Something Special

Chapter 22

"Daddy!!"
"Hey darling. How's my favourite girl?" Ian Lincoln glanced at his heavily pregnant wife and pecked her on the cheek. "One of my favourite." He whispered, stroking her swollen belly. Tara bounded down the stairs and launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Well it's nice to see you're in a good mood." His wife smiled at him and ruffled her daughters hair. "Have you brushed your teeth?"Tara bobbed her head vigorously. "Yep. See!" She bared her sharp teeth at her mother. She had a big gap where her front teeth had been knocked out by a skateboard incident. "Well then that's ok. Give your mummy a big kiss then up to bed. If your lucky, daddy might read you a story." Tara beamed and gave her mum a big kiss. "Love you mummy. Hurry up daddy." She bounced up the stairs like a bunny on acid.

The two adults watched her ruefully, Ian wrapping his strong arm around his wife. "She's going to be a devil to try and get to sleep."
"She's been so excited for you to get back. She even made you a little banner. But she didn't finish it because the Tweenies came on." He smiled and buried his face in her long chocolate coloured hair. "I love you." He whispered, stroking her back softly. "And I love you." He whispered to the bump, bending down and kissing it.

Little did he know that the child growing in her stomach wasn't his. That when the stillborn child was birthed, his skin would be a rich brown. And that the only black man in the town was his next door neighbour, his best friend.

...

Tara's greatest fear was drowning. The thought of running out of air. Of desperately searching for oxygen. The burning sensation in your lungs. It was also her fathers favourite method of punishment. He would stuff the plug in the bath and let a few inches of freezing water fill the tub. He would then take Tara by the hair and hold her under. His record was 63 second. He actually gave her mouth to mouth after that, just to make sure she didn't die on him. No, that most certainly wouldn't do. So when Tara returned back to the flat after 4 days, she knew what was in store for her.

She knew he would relish in her screams.

Tara didn't bother trying to be quiet. She swing the front door open and slammed it shut. She could hear the water running. For a second, she debated leaving. For walking out if the flat and not returning. But then she saw the red face of her father and knew she wouldn't make it in time.

He grabbed her by her collar and pulled her to the bathtub, her feet dragging along the floor. Tara tried to fight but her hands were secured too tightly. She screamed with all the air in her lungs but her father slapped her so hard the scream left her. And without a single word to her, her head went under. 36, 37, 38. Her lungs began to ache. 54, 55, 56. Her vision began to go black. She was at 62 when he pulled her out. Like a lifeless fish, she flopped to the bathroom floor, her chest heaving, her mouth spluttering. "Worthless piece of shit." he muttered, kicking her savagely in the stomach. Then again in the face.

Tara's eyesight went black again and she would of vomited had there been anything in we stomach. She spat out a loose piece if tooth and groaned. She wouldn't be getting up for a while. Her father retreated back into the relative safety if the front room and Tara lay her face against the floor. It was soft. She could drift off to sleep. Let the darkness envelope her, like a warm blanket

Join her mother.

With a deep groan, she pushed herself off the floor and crawled over to the toilet. She pauses there for a while, her head spinning, chest pounding. A single tear merged with her dripping hair.

...

"Alex."
"Cassie."
"Can I see the scar?" Alex rolled his eyes and lifted his T-shirt. Faster than Alex could comprehend, her iPhone was out and she'd snapped a photo of his injury. "Twitter, here we come." She muttered under her breath, turning from an irritated Alex. "You're my least favourite sibling." He called out. Cassie made a grunting noise and continued typing, the fact that she was his only sibling nestled in the back if her mind.

He texted Reggie and then continued his game of COD. He was losing. Poorly. When Reggie walked in he'd already lost 3/5 of his campaigns and was now hidden under the covers his remote on the other side if the room. "Sore loser." Reggie said, retrieving the flung remote from the corner of the room.

Alex pulled the covers over his face and groaned. "Can you pass me that pot of pills?" He asked, running his hands through his messy hair. Reggie glanced at the codeine and sighed. "This was nearly full when I saw you yesterday."

Alex reached for the 1/4 full tub. "So. Gimme."
"You're acting like a baby."
"You're being mean. Pills." he demanded. Reggie rolled his eyes and threw them onto them bed. Alex tipped one into his palm and swallowed it without water. "Thanks."he mumbled

Reggie sighed and threw himself onto Alex,s leather seat. "You mind if I stay here tonight." He asked, knowing he was only staying for Alex's benefit.
"Wha bout Tara?" He slurred.
"She went home."
"Sorry man."
"Nah. It's cool. She had to go home some time."
Alex thought. Reggie said something else, but he fell asleep almost immediately, the diazepam he'd taken 10 minutes earlier for his anxiety already sending him to sleep.