Supernatural

Chapter One: Hatred

Hatred

Hate is a strong word. When most people say hate, they mean that they hate brussel sprouts or homework. I loathe him with every bone in my body, every drop of blood I have. His blood, his bones. Everywhere.

Mum. I love mum. Most people use love for things like chocolate or Undertale (the best game ever) but my mum is the definition of love. She raised us all. She loved us all. What did I do in return? I blocked her exit. I didn't let her go.

Riley sits down next to me and squeezes my shoulder. "We will get him for this. What he did, he will never be forgiven for, he will pay for. I promise you I will not rest until he dies." I nod my head. I loathe him.

I loathe him. But I don't want him to die. I want him to pay. But I don't want him to die. I wish I could torture him. No I don't. I don't want him to die. I don't want him to get hurt. I just want him to see. After all he has done, memories still glowing bright in my mind. I don't loathe him. I don't hate him. I'm just desperate for the impossible: for him to realise.

Tommy enters and hands me a tray of fish and chips. I push it away. Ella looks at me, her jaw open. "Alex? Not eating food? Now this is a rare sight!" She grins. My name is Alex, yes, but I assure you, I am female....I think.

"Yeah, what's up, Al?" Riley nudges me.
"I don't want to hurt him!" I blurt out. My eyes swim with tears, threatening to spill at any minute. Everybody is silent. Staring. Staring at me.

The tears do spill. Big blue watery shapes run down my cheeks, slipping into my blonde hair. I sniff, and wipe my eyes quickly, desperately, but they won't stop.

Lila clambers onto my lap, and wipes her wet eyes on my shirt. Tommy grips my hand. Ella kisses my forehead. Riley pushes them all away and squeezes me tight in her strong, protective arms.

"I don't want to either." She whispers. She places her hands on my damp cheeks and wipes my eyes with her thumbs. "I don't want to hurt him either." Her voice cracks. "But we have to be brave and keep going." I hold her close and never want to let go of my big sister. "For mum." Her last whispers hang in the air for a while and we all just hold each other close.

A bullet rings out. Of course something would ruin our happy what's-left-of-our-family moment.

It crashes through the glass. The whistle of the small black killer pierces the silence like a knife piercing a grape. "Run!" Riley yells. There's no time to get anything. We charge and skid round corners. Just keep going. Bullets fly past,one barely missing my ear.

No. I can't go. I stop and roll right. My heavy footsteps echo up the wooden stairs. Yelling, screaming, shooting. Flashing, crashing, dashing. But I have to get them.

I fling open the door and yank my bag off my shelf, desperate shaking it's contents onto the floor. They are running up the stairs. In one slick movement, I push them all into the now empty bag. Time to go. No. Not time to go. I need one more thing. The handle turns. I pounce towards the bed and grab a small, furry object and Chuck that on the lot. The window. As I pass I pick up something for everyone. The door is open. Tommy's special watch. Ella's special joke book. My special bracelet. Riley's special pen. All gifts from mum.

A bullet scrapes the skin of my bicep as I hurl myself through the window. It's not going to break. I won't make it. CRASH! I have never loved bullets so much.

I skid down the roof and climb down the pipe nimbly, pulling the bag onto my shoulders. The sleeve of my top has been stained red, but I have no time to access the injury. I need to hide.

"Al!" Riley whispers urgently. I charge down an alleyway, drop down the sewers and splash through the waste. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We pass one manhole cover. Two. Three. At the fourth we push the metal plate up and to the side before climbing up the metal rungs and up into another alleyway. "This way!" Riley yells. She boosts us one by one over a fence before clambering over herself. We hit the ground and retreat into the forest.