The Mold

Prologue

The heavy and scolding air best known to summertime Nevada wafted through Arabelle's window in waves. Although uncomfortable, it was bearable, but it would only stay bearable for at least 7 more hours, until the dreaded sun would rise once again, carrying with it the heat to burn even the coldest of plains... and un-sunscreened skin, of course. If only the agonizing heat was the worst of her troubles, she thought. But no, her most feared obstacle had just skulked through the front door.

"Home so soon? You're usually at the bar until at least twelve, and today's a Friday, not to mention. Did they finally kick you out?"Mandy, Arabelle's mother said, and even from an entire story up, Ary could feel the venom dripping from her words. Her father replied with ominous silence. He was plotting. A genius, her father was, even if he was that of the evil sort. He trapped her mother with an enticing act, and he kept that act up until she was tied to him with the unforgiving binds of children and marriage. "That's not how a woman speaks to her husband, understand?" A ripple of chills explored Ary's body. Her father was a man of grand gestures, he had never spoken in such a soft and icy tone as he just did. The next few seconds were filled with an excruciating silence, like the tense quiet before a tornado, the kind that is more alarming than any noise could ever be. Somethings going to happen, the thought reverberated throughout her skull. Ever so quietly, she prowled towards the edge of the stairs, waiting in utter fear. Quickening foot steps, followed by a thud and her mothers blood-curdling scream. "MOM!" The word escaped her mouth on instinct, as she bulleted down the stairs to her mothers aid. She got there just in time. "DAD, NO!" She screamed, barely able to conceal her overpowering fear. Her dad stood poised over her mother, hoisting a chair with an obvious intent of bludgeoning her mother with it. Before she could completely process the situation, she found herself running at full speed and pouncing on her father, managing to produce enough momentum to knock the 200 pounds of muscle and gut to the ground. On his way down, her father hit the back of his head on the table to his left, blocking her head from doing the same. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, her heart beating like a Jamaican drum. She quickly shook her father, confirming the fact that he had been temporarily knocked out. Mom, she thought. Turning around, she saw her mother backing away and getting up, using the wall behind her for support. She saw her mothers eyes scan the room for a weapon, simultaneously telling her daughter to go get Samantha and quickly pack a bag, because they're going to "take a trip to Nana's, and stay there for a couple nights." Without question she ran upstairs with impressive speed, doubting that her younger sister could've slept through that ruckus.

After climbing the steep flight of carpeted stairs, she took a left and walked 3 rooms down to where her sister sat, trying to hold back tears while packing her bag. When Ary walked in, wide crystal blue eyes met hers and she could almost feel her own sisters thick veil of sadness from 7 feet away. "I heard mom, I've got my toothbrush and some overnight clothes...and Puff." Puff, her sisters favorite childhood stuffed animal, how Ary missed being able to find complete comfort in such a simple thing, like a stuffed animal. "Good, pack socks and underwear too, but be quick, you know how impatient mom is." Ary replied, in the most reassuring tone that she could muster. Be strong for her, she thought, be strong for Samantha. So with all the will power and strength she could muster, she walked out calmly, trying to induce calmness on her sister as well. Yet once she was out of her room, she bolted to hers and then her mothers, packing as quickly as she could, with her shaky hands and sweaty palms.

Arabelle about had a heart attack when her mother ushered her sister into Ary's room, grabbing her own suitcase and Samantha's as well. "C'mon guys, we're going to Nana's, I want quick feet, ok, quick feet. Samantha, do you have puff?" "Mom I have puff" "Go make sure" "No mom, I know I have Puff--" "Samantha, I am your mother and I am telling you to go check again." Samantha looked at Arabelle as if to tell her to tell their mother that she knows Samantha has Puff, but Arabelle knew that their mother was only trying to get Samantha out of the way so they could talk. Once the sound of Samantha's feet rubbing against the carpet quieted, Arabelles mother pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry that you had to do that," Arabelles Mom said "But thank the fucking lord that you did." Both mother and daughter looked at each other in horror when they heard a masculine grunt followed by heavy shuffling. Before Arabelle could react, her mother locked eyes with her and grasped her shoulders. "Stay with Samantha, Go out the back door and wait in the car, I'll be there in 5 minutes." Ary knew that whatever her mother was going to do, she had to do it alone, so she didn't argue.

Ary was hugging Samantha in the back seat of their Mothers Hyundai. Up and down, up and down, she thought to herself, focusing on the pattern she was stroking her younger sisters hair to. It worked well enough as a distraction, but she was pulled right back into reality when she heard the masculine scream she knew to be her fathers. If not for Samantha, she would've run in that house at that exact moment, run in there to help her mother, or to simply watch, so her mother wouldn't have to carry the burden of what she was doing all alone. But no, she had to stay there for Samantha, to keep her safe. Samantha needed her more. She was so intent on hugging Samantha, making sure she wasn't scared that she almost didn't notice when her mother entered the car and started the engine. When she did, she sat straight up, and her and her mother locked eyes. They were the same, she thought with a breath of relief. They weren't the eyes of a murderer, yet they did look aged. Far older than 46 years, almost ancient. All that's left to do is drive, she thought, just drive.