The Devil (BOOK I + II)

7 | "Where's My Knife When I Need It"

Chapter Seven
   "Where's My Knife When I Need It"

"no one can make you feel
inferior without your consent."
— eleanor roosevelt

┏━━━━━━━┓

Two days passed and Friday came, and since my shift didn't start until one in the afternoon, I found myself waking up early, so I could swim downstairs.

I was probably thirty minutes into running laps, and my arms were burning from the excessive use of my muscles. But I fed into the pain and closed my eyes before diving my head into the water.

It was about a minute later when I resurfaced, gasping for air as my arms reached out to find the ledge of the pool. My eyes were still closed, so once I grabbed a hold onto the ground, I used my other hand to rub them and swipe the water away.

Without reaching for the ladder, I pressed the palms of my hands against the cold, wet stone tiles before easily pulling myself out of the water.

I was striding around the pool and toward the bench in my one-piece. My bag laid on the wooden surface, with my white towel over it. Once I was close enough, I wrapped the thick material around me before sitting on the bench, next to my bag.

Too lazy to sit straight, I hunched forward and peered over to the pool, which was glistening from the sunlight coming from the windows on my left.

The longer I stared at the almost unmoving water, though, the more glazed over my eyes felt.

"I'll get you back!" I could hear one of my brothers shouting at me. Those words could have been threatening, if it hadn't been for his wide smile.

I stood on the opposite end of the pool, flashing him a smirk. "Oh come on, Vladdie." I kept my voice light and playful as I swam in my spot. "We both know you suck at swimming."

"But I'm a faster runner," he reminded me before pushing his hands out. Despite knowing he couldn't reach me, he still splashed water in my direction.

I frowned at that. I was only twelve, and he was three years older. "Of course you're faster than me! You and Mickie run every day." I grinned but felt determined when I spoke again. "I'll be faster and stronger than you one day."

"Yeah right! You're a girl!" Ruben  shouted from my right.

I swung my head in the direction his voice came from, and saw him at the ledge of the pool, scrawny but building muscle on his arms. He had a head full of blond hair, unlike Vladdie, whose hair was dark brown.

When Ruben's green eyes met mine, he grinned. "Don't worry. I can help train you."

"I'm faster than you!" I laughed and stuck out my tongue before glancing between both of my brothers. "And it doesn't matter if I'm a girl. I'll still kick your butt."

"In your dreams, maybe," Vladdie taunted, and I glared at him.

"In your dreams, maybe I won't hit you in the armpit."

He laughed and raised his hands, shaking them playfully. "Oh, I'm soo scared!"

My mouth parted to throw some more pathetic insults, but I was cut off short when I heard Ruben  shout, "Cannonball!"

Before I had a chance to realize what was happening, Ruben  jumped into the air. The last thing I saw was his body almost hovering above me before he landed, not even a foot away.