The life and Death of Lily Evens

Chapter 1

The late afternoon light streamed through the window of the small living room occupied by Lily Evans and her sister Petunia. The room, filled with the dull hum of domesticity, seemed to brace itself for the inevitable storm. Petunia was sitting cross-legged on the sofa , flipping through a magazine with a detached air. Lily lay sprawled on the floor, nose buried in a book, trying to escape the reality outside their walls.

The sudden, unmistakable clamor from the street outside pierced through Lily's concentration. She glanced up, eyes widening as she saw her father, Frank Evans, stumbling across from the park. His movements were erratic, unsteady, a stark contrast to the imposing figure he once was. His coat was disheveled, and his face was flushed with a combination of alcohol and frustration.

Petunia's eyes followed him with disdain. "Look at him," she said with a mix of pity and irritation. "Why can't he just stay out of the house when he's like this?"

Lily didn't answer. She felt a knot tightening in her stomach, a familiar dread that accompanied the knowledge of what was to come. Her father's presence always brought chaos, and tonight would be no different.

The door creaked open, and Frank staggered into the house. The usual murmurs of his arguments with Angel soon escalated into loud, angry exchanges. The noise spilled through the thin walls, punctuated by Angel's desperate, pleading tones.

Lily clenched her book tighter, her knuckles white as she tried to block out the rising din. Petunia rolled her eyes, clearly fed up. "I'm going to get a headache if this keeps up," she muttered, standing up. "Let's just go upstairs before he starts on us."

But before they could move, the door to the room flung open. Frank stood in the doorway, his eyes bloodshot and his breath smelling strongly of alcohol. He looked at Petunia with a forced smile, trying to muster a semblance of fatherly warmth.

"Hey, Petunia," he slurred, his voice softer than usual. "How's my big girl? Still reading those fancy magazines?"

Petunia stiffened, forcing a polite smile. "I'm fine, Dad. Just reading."

Frank's gaze shifted to Lily, his expression hardening. "And what about you, Lily? Still with your head buried in those books? Don't you have anything better to do?"

Lily stood up, her heart racing. "I'm just reading, Dad," she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the tremor she felt inside.

Frank's face twisted with a mixture of anger and something almost like pity. "Reading, huh? Well, you'll never get anywhere with your nose stuck in a book all the time. You need to learn to be more like your sister."

Lily flinched at the words, feeling the sting of his comparison. "I'm not trying to be like Petunia," she said quietly.

Frank's eyes narrowed. "Of course you're not. You're always so different. Always so... detached."

Petunia shot Lily a sympathetic glance, but there was little comfort in her eyes. "Let's just go upstairs," Petunia said, pulling Lily gently by the arm. "We don't need to listen to this."

They hurried out of the room, but Frank's voice followed them down the hallway. "Make sure your mother knows I'm not going to put up with this nonsense much longer!"

Lily and Petunia climbed the stairs in silence, the weight of their father's words hanging heavily in the air. Once inside Lily's bedroom, Lily collapsed onto her bed, the book forgotten.

Petunia sat beside her, looking troubled. "Why does he always do this?" she asked, her voice breaking. "He's never this bad with me. But you... he always has to make you feel like you're the problem."

Lily sighed, her own frustration bubbling to the surface. "I don't know. It's like he sees me as something to fix, but he doesn't even know how to. It's like he thinks if he's rough with me, I'll just magically turn out better."

Petunia's face softened with understanding. "I wish I could make it better. I really do. But we need to be strong, especially when he's like this."

Lily nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "I know. It's just hard sometimes."

Petunia reached out, pulling her sister into a tight hug. "We'll get through it," she said softly. "We always do. And we'll be closer for it. I promise."

The sisters clung to each other, the comfort of their embrace a small reprieve from the chaos that loomed outside the door. In their quiet refuge, they found a moment of peace amid the storm, a fragile reminder of their unbreakable bond.

As the sounds of the evening drifted into a weary silence, Lily and Petunia held onto each other, the shared pain forging a bond that would see them through the darkest times.

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