Speak and Ocean of Words - Book One

Chapter Four

Percy

It was nearly an hour later when we got back to our apartment, we still had to climb through the window though. One of the neighbors, an elderly handicapped man on the top floor had let us use the phone so we just hoped they got here soon. "It's quiet." Laney pointed out once we got back into the room. "That means it stopped, do you think he's gone then? You know he likes to go out to the bar after they fight." I said in a slightly hopeful voice. "I'll go check." I volunteered as I went to the door. "Wait, what if – what if they're in their room like last time." I shivered at that thought. "But it's still too quiet, we'd hear him." We both looked disgusted, I could tell. "Good point, go look I guess." I opened the door quiet and surveyed the area before stepping out slowly. I didn't know what I expected to find, maybe my mom coming out of the room asking us where we had been and that we couldn't go now since Gabe had the car, but of course it didn't happen. My breathing felt a little erratic as I crept down the hall. "M – Mom?" I called out in a quiet voice. "Are – Are you there?" There was no answer and my worry started to become real. As I continued I stopped, there was a red spot on the carpet that hadn't been there before. I could see a trail going into the kitchen and was scared to follow it. Only a few things in the world could make that color of a stain. Paint, red wine, red Kool-Aid, red food coloring, and blood. I didn't want to go into the kitchen so I stopped and turned around to look at my sister who stood in the doorway. "Well, go on. Maybe she's in there and just didn't hear you." Laney encouraged with a nod, waving me off. I swallowed and turned again, my heart was pounding so fast in my chest I thought it was going to burst and explode inside. My eyes scanned everything and as soon as I saw it I didn't react, I didn't even move. The counter had red, dripping all the way down to the floor. There was more on the floor. Someone was screaming, it sounded like a wild animal, no a pack of them that were screaming and banging against something. I knew I was crawling towards my mother's lifeless body though, saying her name over and over with hot tears running down my face. It took me a while though to realize I was the one making the sound and banging against the floor, telling her to wake up.