by Abigail Cole
“Hey pretty ladies. What are you both up to?” Garrett strides past the back of the sofa, heading for the kitchen. Axel throws himself down next to Avery, who is fully composed as she pulls out a deck of cards and asks who would like the play blackjack. After shuffling the pack, she deals for each of us and sinks down to sit in front of the wooden coffee table. Axel and I also shift onto the soft carpet, although I keep my eyes firmly on the kitchen.
Opening the fridge, Garrett grabs a bottle of water from inside the door before joining us. The game begins, Avery still keeping her stone-like poker face while I’m bubbling up inside. Not wanting to make it obvious, I stare at my cards and squash the smile trying to grow as Garrett unscrews his bottle’s cap in my peripheral vision. Lifting the plastic container to his lips, I flick my eyes up in time to watch the twisting of his features as if it were in slow motion.
Spitting the water back out in a prolonged spray that covers us all, Garrett scrapes his tongue with his nails, making choked noises from his throat. “What the fuck is that?!” he croaks and retches. Avery and I lose ourselves to a fit of cackling hysterics, rolling onto our backs.
“Sea water,” I manage to rasp from my position on the floor. A stitch pulls at my side as tears stream from my eyes, not having laughed this hard in so long. Risking a glance at Garrett, his hazel eyes lock onto mine, a menacing smile appearing across the lower half of his face.
“It seems like someone thought they could prank me and get away with it. What do you say we show them how wrong they are, Axel?” My laughter dies as Axel smirks and nods his head slowly, his full attention on Avery. Without having a chance to warn her, the pair lunge for us. I have time to shoot away, barely planting my feet beneath me to rush around the sofa and make a run for the stairs.
A strong arm snags around my front, yanking me backwards. Before I have the chance to fight my way out, my back lands on the sofa and Garrett’s bulky frame pins me down. Holding me in place with his knees on my forearms at my sides, he starts to hunt for my tickle spot. Squirming and resisting, he struggles to find one around my upper body so reaches behind to grasp my thighs in his large hands. Digging in his nails and squeezing, I can’t hide my howls of laughter. His eyes brighten with glee at finding my weakness, relentlessly attacking my thighs. A similar sound is emanating from Avery, Axel hovering over her body not having to work as hard since she’s ticklish everywhere.
“Please stop,” I beg through my unladylike chortles. A snort escapes me, Garrett finally releasing me to laugh himself. Leaning low, my heaving chest brushes against his as those full lips come threateningly close to my mouth. Excitement of a different kind blooms to life in my lower abdomen.
“Next time, I won’t stop until you’re screaming beneath me.” My eyes widen, suddenly thinking of any and every way I could mess with his food to ensure that happens. Lifting off me, my body instantly missing the heat, Garrett offers me a hand up. Avery is lying on the floor, the skin around her upper arms and chest a flushed pink as she collects herself. Axel had returned to his previous spot, waiting for us to continue with our game as if nothing happened.
Resuming as dealer, Avery has a queen of spades facing up and her other card face down as she waits for us to play our hands. Garrett sits opposite me, glancing at his pair and rightfully decides to stay with his nine and seven. Axel also has high numbers, a ten and an eight so he stays too. Scrunching my nose up at my double sixes and feeling reckless, I tell Avery to hit me. Flipping over a nine, I cheer for myself and wiggle my shoulders side to side. Avery turns her face down card, a fricking ace. “House wins,” she giggles, mocking my shoulder victory dance and stealing the smile from my face.
We play on until the rain has stopped, a slither of sunlight harpooning through the clouds into the sea below. Stretching my arms above my head, a bellow sounds from the floor above. Freezing with my arms raised, Avery’s head whips around to gasp at me in shock. “Oh my god, I completely forgot about-”
Stamping down the stairs, Dax emerges with his shoulders bunching and posture stiff. Garrett and Axel point and scream jeers at the white powder covering his face and hair from the talc we poured into his hairdryer. His features are hidden from view, every strand of his hair coated in the chalky residue. I try so hard not to laugh, my eyes watering as I bite down on my lip, but when he glares at me like a grumpy clown, I just can’t help myself.
Wyatt
Cracking my eyelids, the shadowed figure I was expecting to see in the corner of the room is there, like every morning. Dark scruffy hair and pale skin sticking to protruding bones. She transfers from my nightmares into real life freely to the point where I’m not even surprised anymore. In a weird way, it’s like having a companion who follows me around and plays dead once in a while.
Needing the bathroom, I swing my feet onto the hardwood floor and cross the room. She doesn’t notice me, continuing to scratch the walls with her jagged fingernails as I walk past. Taking my time to relieve myself, a trick of my mind can hear the scratching sound through the door. She’ll remain until I take my vitamins, only then can she be at peace the way I hoped she’d be when I killed her. Hunching over, I use the only remaining section of mirror to get a look at my haunted green eyes, veiled in a sea of red. Running a hand through my chestnut coloured hair, I smooth it back as much as my bed head will allow.
Taking a deep breath, I leave the safety of the bathroom and edge around to the chest of drawers, keeping my back to where the hallucination is. Popping Saturday’s section of the pill box open, I chuck back the small pink tablets and sag forward onto my forearms. How is it the weekend again? I should be ruling our frat house like a goddamn king, running rings around the basketball court and throwing the greatest parties with the hottest women in attendance. Instead I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere, isolated and scared of a fucking shadow.
Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I brace myself to see if she’s gone yet or not. The scratching has stopped, but that could be because I’m about to witness her death for the millionth time. Peering over my shoulder, the corner is empty, as is the rest of the room. Relief washes through me, knowing I’ll have a least a few hours of peace from the heinous incident that haunts me. Straightening my back and squaring my shoulders, I stride through the wooden door in just my black pyjama pants. I can hear raised voices before I’ve even reached the staircase, which makes me want to turn and head back to the solace I find being alone, but my grumbling stomach says otherwise.
“You fucking idiot, you’re eating away at our entire food supply!” Huxley shouts as I descend the stairs and round the banister. His anger is directed at the back of Garrett’s head, who’s sitting at the dining table with his version of a normal breakfast. A plate heaped with rashes of bacon and heaps of sausages, scrambled egg, beans, fries and toast. He doesn’t pause his munching to shrug and reply.
“What’s it matter to you, you’re barely eating away.” Huxley’s face is growing redder by the second as I stride past, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl. Gare holds up his hand to halt Huxley from speaking again. “Besides, I’m doing us all a favour.”
“How’d you figure that?” Hux seethes. I head for the fridge, plucking a bottle of water from the top shelf and turn to leave.
“The quicker the food runs out, the quicker we have an excuse to leave.” At this I stop moving, suddenly interested. If I can hitch a ride to the closet town, I can try to contact Ray and get some advice on what the fuck to do. Huxley makes a choked noise in his throat, his fists clenched by his sides.
“The girl’s lives are in danger, you stupid asshole! We can’t go grocery shopping just because you said so, we have to wait for word from Nixon and who knows when that’ll be.” His tone is getting louder but no one comes running to see what the issue is, like I expected they would.
“Psh, I don’t buy it. He left Avery in the mansion for weeks, no one came. There’s no threat or mob, this is a sick power move a bored rich guy can make against his kids.�
�� The word ‘kids’ has my own anger bubbling beneath the surface since I’m no longer included in that category. Placing the items in my hands onto the counter, I cross my arms to see how this unfolds.
“Wow. You’re even stupider than I thought.” Huxley has barely finished the sentence when Garrett shoots from his seat, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him down onto his back on the lino floor. Hux’s shaggy blonde waves are scattered around him, a vision of blood seeping into the strands messing with my head.
“Call me stupid one more time.” Garrett says in a low tone through his teeth. Hux doesn’t try to fight back, just lies there with a mask of rage in place. His eyes slip to mine, probably wondering if I’ll save him, but how can I? I’m too distracted by the dark patch oozing from his skull, his hollow cheeks and the glaze ascending over his eyes that’s becoming too similar to the figure of my nightmares. Panic freezes my bone while pure fury boils my blood, a toxic combination I can’t control.
“Leave him alone!” I yell, slamming my shoulder into Garrett’s side, rugby tackling him across the floor. Throwing my fists into his stomach, he twists and knees me in the chest. Black spots hover around my vision, removing me from the modern kitchen and tossing me into a cell inside my head. The walls are gloomy, the stoned floor damp but I relish having a place to vent my emotions and a living target to take them out on.
Forcing myself on top of my faceless opponent, I punch wildly at his chest since raised forearms are blocking me from a clear shot at his head. Bucking violently, he tosses me aside and kicks his foot into my gut, pushing me away. Catching his foot, I drag him back down and clamber up his muscled frame. Taking his head in my hands, I smash my forehead into his nose with a vicious crack.
Another body collides with me, knocking me onto my back. Various hands pin me to the floor while I growl, bucking and kicking. My heel connects with a thigh before it is also restrained, words I can’t understand being hollered at me. I’m surrounded by my demons now, trying to drag me under but I refuse to go without a fight. Twisting my right wrist free and swinging, my fist connects with a jaw. A sharp blow is delivered to my temple, halting any further attempts to defend myself. Agony soaks into my pores, absorbed into the fire running through my blood stream. Acting like kindling, the fire roars and consumes me in the process as darkness takes over.
Waking for the second time today, my head throbs and I gasp with the onslaught of pain that barrels into me. An ice pack being placed on my forehead makes me flinch and hiss. Opening one eye, Axel stands over me, blocking the glare from the window with his large frame. A purple mark is blooming along his clenched jawbone, his eyes a mix of irritation and pity. The visions in my mind start to ebb away until the truth of what I’ve done becomes clear.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Garrett grumbles from the other side of the kitchen, holding his nose. That’s the real question, isn’t it? One I don’t have the answer to. Sitting upright on the dining table, ignoring the discomfort it causes my head, I grip the ice pack tightly.
“I’m sick to death of your petty squabbles, that’s all.” I lie, needing a reason to hide behind. Hopping down from the glass surface, I leave the room before any of my four former brothers can respond. Reaching the first floor, Avery and Meg appear in my way. Creamy skin and curves I can’t ignore catch my attention, bathing suits barely covering their assets as I fake a grimace. Whether due to my scowl or aura, they both jump out of my way as I attempt to barge past and lock myself in my room once again.
I try not to care, but all I can think about is how they are most likely pawing all over the guys downstairs. Tending to their battle wounds with light touches and soft kisses, praising them for the heroes they are. Meanwhile, I’m the monster lurking behind the door at the end of the hall, plotting to deliver them to their final destination. The back-door slamming closed has me tossing the ice pack onto the chest of drawers and creeping towards my closed curtains, shifting the heavy material to peer out.
Flicking rolled towels into the air, Avery and Meg place their cotton mats side by side onto the yellow sand. Meg has donned a huge black hat, hiding her face from my view. The pair lay on their stomachs facing the house, opening a book each and smiling easily in the sunshine. I can’t wait to wipe those smiles from their lips and steal the laughter from their lungs. Before long, they will feel how I have felt every day for the past seven years, how my parent’s rejection has festered inside and distorted my soul. All because of them.
Hollering, Garrett runs from the house with Axel and Dax on his tail. Winding his arms around Meg, he hoists her up while Dax rushes to save the book from her hands. Ignoring her protests, Gare throws her over his shoulder and skips like a schoolgirl until he’s knee-deep in the sea. Only after removing her hat and placing it on his own head does he launch her six feet into the air. Landing in the sea with an almighty splash, she shoots to her feet and attempts to tackle Garrett the same way I did, except she’s no match for him.
Rushing to save her friend, I mean… fuck, her twin, Avery jumps onto Garrett’s back. Gripping her thighs to hold her in place, Gare runs and dives into the water, taking Avery beneath the surface with him. Coming up for air, Meg has to throw herself into an oncoming wave to rescue her hat while the pair laugh together. Avery’s arms are still around Gare’s neck, her face stroking against his for a moment too long. Soon Axel and Dax have joined them in the water and even Hux has ventured far enough from the house to sit on the towels and watch.
Their playfulness turns my stomach. If only they knew how close real danger was, maybe they wouldn’t be so fucking happy all of the time. Or maybe it’s time I showed them. Meg exits the water, dragging her dripping wet hat with her. Her toned legs allow her to cross the sand without any effort, her hips swaying with each step. Grabbing her towel and wrapping it around herself, she disappears from my view as she enters the house. My heart starts to pound, the thought of cornering her alone filling me with an excitement I haven’t felt as long as I can remember.
Glancing at the group splashing in the sea one last time, I shove on a pair of black shorts and t-shirt from a pile on the floor and sneak around my double bed to unlock the door silently. Pushing my ear against the wood, I wait for the creak on the second staircase to sound before exiting and creeping after her. Edging up the steps, I peer through the crack in her door just in time to see her pull the black swimming costume down her legs. Stepping out of the sodden spandex, she returns to her full height to reveal perfectly rounded breasts, ideal for a handful. Her darkened nipples are hard as pebbles, causing my mouth to go dry. The junction between her thighs is completely bald, capturing my attention like a pervert as she walks past.
Returning into sight a few moments later, she has thankfully put on a robe so I can focus on the reason I’ve been spying on her. Show them who’s in charge, make them suffer. Shaking off the lasting effects of the trance her body trapped me in, I look past her to see an open cupboard. Shelves line the inside, supporting hoards of boxes and board games. Narrowing my eyes on the floor space, I reckon there is just enough space for someone to fit in with the door closed and an idea forms in my mind. Didn’t she say something about closed, dark spaces?
Smiling to myself, I wait for the moment her back is turned. Bolting from my spot on the top stair, I shove the door open with my shoulder and race up behind her, covering her sudden scream with my hand. Pushing her forward, I desperately try to ignore the bulge growing in my pants against the curve of her ass as she resists me. Telling myself I get off on her anguish, I shove her into the cupboard and slam the door shut before she can spin around. Conveniently finding a key on the other side, I twist the lock and step away.
She’s shrieking and hammering on the door like a caged animal, begging me to let her out. The grin is so wide on my face now, my cheeks might split. This is what I needed to pick me up, the sounds of her completely at my mercy, suffering as I am. Stepping away slowly, I watch the door judder from her persistent atta
ck and wonder if she might actually be able to break through. Slipping into the hallway, I shut her bedroom door and slink back to my own.
Lying on my bed, I push my arms beneath my head and sigh contently. I feel so much better now. The sounds of her screaming are still faintly filtering through the floorboards, soothing me inside out. Soon they will both be out of my life for good and I can feel like this all the time, with Rachel giving me a reason to wake up each day. Thoughts of her and the mansion fill my mind as I start to drift off, the promise of a better life to come lifting my spirits.
The back-door banging closed barely registers through my daze, footsteps pounding on the floorboards as someone runs to the top of the house. Meg’s screams quieten, giving way for floods of hysterical crying which resonate with me just as much. She may be free for now, but that was only a taster for what’s to come. Both of them will soon be screaming my name, begging for mercy and I won’t give an inch of it.
Avery
Closing our bedroom door as quietly as I can, a soft click sounds and I exhale in relief. Meg has finally drifted off for an afternoon nap, after the violent shakes raking her body had eased enough to allow it. There’s not many things that can rattle Meg, but a dark enclosed space will do it every time.
A part of me wants to peg Wyatt’s actions as his childish response to the overload of information we’ve recently been handed, although I’m not so sure. He’s always been a cockwomble, but now there is an anger in him that scares me – not that I’ll be admitting the fact out loud. If only he’d open his damn eyes to see nothing has actually changed, we could avoid all of this. I don’t care if I’m legitimately a Hughes’ child or not, my cards have been dealt and I want to keep moving forward.