Timeless

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

            I felt weak. Useless. Worthless. Pathetic. Here I was huddled in the corner of my room, my knees pulled up under my chin and my face stained with tears, while my sister was downstairs getting beaten. Again. I should be doing something; I should go down there and shoot Ethan in the head, right between the eyes. But I can’t. I can’t do that, can I?

            I felt more salty, soggy tears make their way down my face as I heard him call Starburst some terrible names. Names I can’t even repeat. I heard her groan. Great, he hit her again. They were probably on the floor now, with him on top, repeatedly bruising her face up. And she’ll just be laying there, her own tears streaking down her face, waiting until he gets bored and leaves. Sometimes she’ll try to placate him by seducing him, lulling him, but most of the time he’ll just get angrier. I shove my ear buds so far in my ears I actually think I hit brain and turn the music from my iPod up so loud that a typhoon couldn’t penetrate the volume. I turn up “Does Anybody Hear Her” by Casting Crowns and silently wait as the music drowns out my sister’s cries. Does anybody hear her?

            I entered my sister’s room later that night. No traces of tears were left on her flawless face, but I knew she’d been crying. Her eye was black, and her cheek was swelling. There were some bruises around her collarbone, and I knew she would just cover everything up with makeup. Although, I’m not sure what she was going to do about her cheek protruding out like that.

            “Hey.” I said gently. It essentially came out sounding harsh and rushed just like it always did when I forgot I was talking to Starburst because I was thinking about Ethan, but Starburst didn’t notice. She looked up at me with worn eyes, soft and vulnerable, but forced one of her smiles that could light up a city.

            “Hey, come here.” She said lightly, holding her arms out. I walked over to where she was sitting on her bed and just hugged her for a while. Eventually, I don’t know when, she let her tears flow again. These were the times when I think I bonded with my sister the most, the times I completely forgot when she’s replaced my shampoo with soda or put bugs in my food. Because she’s a teenager, and that’s what they do to their siblings. She can’t help it. It’s these types of times where she’s not that bully sister; she’s a human being like every other person. And there’s someone that’s hurting her.

            We cried together that night.