𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟖 (𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏 | 𝐈𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐉𝐨𝐞? |

NOVEMBER 30, 1999
ORLA LYNCH

"It's so scary, Joe." Tadgh, my six year old brother sniffled, peaking through my older brothers, Joey, duvet. "What if he's hurting Mammy again?"

"He's not!" Joey snapped, breathing heavily against the door frame. "She's grand, now go to sleep."

She wasn't okay. I could hear her wailing and then his screaming. Dad was drunk, he was always drunk. He did things to mammy that made her scream and cry. Joey would try to help her, dad hit harder than joey ever could.

I could hear every little thing in this house, I could hear the creaks in the floor when people walked by, I could hear every little bit of damage my father inflicted onto my mother.

Worse of all, I could hear him take advantage of her, steal her dignity and replace it with pain.

I've seen it happen before. I'll never be able to erase the image of my mother splayed atop the kitchen tiles, her clothes ripped and discarded around the kitchen floor as my father pulled up his pants just as I had walked in. She was sobbing, bruises was smeared over her thighs.

I didn't know what it was. I still don't know entirely what he was doing to her that night. But it continues to haunt me every day.

She told me she was okay, that she was fine. I knew she was lying. Dad yelled at me after that.

I remember the searing pain on my cheek as he slapped me, told me to go to my room before I get myself in more trouble.

"I can't," He croaked out, Shaking violently.

"You have to," My ten year old sister whisper-hissed. "You know what will happen if he realizes that we're awake." The thought makes my skin crawl with fear.

Shannon was a year older than me. My family's first daughter. I came after Shannon, Apparently we're Irish twins, I'd say I was a happy accident, minus the happy part.

"Shut up, Shannon!" Tadgh wailed. "I'm scared.."

"I know you are, Tadgh," She continued softly, her tone was kept motherly as she appeared from beneath the covers with my three year old brother cuddled in her lap. "That's why we have to stay quiet."

I was good at being quiet.

"The lot of ye need to go the fuck to sleep," Joey ordered, his authoritative tone and protecting demeanor giving me not an ounce of safety.

His nose was bleeding, broken probably. "You're grand. Mam's grand. We're all grand. Everything's fucking grand."

I watched as his resolve slowly cracked. His body shook, his eyes were wide and filled with fear. Joey couldn't keep it together all the time, I don't know if anyone else noticed it like I did.

A rush of anger flared inside of me. if Darren hadn't of abandoned us this wouldn't be happening.

Darren had a way with his words when it came to talking to both our father and mother. I don't know how he did it, but he could always dissolve the bomb igniting in our family. Well, not always, shit still happened. Shit will always happen.

But he left us. He left us to fend for our selves.

And I'll hate him for it.

"I think he's hurting her again." Tadgh croaked, for the third time now. of course he was hurting her, that's all my father knew how to do. Damage and destroy.

"Give it a rest, Tadgh. His answer isn't going to change the more you ask." I snapped, pushing back the nauseating feeling swirling in my body. "Orla," My brothers warning came in lightning speed.

I didn't care. I just wanted it to stop. Her voice, his voice. The banging vibrating beneath me. I wanted the world to stop, I wanted silence.

"Shut up, Orla!" Tadgh wailed, again. I felt a tinge of guilt when I saw my brother begin to cry. It progressed as I watched his body begin to shake out of pure fear. That little bit of guilt had me crawling atop of the duvet to curl him into my side.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." I muttered, exhaling a tight breath and pulling the duvet up to cover my little brother. "You just need to be quieter before you get the lot of us in trouble."

I tried my best to coax him, brushing his blonde hair out of his tear streaked face. Shannon was a better comforter.

"For the last time, He's not hurting her." Joey persisted. He lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep," Liar.

"You promise?"

"Yep."

"Thanks for letting us stay with you, Joe." My brother sniffled, wiping his teary eyes.

"No problem." Joey said. "Do you want to snuggle in with us?" Tadgh then asked, I stared at the wall, fighting the voices echoing off this haunted house.

"No thanks."

"You sure—"

" Sleep. Now." There was no room for questioning in my older brothers tone, Tadgh knew that and snuggled himself back beneath the duvet. I felt him glue himself to my side as I laid beside him, counting the cracks on the ceiling.

I could still hear her. Still hear him.

This house was haunted by pain and fear. every ounce of damage bounced off the walls and somehow interconnected with one of us.

I hated it. I hate this house. I hate my father. I hated my mother for staying with my father. And I hated Darren for leaving us without a goodbye.

I hate everything.

_________________

First chapter out, how did you like it?

Posting might be inconsistent, and you wont see mfc and mmc together for a while tbh. sorry this chapter is short, didn't really know what to do after a certain point.

my tiktok is adorabl1ss for updates and spoilers.

i know this chapter was almost a direct copy from saving 6 but I meant for it to be that way