Remember Them

Number Four

Water splashed generously against my face, forcing me to shoot up, gasping for air. My soaked eyes squeezed open, the water blurring my sight. I looked around confused and scared, I didn't know what had happened or what was happening. The last thing I remember was dialling 999-

"Are you okay princess?"

Dad towered over me, a plastic smile plastered along his grey and white bearded face. I stared at him, mouth open and eyes wide. He had disappeared moments ago, so had mum and little Max.

"What, how? Dad how did you? Where's Max and mum? What happened to me? Where even are we?"

I rambled, unable to comprehend a full sentence. As I lifted my hand up to my face to wipe away the water dripping off of my chin, I realised that I was strapped on to a brown chair in front of a Tv. It had static playing on repeat, it was almost hypnotising.

"You're at the house"

He said, still standing over me. My eyes focused on the leather straps across my wrists, ushering him to remove them.

"Of course"

He said, hurriedly undoing them. I smiled nervously and stood up, wanting to get a towel to dry off my dripping face. He watched me leave the room and trudge over to the bathroom. I got one step inside and instantly locked the door, breathing heavily.

"It was only a dream"

I mumbled over and over. I reached out my arm to grab a towel off of the hanging metal bars and noticed a large pool of blood spouting out of my left wrist. It looked like I had been carved into with a big knife, like a butchers knife.

"What the hell?"

I gawped, grabbing on to the sink and turning on the cold water to wash off my wrist. It stung terribly and caused a little more bleeding, however after five minuets of consistent scrubbing, the blood had stopped. I snatched a towel and dried off my wrist when I noticed a marking. I pulled it closer to my face, tracing my finger over the detailed lines. It was a picture or symbol of some sort. A large wreath like circle with the number four in the middle.

"You're late for school"

Dad called cheerily from the living room. His voice was gravely different, it sounded like he was singing instead of speaking. Before I could begin to respond he knocked on the door, tapping over and over.

"I'm.. I'm coming"

I stuttered, pulling back my hair into my signature pony tail. The marking would have to wait until after school was over and I could go to the library. For now, I had to pretend everything was okay.

"Hurry up"

He ordered. Almost as robotically as mum had been yesterday, I lifted off my damp shirt and slid on my uniform. I had just finished putting on my kickers when another short knock came from outside.

"Blythe, come out"

He said softly. It confused me, the way he kept changing his voice and accent. It scared me too.

"Are you okay dad?"

I asked, anxiously pushing open the toilet door. There was something going on, something bad and I needed to find help.

"You better get going"

He ordered again, almost pushing me out the door. I reached out to grab my scarf but he kept backing me further away from him.

"Wait dad! Where's-"

The door slammed shut in my face. I sighed, twirling a piece of my hair around my finger. I angrily rolled my eyes as I turned towards the empty road.

"Mum"

I said quietly. There was nothing else I could do apart from keep an eye out for something strange, and check by my house again.