Her Savior

Chapter 1

I woke up to a ringing noise coming from beside me. I rolled over under my shaggy overused blue blanket and tugged it up a bit more due to my cold nature. I grabbed my phone looking at the old cracked screen and turned the alarm a had set the night before off.

School had technically started last week but neither I or my brothers had gone at all. I had accidentally knocked a glass off the counter after I got home from work and my father had beat me black and blue and forbade me and my brothers from going to school. He said it was because he couldn't have his whore of a daughter, showing up to school looking like shit. But it was his doing that caused the large purple handprint on my neck. My left eye was completely black like a panda and I couldn't open it for 3 days.

I looked at the time on my phone and did a double take when I saw the time. It was 7:30. School started at 8:00 and it took at least 20 mins to walk there. I threw the raggedy blankets off of my bare legs and stood up, my ribs screaming at me to stop moving. But I couldn't. I had three mouths to feed and get out the door for school.

I crossed my tiny room quickly to the door, bare feet padding on the cold floor, sending shivers through my body. I flung the door open silently and walked without sound to the left of my room, farther down the hall. I stopped in front of the boys room and grabbed the door handle. The cold from the untouched metal seeping into my fingers and palm.

I opened the door quietly and took note of the two sleeping lumps on the twin sized bed to the left with an old green blanket covering them and the teenage boy hunched over, in his red striped boxers, rifling through the top drawer of his dresser. I chuckled slightly at the sight earning my oldest younger brother's attention. He turned around, standing up straight. The top of my head just reached his nose when standing beside each other. His striking blue eyes that stood out against his pale face and black curly hair, cut on the sides, we could be twins if he didn't have a prepubescent face.

"Morning." I half smiled at him as he shoved his legs in a pair of worn, dark, hand me down jeans. I walked across the small room, nearly tripping over the pile of the boy's laundry in the process and stood on my tip toes to give him a small peck on the cheek.

He gave me a small joking glare and turned toward the sleeping boys. I stood alongside Roman, leaning over the bed to shake Cade, who was closer to the wall. Both boys began to whine and complain as I ushered one out of bed practically dragging my 8 year old brother Beck off the bed.

"Why can't we stay home like last week?" Beck asked while I walked over to their dresser to grab him some pants and a t-shirt.

"Because we already missed last week and we can't miss any more days of school." I said as I decided on an old green dinosaur shirt that used to be Roman's and a pair of light jeans with the least holes. I turned around to find him pouting at me and remembered that we were supposed to be hurrying. "Please don't fight me this morning boys, we're already going to be late. Beck put these on." I said pleadingly and bent to give him a kiss on the top of his head and handing him his clothes, then turning to look at Roman who was trying to get our 3 year old brother, Cade out of bed.

I gave Roman a look as if to ask if he could deal with Cade and he just nodded quickly.

I walked across the floor once more, out their bedroom door and walked back down the hall to mine. I went to my small stack of clothes in the corner and chose a pair of old black leggings and Roman's oversized light blue sweatshirt. I darted out my bedroom door and into the open door of the bathroom right across the hall. The bathroom had yellowed walls with rust rimming the sink and the bathtub. My curls were matted and looked terrible but I didn't have time for them, so I ignored my hair and grabbed my toothbrush.

Once I was finished in the bathroom I grabbed my backpack from beside my bed and walked out my door, closing it silently behind me. I turned to the right and walked the short distance to the stairs. Holding onto the bannister as my back screamed once more with each step I took. Once I made it to the bottom I didn't waist time in going to the kitchen to grab the boys something quick for breakfast.

I grabbed the box of lucky charms and filled 3 ziplock bags with them. I set my backpack down on the head chair of the dining table, with paint peeling off. I heard the boys coming down the stairs like a herd of animals and winced thinking of what my father might do if they disrupted him. The appeared in the doorway waiting for me, Roman holding Cade on his hip with his backpack hanging on the other shoulder. Beck stood there tipping from side to side nearly falling asleep.

I pulled my phone out of my sweatshirt pocket and checked the time and at the same time, I froze. I heard a shuffling noise until I saw him.

My father stood in the entrance to the kitchen from the dining room. Dark hair sticking up in every direction, eyes tired and dark. Those dark brown eyes pierced into my skull. He took a few steps forward and looked at all 4 of us menacingly before asking, "Where do you 4 think you're going?"

I looked down, my eyes flashing back and forth from my dad and the boys. Roman was holding Cade tightly to his chest and held Beck's hand so tight both their knuckles turned white. "I-i. School." I squeaked out barely glancing up at my father.

He didn't say anything as he began walking out the door the boys came in and going to the living room where the stairs were. I breathed out a sigh of relief when he was gone and my shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry." I apologized to my brothers meekly.

I walked to the dining table once more and grabbed my brown ratty backpack off of the chair. "Come on boys, we'd better get going." I said motioning for the boys to follow me as I walked back through the kitchen, out the doorway to the living room and to the front door. Not daring to look towards the couch where I knew the devil himself sat.

I crouched, picking up my old black converse with a hole in the toe of the right foot. I slid them on and tied the laces and stood to help Beck, who was struggling to fit his shoe on. Note to self: Beck needs new shoes.

I picked the shoes up out of his hand. "Let me help, I'll get you new shoes soon. Ok?"

He just nodded at what I said and stood after I finished tying the laces. I looked around me and notice that Roman was missing. I glanced into the kitchen and dining room. Nothing. I walked back to the living room, seeing him emerge from mom and dad's room quietly. Dad still sat on the couch, until he glanced up across the room. There stood Roman, closing their door. "Roman!" I shouted and he spun around to face me right on time as dad threw an old beer bottle toward him. Thankfully it missed him and he ran towards me and the boys.

"Boy get back here! What the hell did you do?!" We heard the angry shout of our father as we opened the door and I practically dragged Roman out the door. I had picked Cade up and Beck opened the door for us, running out in front of us. We ran down the front steps of the house all the while, dad's voices came closer to the front door left ajar. "Your sister will pay for what you just done boy!"

Roman abruptly stopped and turned quickly. " Fuck off! If you fucking touch her I will kill you!" He spat so venomously that I winced at his tone. He turned to me and his eyes softened but turned back to glare and dad.

"I'll be waiting bitch!" Dad hollered before turning around and slamming the door behind him.

"Let's go! Hurry before he changes his mind!" I said a bit too loudly and winced at my scared tone. I turned to start down the sidewalk but halted when I saw that there were cars in front of the previously empty house beside ours. Not only cars, but 3 boys standing on the porch with bags slung over their shoulders stopped, and staring at the 4 of us. I felt like a deer caught in headlights. Unmoving. Frozen.

"Pen!" I heard as a hand started waving in front of my face. I snapped out of my daze but not before Roman saw what I had. "Maybe they didn't see?" He said, but it sounded more like a question.