Sudden Bloodshed

Chapter one

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
My alarm clock went off. It was most likely the most valuable thing in the house. Well, maybe not the most valuable. The most treasured object was probably the necklace that my mother gave me. It hung from a gray string and the charm of this necklace was a metal cat paw, painted silver and outlined in gold. Real gold that is.

'Get out of bed Brooke' I told myself. 'You gotta get to school.'

I sighed and reluctantly slid out of bed. I dragged myself to the other side of the room where my
older sister, America, slept. America was 15, turning 16 next year. Her birthday wasn't celebrated this year though. My mother was too sick to get out of bed and my father was out at work. I did manage to get my sister a small cupcake for her though when I saved up enough money.

I shook America awake.

"Sis! Wake up! It's time to go to school!" I nearly yelled.

America groaned and flicked her hand out at me. "Go away. "

I sighed.
'Does she have to do this every morning?'
I turned around and went to my little brothers bed. I might have better luck waking him. I lightly shook Emery's shoulder.

Little Emery. Only seven years of age and having to live in this awful place in life. I always felt a little bad for my brother. He was so sweet and kind to people. He believed that everyone mattered and should be loved. No one, except Me and America, treated him like that though. Mother would always ignore her three children and father was just so mean and awful, yelling and screaming. The threats and beatings weren't all too fun either.

To my relief, Emery was easier to awaken.
"Now," I whispered to him as he rubbed his eyes. "go and wake up America for me would you please?"
Emery quickly nodded his head and giggled. He got up and restlessly climbed onto America's bed. He began to slap his hands on her face and shoulders.
"Wakes up, Mary! Wakie wakie Mary! It's time for school! Ahh!!"

I had to cover her ears to block out the loudness of his screaming. This whole act amused me very much. "Mary" had different feelings about this though.

"Get off! Stop hitting me!"

She shoved Emery off her bed and he went into a laughing fit. We all did.

Suddenly, my father burst through the door.
"Hey!! Quit that screaming and laughing or else I'll give you something to scream about!! You hear me?!"

His voice was so booming. We all nodded our heads. Father scanned the room with his usual angry glare plastered on his face. He then sniffed. "Now knock it off and get ready for school." He ordered.

"Are you gonna' drop us off today?" America asked, she voice still croaky from sleep.

Father grunted. "Why would I do that? Y'all got legs don't you?!"

America's eyebrows twitched with instant annoyance and frustration. "Yes we do, but our school are miles away. They haven't changed locations."

Father shook his head. "What makes you think that I'm just going to suddenly start driving you and your sibling to school? You've always walked."

Emery stood up. "Yeah but ,daddy, my legs get tired and they can hurt a lot sometimes."
He pointed down at his legs when he talked.

By now, I could tell that Father was about to explode with anger. He had anger issues.

America could tell this too. But she didn't care.
"You should drop us off. A good father takes care of his children. Please drop us off, are schools are so far far away." She said this all with an intense stare that was directed to my father.

Father suddenly smiled and bit. A glare could still be found on his face. "Then I guess that you and your siblings will have to keep walking 'far far away'!" He gleefully mocked her and slammed the door shut.

Moments of silents past. Emery broke the quietness with a whimper. "Why is daddy always so scary and mad?"

"I don't know, but now, I'm sort of glad that we don't have to in the same car as him today."
I remarked , putting my cat paw necklace on.