Opposites Attract.

Chapter 18 - "Where art thou, Scar?"

DANIEL'S POV:

I gave my mother a bored and apathetic expression as she tried to desperately lighten the miserable mood that hung so dauntingly in the air. I was ambivalent and unsure of whether Mariam would forgive me. This isn't the first time I've let her down according to her but if she only knew the truth. Scarlett walked briskly into the room with a vivacious and spirited look on her face. I didn't want to imagine what she was up to at all. "Do you guys want anything? I'm getting myself a manicure." she asked in a lackadaisical tone while her blue eyes bored into our pale and ill faces.

 "How about a police officer? And perhaps a call to Mariam?" I chirped in a sarcastic tone "Or is that too much to ask?"

 She wore a livid and disturbed expression on her face; I knew I hit the right spot as she hated when people undermined her intelligence yet insisted on acting like Paris Hilton. 

 I gave her a humorous look and she simply walked towards the door but not before turning back and replying in a cold and complacent tone"I hope you guys rot away in here. Really he should just kill you two and then I can marry your father and get regular special treatment. Not to mention my half of his assets. Perfectly really. Don't you think?" she asked in a patronizing tone although the question was clearly rhetorical and gave me her signature menacing smile before walking out of the door with her pink high heels click clacking heavily on the floor boards.

 The room had begun to make me feel weak and tired. I was met with the same bleak and dark scenery of black painted walls and a ceramic white tiles on the floor which would possibly make me crazy one of these days if I didn't escape. A pipe was broken and the water gushed down from the ceiling as it has been doing for the past 6 days. Patricia had dark circles under her eyes that were slowly turning blue and her usual athletic and healthy figure looked frail and weak. It was as though she was hanging on to life via a lifeline and the state of her frightened me and made me apprehensive as to how I must look. Conrad would give us small portions of food such as porridge and water merely to keep us alive but nothing that would help get our energy back up and get us back on our feet. The idea of standing up made me anxious as my legs were feeling sore and asleep as I hadn't walked in days. 

 I felt as though I was completely paralyzed from the waist down. Conrad was an obstinate, self-centred yet incredibly intelligent person which made it completely useless to try and reason with him or trick him.The room smelt of dampness and had a strong stagnant smell which made my stomach turn but it actually worried me that I was slightly getting used to it.  Often dreaming of  Mariam's alluring and elegant beauty is what kept me going. Her flawless brown skin and her sublime big brown eyes that looked even more wondrous when she smiled and laughed.

 Most guys were attracted to girls who wore revealing clothes and a lot of make up but I was attracted to her commitment to her religion and her modesty. She was like a treasured pearl that would only be unwrapped by one person only and that was her future husband. I intended on being that man; the one and only man that would stay by her through all her hardships and happiness.

 I could hear a piercing and pandemonium noise as Scarlett shouted from above "Conrad! Please, stop. I promise I've been keeping an eye on them." she pleaded and it sounded like she was crying. Despite all of the pain and problems she has caused me I clenched my hands together and tried to get up. I hope he wasn't trying to hurt her? that wasn't right at all. "I said sit down, you stupid bitch!" he roared "Now, who the hell was that guy I saw you with in that shopping centre? you're not dating someone else, are you? I swear Scar, I will cut off your right to my credit card."  I could hear a thump and then a screech and suddenly it was silent again.

 I simply stared blankly at the wall and wondered what had just happened. Was Scarlett having an affair with another man? served him right. He was cheating on my mother and she was a gold digger which was a well-known fact. What was he expecting? a picket white fence, a dog and a happy and complete home? he already destroyed that, I thought to myself as I allowed the dark feelings envelope me once again.

 "Daniel, he's hurting her!" my mum said in an obvious tone. I laughed,

"Mum, you're such a good person. She took your husband away from you, although I must say good riddance and you still care about her?"

My mum wore a blank and meaningful expression "We all have our secrets. No-one is a saint here." she said darkly.

I opened my mouth to reply but she simply held up her hand "No matter what she does domestic abuse is not okay."

I sighed "I know mum, I know." I replied in a small tone. I felt helpless and could do nothing whether it was helping Scarlett or finding Mariam and that made me angry at the world.

Conrad suddenly moved into the room with intense speed and threw our plates on the floor "Enjoy." he said in a sarcastic and rough tone. I noticed his eye area was bleeding and he had sweat beading down his forehead and his usually neat exterior looked rumpled and messy. 

"Dad?" he turned around with a blank expression

"Where's Scarlett?" I asked in a squeaky tone.

He gave me a menacing expression "Taken care of." he replied simply and left the room without another word.