the EDGE OF THE KNIFE [original]

chapter one

tw: gore and violence

A house sits in a desolate area far from much with dirt roads, a shed not far from it. The ground is wet from rain, and a car and motorcycle sit outside of the house.

Rory sits at a dining table, writing in a notebook and doing her homework. She adjusts her glasses as footsteps are heard from behind her, as her mother, Julia, waltzes into the kitchen, grabbing something from the refrigerator.

"Hey."

Rory looks up from her homework, humming as she looks intently at her mother. "Don't do homework all night, okay? You need your rest, sweetheart."

Rory smirks, closing her book. "Finally, I can stop acting like I don't understand anything in Physics."

Julia chuckles, placing some snacks in her bag she carried into the room. "I won't be back until Friday. No parties, or drinking, or sex."

Rory laughs, pushing herself from under the table. She walks up to her mother, hugging her. Julia chuckles, pushing Rory off with her hip. Her smile disappears as she looks over to her daughter.

"Roger is out on bail, so if he ends up coming by, don't answer."

Rory nods, watching her mother grab her bag and keys. Julia plants a kiss on Rory's cheek, before walking to the front door. She points at Rory as she speaks.

"Landline is for emergencies only, no talking to your friends. Derek will be over in the morning to check on the house, so remember to open the shed before school so he can get supplies." Rory nods, moving over to the fridge to grab the jug of orange juice.

"Be safe, okay?" Rory gives her a thumbs-up as she leaves through the corridor, and out the door. Rory follows her, watching her leave through the window. Sighing when her mother pulls off.

She walks back down the hallway, walking into her mother's room. Walking over to her desk, she roughly opens a drawer, searching through it before she finds a small flask.

"Bingo..."

She opens it and walks back down the corridor into the living room guzzling some. She walks over to the stand, grabbing a remote and turning on the TV with the dial.

BRING! BRING! BRING!

As she goes to sit down on the small couch, a loud ringing comes from the kitchen. It's the landline phone. Rory frowns, going to pick it up.

"Hello?" A man clears his throat.

"Hello?" He asks.

"Hi, who is this?"

"Is this Julia?"

Rory grits her teeth. She thinks this is Roger, her ex stepdad. "Roger?"

"I'm not Roger."

Rory doesn't trust it, but sighs.

"Is she home?" He asks.

"No, maybe you can call her cell? She's leaving for London, like right now."

"That's alright, thank you."

She hangs up the phone, moving into the living room, and sits on the couch as she begins to search through channels on her TV.

BZZ! BZZ!

Rory sighs, pulling her buzzing phone out of her pocket. She looks at the caller ID.

Call from
Grant, Kim

Rory smiles to herself, answering the phone. "Hey, babe."

"Hello, lover." Rory's smile grows, if it could, and she sits back.