25th July 2004
4:30 am.
After yesterday's horrific events, Asphodele kept tossing and turning. Being unable to sleep, the little girl leaped out of her bed in one swift move. Afraid that the monsters might get her, her fingers fumbled desperately to find the light switch. The room brightened instantly. All 6'2 and 150 pounds of him stood in front of her. She jumped, startled. He had the same look in his eyes like he did yesterday, when he had kissed her.
He dashed towards her, hands ouststretched, to grab her, trying to make sure that she would not scream or run. Her nimble fingers quickly found the door knob.
She had always been faster than he.
The door swung open. She slipped out, lickety split, just like that. He cursed under his breath, clenching his fists together so hard, his veins were visible. He had a glowering look on his face, obviously not pleased that he had let her go. But if he were fast enough, he may be able to catch the little monkey.
He took a step closer to the door.
Another.
His slender fingers reached to the light switch. Fingertips pressing against it lightly, just enough to turn the lights off, darkening the room once more.
She tiptoed, trying her best not to even give out a squeak. Even if it was cold outside, a single trickle of sweat trailed down her forehead, down to her warm claret cheek....to her cold, watchet lips, down to her chin. She took one small breath at every 4 steps, with the occasional turning around. Allowing saliva to pass down her throat, she found herself right where she wanted to be.
The door was marked 'ѕтυ∂у' in pretty melanic letters. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she was going to explode. Her fingers trembled incessantly as they reached up for the golden door knob. Her trembling fingers grasped it, turning it ever so slightly. Pushing the door back gently, gently as so not to make a sound, her eyes flickered around to make sure he was not there.
She slipped her little form into the room that smelt of fresh paint and wood, closing the door behind her slowly. Suddenly, a loud thud! was heard from outside. She could hear his footsteps edging closer to where she was.
Her heart racing, she looked around, frantic, for a place to hide.
Click, click...
The sound of his heels tapping against the floor. She pierced her teeth against her lower lip, sweat dripping down from her chin. As though something had struck her, she remembered the little niche.
Click, click...
She could hear, no, feel, the tapping of his heels edging closer to the study. Her breaths were coming on quickly, with slight difficulty. Slipping her form between the wall and the cupboard, she made her way into the niche, without any difficulty. Just in time too, because just then, the door slammed open.
I'm scared...
She squeezed her eyes shut, shutting her brain off into an imaginary place. His palm smashed against the light switch forcefully. The dim lightbulb came on, blinding her eyes a little. His eyes glanced around the room. Finally letting out a sigh of defeat, he turned off the lights and went out of the room.
7:30 am
She found that she had been so tired that she fell asleep in the niche. The sound of her mother's soft spoken voice filled her ears.
"Asp, breakfast..."
Glancing around, making sure that he was not in the room, she slowly emerged from her hiding place. She let the blood recirculate back to her legs, trying to get the numb feeling off. Dragging herself into her room, she washed up, gathered her school books and bag, and headed downstairs.
Anthony was already downstairs, eating cereal.
Dip, curl, chew, dip, curl, chew.
"Mornin' Asper", said Krystyna, obviously tired, because she sound like she'd been in labour. The little girl nodded her head slightly, as to acknowledge her mother. Anthony grinned from his cereal bowl. Her lips stretched into a small smile.
"Morning, Tony", she said in a singsong voice.
"Morning", he replied, his mouth full of cereal. Her mother placed some scrambled eggs and toast on a plate, then passed it to her. Grabbing a fork from the drawer, she glanced at the plate in disgust.
Ew, scrambled eggs. How gross. Where's the bacon, woman!?
But despite arguing in her head, she was extremely hungry. Her fork speared the eggs, her hand slipped the fork into her mouth. She chewed on the eggs, one hand resting against her cheek. Anthony's eyes wandered around her pretty, delicate face. 15 minutes later, he was snapped from his thoughts.
"Time to go, kids."
Krystyna clutched her hand bag, grabbed the car keys and shooed them into the car. After dropping the kids off at school, she headed to the bank.
3 pm
"Mommy, let's go", her voice pestered. Krystyna glanced at her daughter. She wasn't usually this eager to get home. Usually she'd want to stay for another half hour at least. "Mommy come onnnnnnnnnnnnn", she whined, her hands dragging her mother towards the direction of the car.
A woman in a dress shirt and jeans walked out of the school doors. She had a badge on the left side of her shirt that said "Adellia Argent, Teacher". Strutting towards Krystyna's direction, she called out; "Mrs Isabelline, may I see you for a moment please?"
Krystyna eyed her daughter nervously.
What could it be?
"Y-Yes, Ms Argent?", she managed to stutter. Asphodele had never been in trouble before. The little girl's fingers were clentched together tightly, her lips pursed inwards.
"Well, Asphodele'd been more...um...distracted today. I was wondering if there was anything happening in your house, like, did someone pass away or was there a trauma....." her voice trailed off. Krystyna shook her head.
"Not that I'm aware of, Ms Argent", she assured. Her head turned sharply towards her daughter.
"Cal, is there anything you want to tell me?", she hissed. The little girl shook her head nonchalantly. "No momma.."
And that was that.
6 pm.
He was here again. Making sure that she would never be left alone with him, she stayed in the kitchen with her mother. Her fingers ran through the chopping board as her mother chopped the carrots for dinner.
He lingered as long as he dared, before going into the living room to read the paper. Krystyna peered into the fridge. Her eyebrows tilted into a slight frown.
"Hey Jar, can you take care of Asper and Tony while I run to the store to get some eggs?", came her voice. Asphodele froze.
"Momma....momma....momma....lemme go with you!", she choked.
"Don't be silly Asper, we have people over."
After Krystyna left, he smirked with glee. He was free to do anything he wanted with her for a good half hour.
Edging into the kitchen as quiet as he could just as so not to startle her, he ran his fingertips against her back. Leaning towards her body, he spoke in a honeyed voice.
"Well hello darlin'~" Her fingertips gripped the edge of the table with a sense of desperation. His chin was tucked against one of her shoulderblades. He slipped a hand underneath her shirt, his fingertips pressing against the skin lightly. His fingers trailed up to her nipple, flicking it lightly.
She felt really uncomfortable then. He was breathing against her neck. She was about to let a scream emit from her throat, when the both of them heard the car door slam. He quickly took his fingers out of her shirt. She felt like she was about to cry.
But this wasn't the end.
