Broken Bonds

Chapter 1

'Make your choice, Avery. Your father or me?' She growled out lowly, for fear that anyone else in the family will hear the commotion in the bedroom.

My 5-year-old brain failed to comprehend what she was trying to say. After all, it was past midnight and I was woken up by a loud noise in the middle of the night. I was not in my best shape for a conversation like this.

'What do you mean, Mama? Why do I have to choose between you or Papa? I want you both.' I made an attempt to move forward to Mama, but she moved back one step and snarled at me,'If you choose me, I will take you and leave with me. But if you choose your father, I will leave you here and take Ariana with me instead.'

'For fuck's sake, Caroline. Why the fuck are you threatening a 5-year-old to choose who to go with. Leave the both of them here and leave if you want. I can turn a blind eye to your cheating and spare your life. Just get the fuck out of my house.' Papa pulled me back and held onto my hand tightly. I held tightly onto his hand, while the other clung onto the side of his pants. My heart was pumping loudly in my chest. Something's going to happen and I didn't like that feeling.

'Mama, don't take Bea away.' My mouth acted faster than my brain could react. Mama's eyes shot angrily at me, and she yelled,'Shut up! You have made your choice didn't you, Avery?'

I clung hard onto the side of Papa's pants and squeezed his hands tightly. To say I was scared was an understatement. I was beyond frightened. I have never seen this side of Mama before, and never will I want to see it again.

'Why do you have to do this, Caroline? Weren't we doing well in our lives?' Papa's voice was laced in both sadness and anger which made me want to cry even more.

Mama suddenly threw her head back and chuckled in an evil manner. She snarled,'Doing well? That's what you think, Ethan Romano. I was not doing well with you! You think I was happy while living with you? Being with you made me suffocated like a fucking bird trapped in a cage. Let me tell you, I had never once loved you since the day we met, much less after our marriage!'

Papa remained silent, but he was clearly furious at what Mama said. But I could see that he was hurt by her words, Papa always told us how much he loves Mama.

'I was fucking forced to marry you, Ethan Romano. If not for your fucking father, I would have been with him right now and living happily! It's all because of you! You ruined everything!' Mama's sudden outburst made Bea woke up from shock. She glanced around with a sleepy face and rubbed her eyes with her hands.

'Mama?Papa?Eliz?' She called out softly. I let go of Papa's hand and his pants and slowly walked towards Bea, wanting to get her to Papa's side. I did not want Bea to get hurt from Mama's shouting.

But Mama's reaction was faster, she grabbed Bea away and held her tight against her. Suddenly, she took out something black from her back and pointed at Papa.

Papa immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. Papa pulled out a similar thing from his pockets too. He was clenching his jaw hard and he only does that when he gets angry. Like when Enzo 'accidentally' punched Theo in the face while playing catching. Or like when Xander and Eli broke Mama's favourite vase and pretended not to know about it.

'Put that shit down, Caroline. If you still treasure your life. Don't you dare put my children in danger.' Papa's voice was stern, more stern than the times when he threatened my brothers that he would confiscate all of their game stations.

'How about let's play a game then, Ethan? Let our dear girls choose who shall live and who shall die. I've got nothing to lose anyways.' Mama shrugged her shoulders and laughed once again. I used to like the way how she laughs but I hated it so much at this moment. She was making Papa sad and angry.

She held the gun to a frightened Bea who was shaking her head furiously with tears streaming down her face constantly. My twin was crying but yet I could do nothing to help her. I slowly let go of Papa's hand.

Making notice of my movements, she looked up and smirked evilly at me.

'You shall make the choice, Avery. Since your sister dearest is too scared to do it.' She stretched out her arm with the gun in her hand, a new word that I have learnt from Papa just a moment ago.

Papa saw a chance and tried to tackle the gun out of her hand, but Mama quickly took back and aimed it at Bea.

'Make another move and I will make sure her blood splatters in this room.Lower your fucking gun.' Papa moved back a little and moved his gun lower.

She then turned back to me and smiled,'Now, now, Avery. You should make your choice like what an older sister should be doing. Do you want to save your twin or your daddy dearest? Hmm?'

My heart pumped even harder than before, such that I could hear it in my ears. Does that mean if I choose Bea, I will lose Papa? And if I choose Papa, Bea will disappear?

'No,Mama. This is wrong. I won't choose between Bea or Papa.' I used a tone in which I thought that sounded the most stern. I hope Mama will understand.

'Then I'll make the fucking choice for you.' Mama lifted her gun and pointed at Papa once again, I turned back and looked at Papa. He had his gun kept at his side! I widened my eyes, no, please Papa, do something.

I mastered all my energy in me and ran forward to Papa, hoping that nothing bad will happen.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I shot up from my bed, breathing heavily and looked around the room frantically. Beads of cold sweat covered my forehead and the side of my temples. Stray tears flowed freely down my face and I brought my knees to my chest, hoping to find some comfort in it.

The same nightmare for the seventh day of this week.

Running my fingers through my messy hair, I heaved out unsteadily. I need stronger sleeping pills. To stop these nightmares. To stop haunting me at night.

This is so fucked up.

First chapter down!! I hoped that I have done a decent job in describing the scenario and tried my best to make it sound like what a 5y/o was experiencing.

Great news to share for the day is that I'm so excited as I will be getting my very first ipad today! although there were some small hiccups in between the transaction when making payments online JWIWNWK but i guess everything's all right now and i will be refunded the amount in which I've just paid so yay i guess 😌😌

Happy reading! ❤️❤️