The strange

..

     Merlin had this look of determination on his face, one that made me frightened of what was to come, but  happy that he was by my side. 

"Merlin-" 

"we have to go. now."

"okay we have to get get Eva...that's not going to be easy"

"Clarisse." he looked at me, he never used my full name, the fact that he did told me to shut my mouth. "i'll handle it" he smiled. he  jumped down the tree and started sprinting in the direction of my house. i followed. 

as we aproached the house, i got this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. it was something i never really felt except when i was near that house. 

what was it called again? oh yeah, fear.

"Merlin....i...i...."

he looked at me, and slung an arm over my shoulder. "it's okay cass. i'll take care of it." he charged into the house.

i heard my dad screaming, and a small excited voice sqeauling "Merllin! you came back!" then silence.

Merlin came running into the night, spaltered in red, draped over his shoulder a laughing child, who was just as splatered in blood stains.

"Clarisse!" shouted the child wrigling from his arms.

"Eva! sweetheart!" i held my little sister in my arms. she was wet. i looked at her, the warm red liquid seemed to be coming from her arm. 

"Eva! your bleeding! did that bastard cut you!!" 

Eva stared at the ground "yeah. i..i.. spilled some of dad's drink when i brought it to him this morning."  tears welled up in my eyes. "i should've tried harder to get you back. i'm sorry. i should've never let you stay with that bastard." Merlin but his hand on my shoulder "its okay clarrise. you tried. you came to my room every night, to sing  me to sleep even though i know your just as afraid of him as me."

"i could've tried harder! god damit! i'm going to kill that bastard right now!"

Merlin and  Eva both burst into laughter "uh, cass, all ready taken care of" i smiled "you killed him?" 

"yup" smiled Eva.

i looked at Merlin. "ya' know Merlin." i laughed "i don't think i've ever liked you so much as i do right now" "i know cass."