Castaway ➳ cth [EDITING/HIATUS]

Chapter 6

*June's P.O.V.*

No longer after we arrived home, the rain stopped.

The sun seemed to push away the dark layer of clouds on the sky. In the distance, I observed a rainbow forming in all its glory.

As soon as I stepped through the front door, I heard my sister screaming my name.

"Juni!" She yelled and raced down the stairs, jumping into my arms to embrace me in a hug. "I missed you!"

"Come on", I laughed ecstatically, "why are you missing me, though we saw each other couple hours ago. Again!" She shrugged, apparently she didn't know what to say.

"You're a good companion", she answered after a long time of thinking and took my hand. "Let's go!"

She pulled me into her room, closing the bedroom door. "I have to ask you something", she said, her voice sounding incredibly serious.

"Ask away, munchkin", I replied and sat down on the pink carpet laying on the brown coloured floor. The sunrays fell on the surface of her bedsheet, and if you look closer, you could see little dust flakes dancing in the sunlight.

She was unsure how to tell me. It took her around ten minutes until she let it out.

"Mum wants me to go to grandma with you", she whispered frightened, "she said it'll be better for us..."

"Wait", I interrupted her, "Grandma? You mean... the grandma in Cali?"

She nodded cautiously, the expression on her face telling me how anxious she was.

"Why..." I asked and I felt my eyes open widely. "Mum can't just do that."

Nele shrugged. "She told me dad and her aren't in 'best conditions' and we have to go."

Anger spread out in my entire body as soon as I heard those words, leaving me unconscious about what I was doing.

I flung the door open and stepped outside. "Mum?" I screamed. No answer.

"Mum?" I yelled again and walked around the rooms, opening the doors ravenously.

After I opened her bedroom door, I saw her sitting on the bed, crying.

"Mum", I muttered and rubbed my forehead with my palm. "Did you tell Nele about this whole divorce issue?"

My mum looked up. Her eyes were swallowed and her nose as red from the tears. "I can't talk about that for now, June."

"You want to send us to grandma in Cali?" I cried and noticed how Nele was standing behind me, peeking around my hip to glance at mum.

"It's the best decision, honey", my mum insisted and stood up. "Your father is going to leave for America. He wants to take you and Nele. I'm not a good mother for you both."

"Dad said that? That's bullshit!"

"Not around your sister!" My mother screeched, pointing at Nele. "Save your insults! Your father is right!"

My eyes landed on a big, red spot on her right cheek. I assumed someone hurt her. I didn't pay attention to her face while she was picking me up.

"Was that dad?" I pointed at her face. She tapped her cheek with her fingertips and winced. "That has nothing to do with the conversation!"

"Mother!" I shouted, "This is domestic violence! And he wants to take us to Cali to abuse on us like he did to you? Or what?"

"You don't understand!" My mother answered and pushed my sister and me aside, spurting down the stairs.

The last thing I heard was the slam of the door shut.

"Great", I sighed to myself and took my sister by the hand. I realized she was crying silently. Poor child, I didn't get how she should feel about this.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine", I muttered softly as I knelt down, grabbing her face with both of my hands.

"Are we going to California?" She asked, trying to hold the tears in her throat.

"I don't know", I said in honesty, "But whatever happens, we both are going to be together, no matter what. You agree?"

She nodded, but tears still streamed down her delicate cheeks. "We are going to stay together", I repeated convincingly, "I swear."

The afternoon passed by. I tried to stay calm to myself, not showing the huge fear that overcame me mentally.

My sister and I stayed in her bedroom, drawing pictures. We didn't talk much, we just asked each other questions like: "Can you pass me the yellow marker" or "can you draw suns?"

I was proud I stayed so tranquil. Although my heart was racing when I heard any sound, for example when a pencil fell down, thinking someone would open the door angrily and do whatever to us.

I glimpsed at my watch. It was 10 pm.

"You have to go to sleep", I declared to my sister. She held up the piece of art she was working on.

"But I'm not finished yet!" She murmured in stubbornness.

"It looks beautiful though!" I responded and took her hand. "I can bring you to bed if you want to." I offered.

She laid down on the cold matress and I closed the curtains. "Listen", I whispered as she clung herself onto my body when I laid down next to her side. "Don't worry about anything, alright? You will be with me. And I love you with a passion."

I felt her head buried in my neck nodding and I stroke her hair carefully with my fingertips out of her face. "I love you too", I heard her fainted voice in my ears.

It never took so little time for her to fall asleep.

***

"No!"

"Shut up!"

"NO!"

"I said SHUT UP!"

The voices sounded weak in my ears. I slowly opened my eyes to perceive the words better. My brain felt like mush, my heartbeat was slower than usual.

I lifted my head, staring into the darkness. My alarm clock standing on my night stand told me it was 2 am in the morning.

My eyelids were about to close again, I desired the feeling of my head laying on the soft pillow, as I heard another shout.

"JUNI!"

My heartbeat increased immediately. I pushed the blanket aside, flinging the door open and running downstairs since I was sure the yell came from the first floor.

"JUNI!"

The second scream triggered more speed in my limbs. I discovered my sister getting pulled away from the property into a black car... by my father?!

"Nele!" I screamed back hysterically and ran through the front garden. "HEY!" I yelled at my father. "Leave her alone!"

I pulled on Nele's arm, hoping it would hinder my father to drag her into the vehicle.

All of the sudden, a pain flashed across my face.

My father rammed his elbow into my nose.

The harsh pain was similar to the one two years ago, at the party I attended. I wanted to gain energy like I did before to stand up and rescue my sister, but unfortunately, my father was considerably stronger than the guy I was fighting with back then.

The way I hit the ground with my elbows gave me another unpredictable pain. I remained on the ground, too shocked to move.

The last thing I felt before the darkness around my eyes embraced me was the smoke of the engine blowing in my face.

My sister was gone.

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