Shadows {Book one in the Coriana Johnson series}

Troubled Past

It felt like hours before we broke our embrace. I had never in my life been embraced like that before.  Especially not by my parents.

     Daisy held me close and I cried into her shoulder. I felt tears of hers moisten my shirt. I held on to her, feeling like if I let go, I would loose her somehow. I was not about to let that happen.

   We finally broke our embrace and looked at each other affectionately.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked.

    "Because I wanted to get to know you a bit first. And I wanted you to trust me for reasons other than just being your sister."

For once in my life, I didn't hold back the oncoming wave of tears. Daisy grabbed my hand.
 

   "Coriana. I trust you. Now we just need Coulson to."

She smiled and stood up.

   "I'm gonna go talk to Coulson."

 I nodded. I didn't want her to go, but I knew she had to.

    She left. I smiled. It felt good to tell her.  Now maybe there would be no more secrets.

 Now Coulson just needed to trust me.

   I wiped away the tears on my face and sat up against the wall, awaiting my sisters return.

   My eyes started to droop. I tried to fight the urge to sleep, but I was too tired. The last few days had been exhausting. My eyes closed and I drifted off.

I was hidden in my room, not daring to go out. I could hear cries of rage and the sound of splitting furniture.

    Dad was having one of his "tantrums" again. When that happened, I made sure to stay out of the way. If I just stayed in my room, out of his sight, he wouldn't take his rage out on me.

     But today was different. He was more uncontrollable. I was reading a book. I wasn't in his way. But he still came in.

    "SHE'S GONE! THEY'RE BOTH GONE!" He shouted. He grabbed a lamp and threw it across the room. I pleaded silently that he would leave me alone. I knew I pleaded in vain.

"YOU AREN'T DAISY! YOU CAN NEVER REPLACE HER!" Then he overturned my nightstand.

     "I know that!" I snapped. "I've seen it in your eyes all of these ten long years. Don't you think I know?"  

      There went a table. "You never loved me. All you care about is the daughter you lost, not the one you have."

    Of course, he ignored everything I said. It was just white noise. As always.

   "I JUST WANT MY FAMILY BACK TOGETHER!" He advanced on me.

 I tried to get away, but he grasped my arm and threw me against the wall. He gave several more cries of rage as he beat me.

  I feebly tried to fight back, but he was much stronger than me. But finally, as I lay in the floor, bloody and broken, as he got ready to deliver another punch, he froze. His eyes grew wide as he realized what he was doing.

    I took advantage of his pause, and I limped out of the room. Behind me, I could hear him calling my name. I ignored him. I knew then that I didn't want to live here any longer. I knew I had to leave.

As soon as I could.

I awoke, breathing heavily.

That day was one I had wanted to forget. That had been one of the most horrible days of my life.

I was ten, and that had  just pushed me over the edge. I knew I had to leave, forever.

   That was when I started my search for Daisy. She was basically all that I had left. And now I had found her, but I was at risk of being taken away from her. I didn't want that to happen. I would do everything I could for that not to happen.

   I jumped as the door opened. It was Daisy again, but this time she wasn't alone. A man was with her.

"I'm Phil Coulson," the man said. "Daisy explained everything. I've decided, that if you want to stay, you have to tell us everything about you. You have to give me a reason to trust you."

  I froze. I never talked about my past with anyone. Especially someone who I had never met before.

Like I said, those were things I wanted to forget. And this man wanted me to tell him everything? Everything included the neglect, the pain, the suffering-  No. I couldn't. I had pushed those memories away for a reason. I had to be strong. Their was no reason to remember the past. I scooted up against the wall. And met his gaze.

    "All you need to know," I said as calmly as I could, "Is that at the age of ten, I ran away. Then I lived on the streets for seven years, learning skills that would help me find my sister. Everything else isn't important."

     I held my breath, hoping he would consider that enough. He hesitated. Daisy looked at him hopefully. I bit my lip, awaiting his answer.

     Finally, he nodded.

  "Ok. That's good for now. But if you are going to stay here, and potentially become part of our team, you need to agree that you will be entirely honest with us."

     I nodded in agreement. If agreeing to that proposal would keep me with Daisy for the time being, I would accept.

Even though my acceptance was a lie.