A Chance To Break Me (UNDERGOING MAJOR EDITING)

24. When I Was Away

~Anton~

I ensured Donna was well inside her house before starting the old beetle and driving back to my house after a three day stay in Paradise Beach.

The gates automatically pulled themselves open when I approached the compound. The guard at the gate saluted me as I drove past and parked the beetle next to my parents' string of road unworthy vehicles. The first thing I noticed about my house when I stepped out of the car was just how disturbingly silent it was.

It was always silent considering only Hector, Cassilda and I occupied the whole mansion but the silence today was merely eerie. It was just past six thirty in the evening and Cassilda was busy chopping vegetables for dinner when I got into the main kitchen.

She raised her head to see who had come in and her face instantly lit up on seeing me. "Hello Teddy. How was your really short vacation?"

I rolled my eyes at her choice of name to call me and shrugged. "It was really good, thank you." I looked around without seeing any sign of life in the house. "Hey, where's mom and dad?"

"Your parents left about an hour ago to attend a party at the Stones' house."

"Ellery Stone's house?"

"Yes, They won't be back til midnight."

I waved my hand in the air. All this wasn't really what I cared about. I survived a long deal of time without my parents around. Right now I only cared about one person. "And Hector, where is He?"

Cassilda's joy at seeing me drained from her face. She went back to chopping lettuce avoiding my eyes. "You need to talk to your brother Teddy. A lot of things have happened within these three days that you have been away." She said after a while. She spoke carefully, as if choosing her next words or deciding whether to tell me the full story or not.

"Is he okay? Where is he?" Panic was making it's way into my bones and I did not like the feeling.

"Upstairs in his room." She put away the chopped lettuce and turned back to face me. She however dropped her gaze and stared at the floor before speaking again. "I know it's not in my position to say this, so forgive me but I think... it would have been better if your parents hadn't come back so soon."

She was right. But why was she saying this? What did they do to Hector? I didn't wait to listen to any more details. I span on my heels and made for Hector's room at lightning speed. Oh my God, was he okay? I knew what my father was capable of when he was mad, which was almost always and poor Hector was usually targeted.

I ran up till I was outside his room and pushed the door open. It banged on the wall behind it making a sleeping Hector jump from his bed with a start. His hair clung to his head partially covering his face but I could always see through it. He always had his hair covering his face every time he was physically injured and didn't want anyone to see how bad it was.

"You're back." He stated ever so calmly it seemed like nothing had happened.

I matched his tone. "I'm back. What's cassilda talking about? What did dad do to you?"

I took a step towards him and he took a step back. "Don't come any closer." he warned.

I didn't listen to him. With every step I took forward he took two back until the wall behind him stopped him. Then I stopped.

"Tell me what's wrong." I said.

"You left me. You left me to face them alone."

"I'm sorry but I needed a break from them too Hec."

"And you couldn't take me with you. You know what dad did to me?"
Tears were beginning to well in his eyes and it broke me to see him cry.

"Did he yell at you again?" I asked.