dresser and remove the lighter I had inside. Next I fetched the bottle of vodka I had hidden under my bed, the one I had yet to open.
I slowly screwed off the cap, taking a sip and enjoying the burn inside my throat. It was a good sign, I supposed, that I could still feel it. I found a pair of sweats and a hoody on the side of my bed and yanked them on along with some sneakers.
“We’re ready Kai.” Dari was back, Laina in her arms and bags on their backs.
“David’s gambling money is in the kitchen drawers, take it and go outside. I’ll follow.” They nodded and left again. My hands shook as I poured the vodka across the body and my room, soaking everything I could find.
When the bottle ran dry I threw it to the ground, enjoying the smash of glass. I clicked the lighter on in my hand and backed out the room towards the door. The flame stuttered for a moment as I stared into its depths, laughing hysterically as I threw it towards the body and revelled in the almost instant blaze.
My feet carried me outside to my sisters, taking my bag off Dari and holding their hands between us all.
“Happy Birthday.” I whispered to my sisters with an emotionless grin. “We just turned seventeen.”
“Happy Birthday.” They replied simultaneously, as we headed off into the darkness hand in hand, the raging inferno of our former home becoming nothing but a painful nightmare.
As the memory of the day that finalised my descent into madness ended the air of tension in the room grew. Every pair of eyes was on me, and I could barely see a thing. My mind had shut down again, just as it had that night, and I had nothing inside me anymore.
“Kaida, are you okay?” Ember was the first to break the silence. Luckily he was sensible enough to keep far back from me.
Reliving that moment was bad enough but doing so in the presence of men I disliked, and had betrayed me, was somehow worse. They had seen a weakness, and there were no doubts in my mind they would use it to destroy me further.
“Kat…” Xavier tried to speak, but I refused to let him.
“No,” I replied, my voice as dark as my soul, “you don’t get to talk to me. None of you get to speak to me again.”
I took a step away Mikel, feeling my guards breaking as the fire inside my soul raged with pain and anger.
“If you even look at me or my sisters again I will kill you.” I breathed, barely able to hang on much longer. “And as you saw I am more than capable of doing it.”
Mikel went to speak but Ember shook his head at him, and the words died on Mikel’s tongue. I did not stick around, even for my sisters. Nor Caleb who tried to say my name. No, I left. Striding out of the doors and into the courtyard and finding myself under the stars and hearing my father’s voice. “You are nothing. You are alone.”
“Thank you universe. Or should I say Zephyr, seeing as you supposedly made us all.” I laughed, feeling my entire body breaking with the power of my endless rage. My bottomless pain.
As if the God had heard me, the sky began to rumble. Lightning crashed across the stars and thunder rolled along the clouds. The control over my emotions slipped, and I collapsed onto the quickly soaking floor, finally deciding I had enough, and doing the unthinkable. The thunder rolled above me, and the lightening shattered the dark sky. And I screamed.
The End…
Now that were at the end of book one in this series, I want to just say thanks to a couple people.
Zac; for doing everything you are doing so that I can stay home and write to my hearts content.
Jess; for reading everything I ever send you, regardless of how bad it is or how annoying I am about your feedback.
You; for actually reading this and not just taking one look and saying ew, no thanks.
CONVICTION OF THE DAMNED: SUPERNO ACADEMY BOOK ONE Page 33