Fields

VI

"Hello Father." I lean forward and give my Dad a hug.

He hugs me back. "Hello Cameron."

"Find any other survivors Daddy?" Annie called from the dining room table. I stepped back and leaned up against the bench. Dad turned around to face Annie.

"No Annie, no one this pan." He had big bags under his eyes and looked like shit. "Maybe next time though dear."

Tedrick and Gracie walked in. Annie jumped up and ran out the door with Gracie. Tedrick walked over and took her seat. "Can I come looking for survivors with you next time Uncle?"

"No, you are not of age Ted."

"When will I be of age?" Tedrick asked.

"When I decide." Father said coldly.

"How is that fair?" Tedrick yelled across the room. Father walked up and grabbed his arms, he yanked him down to the ground and started dragging him across the room. He picked him up and threw him at the wall like he was a fly. I couldn't move, there was something stuck in my throat and I couldn't breathe. Tedrick stood up and ran at Dad. He hit him but father spun him off and threw him back at the wall.

 "Stop it!" I yelled. My feet started moving before my brain knew what was going on. I jumped on dad and wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled them really tight like Teddy had taught me when I was younger. Dad started clawing at my arms, that were tight around his neck. I endured the pain and pulled my arms tighter. Dad's face started to go pink. 

He's digging his nails into my forearm so hard I think that it's cutting the bone. Tedrick's lying against the wall with his eyes shut. His face emotionless. He's either unconscious or dead. Please be unconscious Teddy. I pull my arms so tight towards me that I'm scared I'm gonna break his neck. I don't care if I do, this bastard can rot in hell for all I care. His face starts to turn red to an almost purple. He stops cutting into my arm and his eyes fall shut. I let go and he slips down to the ground. I run over to Tedrick and start shaking him. "Teddy please." Tears start running down my cheeks while Tedrick lays there frozen. I grab the pail filled with water and pour it over Tedrick's head. He coughs and opens his eyes. I don't have time before father wakes up so I grab his ankles and drag him. Simon walks in and sees me.

"Cameron?"

"Help me with Tedrick." I state.

"What happened to father?"

"I happened." Simon looks me dead in the eye and grabs one of Tedrick's ankles.

"I trust you Camie." We dragged Tedrick out of the house and down through the meadow before he started to wake up fully.

"What's happening?" He slurred. He kicked his ankles free and jumped to his feet. "Your arm Cam." I looked down at my arm which was oozing blood.

"It's nothing, just my father."

"I'm gonna kill that bastard." He turned around and went to run back towards the houses. I grabbed him and yanked him round to face me.

"Please can we just get out of this horrid place?"

Simon put his hand on my shoulder. "Come on Tedrick, let's go." He said in a soft voice.

"We're taking the girls though." Tedrick said.

"Then we leave." I ordered. We walked through the woods till we could see the shimmer plot. Annie, Gracie, Mum and Auntie are doing their normal jobs. I walked up to Mum and the boys stayed hidden behind the trees. "Hey Mum, Dad wants to talk to us kids privately. Can I take the girls?"

She looks me up and down then says "Yes, come back to help after will you?"

"Yes mum, I'll come back." I lied. "Annie! Gracie!" I shout. They stop what they're doing and run up to me.

"What's happening Camie?" Gracie asks innocently.

"Father he needs us. Come on. Follow me." I turned around and walked back into the forest with the two girls following me. Tedrick and Simon meet up with us as we are walking. We walk to the fence. I put my ear next to it, I could hear a deep hum of 'voltage' coming from it. "It's alive." I said to the group.

"What are we doing Cam?" Annie asked.