Devour

Chapter 11 - Rose

I wake up because I hear the noise of the front door. Angel is curled up in bed next to me. She had a nightmare a few hours ago. Our mum is working the night shift while our dad woke me a few hours ago to say he had to go out on a call.

He shouldn't be back yet, but I hear footsteps on the stairs.

"Is dad back?" Angel whispers.

"Shhh, stay there," I push her back down, feeling under my bed for my prized replica of Sting. I saved birthday and Christmas money for two years to get it and my dad nearly made me return it. He said I would put my eye out. He'll really make me return it if he's home and I put his eye out.

As it is, no eyes get put out and my dad doesn't make me return it. Because I never see him again.

The door cracks open, and in the two seconds I recognize the figure as not my father, I do do my very best to put an eye out. But a hand goes swiftly over my mouth and the other twists the sword wielding hand behind my back. I will Angel to stay quiet and she actually does. For some reason the first thing I thought about the hands is that they smelled like sweat. Icky, dirty, sweat.

"Are you alone in the house?" a hoarse voice.

I nod tears welling in my eyes.

I am shoved, roughly, down the stairs and marched into the cold yard, all the while he was holding me against his dirty clothes that smelled of the icky sweat. His hand is still over my mouth but I want to scream more than anything.

When I realize he is about to slam me into the ground, I try to kick then my head hits the ground and total darkness.

I am aware it's surprising to wake up and my head---and body---hurts in a deep way I didn't know was possible. I can smell and taste nothing but blood. I blink blood out of my eyes to see fresh earth beneath me.

I'm kneeling in a grave, bound, gagged.

In my grave.

A gun clicks.

Then nothing.