It's a Nightmare

Chapter Six

Lucas

"Children! Your mother and I have something to tell you." My mother sat in  the white rocking chair beside the window ledge. My father stood beside her; one of his hands was placed protectively on her shoulder. My siblings and I crowded around them in a semi-circle.

"You're going to have a new baby brother or sister." Mom announced. Her hand started rubbing little circles on her stomach, which looked a bit more prominent then usual.

The room exploded with noise; cheering, whooping, "Amazing!".

"What are you going to name him or her?" Claire asked curiously, once the noises of approval had died down.

Mom and Father exchanged a glance.

"If it's a girl, her name will be Della, after your Grandmother. But if it's a boy...well...we're going to watch him for a year after he's born and give him a name based on his personality, just like we did with Lucas."

"I turned fifteen two months before my little brother was born. He was born one year before my mom left. He was also born one year and three days before the deaths of Claire, Lillian and Jax, my brother and sisters." A tear dripped from my eye.

"After they died, Father started drinking very heavily and abusing me. He wouldn't even look at my brother, let alone take care of him. So he didn't give my brother a name. That left me to do it. I was too busy to think of one. I had to feed and clothe my brother. Luckily, I knew the PIN number to Fathers bank account, so I started paying for everything my brother and I needed using his money."

A breath was needed before I could continue. The memory came in flashes.

"Eventually... Eventually Father found out. That night, I had the worst beating of my life." I handed my brother...Isaac, I guess...back to Riley.  Moving to the bench that was just out of view of the classrooms, I began to pull off my shirt.

"Oh Lucas..." She reached a hand out to trace one of the burn marks on my arm.

"Everything horrible that he could think of was done to me that night. Burns, cuts...something else... cheese grater slicing. Anything torturous that he could think of was done to me. All the while, he was lecturing me about "stealing" as he called it. He was saying something about taking money from a bank account without permission... I don't know. But I was too young to get a job, and I couldn't let my brother die."

I turned around, exposing my back, or more specifically, the letters carved into my flesh.

"F-I-L-T-H-Y L-I-A-R." Riley read each letter out. "Filthy liar?"

I nodded, "Father sliced those letters into me on that night. They hurt like crazy, but I wasn't allowed to cry out. If I did...well..." A shudder racked my body. "He did something else to me too."

I put my shirt back on, covering all of my wounds.

"The bell is about to go." I whispered. "But I still have things that I want to talk to you about. Could you come over at about four o'clock? If that's possible."

Riley smiled softly, "Lucas, I live next door to you."

"I know, but "next door" to me is like four blocks away. You live on the outskirts of town; I live on the road heading out of town."

"I'll be there around four." She responded, just as the bell rang. Mobs of kids came from every classroom, including Farkle and Riley's blond-haired best friend.

"See you at four." Riley whispered, strapping my brother back into the stroller.

"See you at four." I replied just as quietly.

The blonde-haired friend spotted Riley and snatched her away by the elbow. Farkle came up and sat beside me.

"You weren't in history. How are you?" He asked frantically. "Did something happen with the bullies?"

I looked up at Riley's retreating form. "I feel good, great actually. Nothing is wrong. Yet."