Bound by Honour

32

I began to spiral, my thoughts all over the place as I punched the wall over and over again. I had made a large dent, blood oozing from my hand.

I stared at the blood trickling, slow and inexorable, between my fingers. Droplets splattered onto the carpet and I flexed my fingers, the sharp pain taking my breath away.

The wall had cracked about two inches long, my blood on the eggshell paint speckled in the moonlight. I cradled my hand, tears streaming down my face, the damage reminding me of something my father had done many times before.

"Are you stupid? Micaela, answer me," my father screeched.

I hurried out of bed and into the hall. Royce pinned Micaela to the wall, holding her there by the throat. He pulled his fist back, slamming it into the wall beside my older sister's head.

Blood trickled from her nose.

"Let her go!"

They both snapped their attention to me. Royce sneered. "Go back to your room or you'll be next," he said, but his eyes twitched with challenge. I didn't move. "That's what I thought."

I glanced at Micaela. "Let her go," I repeated, " or I'll kill you. I inched towards the glass vase on the bookshelf. He chuckled and shoved my sister away.

"You want to kill me?" He taunted, cocking his head to the side. "Kill me then. Go on, Maisie. Do it."

I reached out and shoved him. He didn't expect it, stumbling back against the wall. His nostrils flared and he lunged. Micaela screamed, running towards Royce but he backhanded her.

Things happened quick. I picked up the vase and smashed over Royce's head. He stumbled and fell to his knees.

"Run, Micaela," I snapped, shoving her, the only thing on my mind was getting out of the house, away from our monster of a father. We ran down the stairs, racing through the kitchen to the front door.

He charged after us like a raging bull. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" A hand latched onto my shoulder, throwing me against the wall. He slapped my face. Once, twice, three times, with such force the world spun. "You will never leave, you worthless, pathetic little child."

Micaela tried to fight back but he managed to overpower her too. He wrenched her arm behind her back, twisting it until she screamed with agony. Tears streamed down her cheeks and rage burned in my veins, not able to see my sister in pain. I crawled across the floor, careful not to bring attention to myself, grabbing the cordless phone to dial 911.

I didn't have time to speak to the dispatcher, Royce yelling to hang up, but they would show up at some point. I felt pain pierce my back, steel-toed boots pushing me to the floor. Micaela was silent, slouched against the counter, chin dipped and her loose hair covered her face. Blood smudged the wall behind her. "Micaela, wake up." I cried but she didn't move and my father snickered.

No matter what I did, I couldn't get him out of my head. 

I hit the wall again - once, twice, three times, pain burning my knuckles.

I don't know when I stopped, or how I stopped, but I stumbled back, and black dots danced at the edge of my vision. Something snapped inside me and I bolted from the bedroom, checking the hallway before tiptoeing to the bathroom. No one could know what I did.

I had to clean my hand before anyone noticed. Closing the bathroom door, I reached into the small closet for a facecloth, soaking it in water to wipe away the now-dried blood coated on my hand. It wasn't anything I hadn't seen before, but the sight made my stomach clench.