His To Spoil

57) A traumatic memory

"Take me there!" I cried at the female driving. Her eyes bore sympathy and pity, which only made me feel disgusted with myself.

I didn't want to go home. Heck! I didn't feel like I'd ever go back there.

For years, Jack had hidden from me the one truth that I had been seeking. I had grown to hate my mother for abandoning me. Turns out she's been dead for a really long time without any means of communicating with me.

My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest over and over.

Betrayal. Lies. Death.

The cop was talking something about Jack being involved with mom's death, but my mind was tossed back to the gruesome childhood memories I had been suppressing for years without end.

I walked down the stairs, struggling a little from how short I was. The arguing voices from somewhere down here had startled me out of my sleep. They were so loud that I had almost mistaken them for a dream I was having.

"I refuse to have our daughter involved with your dirty deals." Mom yelled.

Dad was always on business trips, rarely came home. And when he did, the two always found a way to set their rage in flames.

"She's already involved dammit! As long as she's my daughter, she will be among the Black Blood heirs." Dad hissed.

By this time, I had already reached the kitchen door, and was quietly peeping inside at my parents.

Mom raised an accusing finger at dad. Her eyes were swollen from too much crying. "This, this is all your fault. You should have told me what you were. I-" a sob interrupted, "-I wish I never met you."

Her words were followed by a painful slap on her left cheek.
The impact startled me to a gasp and I quickly ran away. With my tiny body, I was able to hide in the empty square compartment under the staircase and shut the little door.
It had been constructed for me to hide when I was playing around.

"Heather?" Mom called out.

"Now look what you've done!" I heard dad accuse mom.

Why were they still arguing?

"Me? Who the fuck started this damn-"

"Shh!" Dad suddenly shushed mom. His tone sounded alarmed, prompting me to push the small door. But someone pushed it back close. "Stay in there baby." Dad whispered.

Even though it was a bit dark inside, I could breathe properly and had enough space to sit upright.

"Are we playing a game?" I asked.

"Yes baby. Now stay as quiet as you can. Don't come out unless mommy or I call out for you. Can you do that?"

I nodded. "Okay daddy."

I was too young. Too dumb to detect the level of seriousness in his voice.
And the fact that mom wasn't even speaking should have alerted me.

"Here!" Mom's whisper from the outside said.

It was quiet for about two minutes, but a loud explosion struck my poor ears. I quickly pressed my tiny hands on my mouth to suppress the scream that was on its way out. I was afraid that if I made any noise, I would lose the game.

"Check the bedrooms." A man ordered. His voice was new to me, but all the same, I remained silent.

From my compartment, I heard people rushing up the stairs above me, which was new because my parents never allowed visitors to go upstairs.