Becoming Riley

Chapter 4: Sticky Situations

Liam had just started his sophomore year at Calvin Pulse High School and was showing signs of disobedience towards James and Michelle. It was disobedience in a positive light that showed he wanted to no longer be pushed around. However it was drawing much negative attention to the Verns that they began punishing him extremely harsh. Things like extensive yard work by making both him and Riley (for when she defended his motives) cut the grass with scissors for hours or pull weeds with thorns out of the ground bare handed. Punishments that, if seen, were cruel and left scars on their minds and bodies forever. Whenever Liam did something bad it usually was an honest mistake or misunderstanding on behalf of their parents. On one special occasion Michelle walked into the battered old bathroom and noticed the soap box container didn't have the soap in it but next to it. That was enough to make her lose her cool. One could say being doped up on drugs can make even the most rational minds be destroyed by a chemical imbalance. Michelle stomped into the living room and shoved the soap into James face and screamed "CAN YOU TEACH THESE BRATS ANYTHING?"
Of course James immediately took the insult that was directed towards him was caused by Liam. This wasn't the first time when Michelle made a mole hill into a mountain however. James grabs the bar of soap out of Michelle's hands and began his way to Liam's room in the back. After Liam became a freshman in high school James decided to clear out the back room and allow that to be Liam's. Through Riley's room one has to walk in order to reach Liam's. Riley immediately knew trouble was occurring since A.) She didn't have a door and could definitely hear the conversation going on and B.) Her father was reeking of alcohol and had something clenched in his right hand.
Fearful for the sake of her brother Riley immediately jumped up out of bed and beat James to Liam's room without James noticing. A blanket blocked the rooms giving the teenagers much needed privacy while growing up. Visually that was.
James shouted a vicious "MOVE" to Michelle as Riley bolted past the hanging blanket. "Dad's mad!!" She whispered as Liam jumped up from his chair at his desk. "What? Why-" he stopped as James pulled back the blanket. Blood shot eyes and missing teeth spewed hatred in expression as James yelled and hassled Liam over the bar of soap. Liam sputtered repeatedly that he was sorry begging his father not to keep going. James then grabbed Liam's arm and twisted it so far he was whimpering. Liam usually could handle the physical abuse without a tear but this time it was different. Seeing this only enraged James even more as he walked out into the living room to go ask Michelle why she got so upset over something as dumb as soap. He didn't want to acknowledge he had just almost broke his son's arm.
It was in that moment Riley heard Michelle say something she'll never forget: "Just teach them both a lesson. Two birds one stone. Make the stone your fist."
Riley grabbed her pink teddy bear Grandma Vern gave her and told Liam what she heard. Immediately Liam broke the back window open and jumped out. "Come on Riley, leap! You can do it come on!" Liam encouraged Riley to jump the ten foot ledge to the backyard to escape their dredged fate. Growing up Riley couldn't stand heights and now she didn't even bat an eye. Riley immediately leaped from the window and landed in Liam's arms. Then they made a mad dash to a pile of fallen trees where they secluded themselves from view but could still see inside the window.
James busted through the blanket and into the room. When he acknowledged the missing existence of his children he never realized then that he was willing to beat them senseless without caring for their safety. But Riley and Liam did. They definitely acknowledged it.
Riley clung to her stuffed animal Sally as she shivered in the February cold next to her older brother. He held her as she started to silently cry. Liam knew he had to get them both out of there but Liam didn't know how yet or who could help. Both the children stayed put until the sun sank and the moon shown through the trees. Liam and Riley climbed and crept into the house through the back window and accepted the fact that their parents didn't even search for them. Neither Liam nor Riley could sleep that night in fear that their father would wake up and see them.