The Ties of Family (RotG Fanfic)

Chapter 60

Rating: T (for mild violence)

The house was as empty as it had been when they left it. Jamie thundered up the stairs and burst into Sophie's bedroom, but there was no one there.

"She's not here?" Mrs. Bennett asked, her voice dripping with worry. "Where could she be?"

Jamie was in the process of booting up his sister's computer. Mrs. Bennett paced as Jamie went through Sophie's history, but most of it had been cleared. He perched on the edge of the bed and was ruminating when there came the sound of the front door being opened. Mrs. Bennett was out of the room and down the stairs in a flash, and Jamie heaved an audible sigh of relief as he heard his sister's name being exclaimed and the familiar mumbles of protest as Mrs. Bennett wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Where have you been?" Jamie asked, before his mother could. It was a direct question, and came out rather harsh. Sophie stared him down.

"I don't answer to you," she snapped, brushing past him and hurrying up the stairs. She paused and turned momentarily, halfway up. "By the way, whatever plans you have for tonight, just note that I won't be a part of them."

"You're going out?" Jamie called, before climbing up after her and grabbing hold of her wrist. Sophie tried to free herself from her brother's grip, looking annoyed. "Do you know how worried you made mom? Running off like that? Getting Bunny to lie to us? What's going on with you?" Jamie half-shouted.

Sophie yanked herself free and glared at Jamie. "You shouldn't poke your nose where it doesn't belong," she spat, before turning and heading upstairs.

Jamie remained where he was, but he countered, "If you don't apologise to mom and tell us where you've been, you're grounded. Right?" He turned to Mrs. Bennett, seeking her approval. Mrs. Bennett was torn, not really wishing to take sides. She was just glad Sophie was back.

"Now, Jamie..."

"Seriously, mom? You're going to let her get away with this?"

"No, I..."

"Fine, I'm sorry." Sophie intervened with an apology. Her voice softened. "I'm sorry I got you all worried, mom. But I'm fine, okay? I just ran off to get some time on my own, and I'm going out tonight. I'm old enough, you said so yourself once." She shot a dirty look at Jamie. "But pray, keep the lousy brother out of my business."

"Hey!"

"Drop it, Jamie," Mrs. Bennett said, shortly, as Sophie stomped upstairs.

#

Sophie lay sprawled out on the carpeted floor, the warm liquid oozing continuously from her nose, her breathing ragged. Every part of her body ached horribly, and she could barely lift herself up. But it seemed she didn't need it as she felt hands grabbing her by her shoulders and waist and throwing her onto something soft and springy. A bed. As her mind processed that thought, a fist got acquainted with her face. The punch wasn't the first, and it was quickly followed by many more. Having given up trying to beg them to stop and partially zoning out a while back, Sophie subconsciously tried to use her arms to block the incoming assaults.

"Take that! Now, how does that feel?" Another one. And another, though she managed to avoid that one. Her head throbbed and felt like it was about to split in half, her vision was blurry; everything around her seemed fuzzy. The girls' sadistic laughter and triumphant shouts seemed distant.

"Fight back, Sophie! Come on, don't be such a wimp!" yelled one of them in her ear, before someone pummeled her stomach, and a feeling of nausea washed over her. Her efforts to struggled out of their vice-like grip had proved futile. She was grabbed, hoisted and flung onto the floor near the bathroom, an area that wasn't carpeted. As part of her face struck the tiles, flashes of light momentarily erupted in her field of vision.