Ring of Fire (Completed) Book 1 Vanelzing Series

Chapter 4

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I could fill this with all that went down at the Watts in itself. You are probably tired of hearing about Shawn and his home life, but to understand everything that came after you need to hear the story in full. As much as I want to skip over all the bad things that happened to Shawn, it's important to me that you hear everything so please don't leave. Not just yet.

Shawn did not want to go home. His home was on constant shaking ground and he could never find his footing. Circumstances forced him to return to the battlefield, but through it all Shawn never lost himself. He was stronger than them. Stronger than I could ever hope to be.

For all the terrible things that happened in that house, there was some good and Shawn always saw that. When Shawn and I hung out at his house, it wasn't all bad. For all her flaws, Mrs. Watts could be the nicest person when she wasn't in one of her moods or high. She had the brightest smile and the weirdest things to say. Looking back at those days I wonder who was the real Mrs. Watts. Was it the cussing monster that threw plates and bottles at people while she screamed or was it the flowers she picked from the yard in a mason jar smiling Mrs. Watts? I may never know.

I remember the worst days the most. Isn't that usually how it goes? We remember the worst because it sticks in our memory.

Shawn and I were hanging out in his room. Mrs. Watts had a good day the day before so Shawn thought it would be okay. We were sitting on his bed. The house was eerily quiet. The window in his room was open to let in the air. The thunder storm was heading our way and the wind was blowing cool air our way. It had been hot all week and the thunder storm brought sweet relief.

Shawn had taken my notebook and was holding it above his head. I remember his smile. That stupid "your short and I am taller than you smile". I reached for my notebook but missed and landed on Shawn which made him laugh harder.

It started small, the arguing, but that is always how it started. A small disagreement blew up in an instant. All it took was for one person to step on the other's trigger. Today was different.

Mrs. Watts stormed out of her room. She was yelling at her husband that he was a piece of garbage, in the censored term, and that he couldn't do anything right. Before she could react, her husband grabbed her and slammed her into the wall with such force that the pictures shook and fell to the floor. Some broke and others were shattered. Shawn and I could only watch as his mother sank to the floor.

Words I had never heard before spewed out of that man's mouth like water from a faucet. I know them now to be highly degrading terms that no loving husband would even think of calling his wife.

Mr. Watts grabbed her by her hair and brought her back to her feet. She instinctively reached for her hair. She clawed at his hand, but her husband held her firmly in his hands. She spat cruel names of her own and swung at her husband and missed, but it forced Mr. Watts back. She swung again, but missed again and fell to the floor.

Angel began crying from her kitchen high chair, but neither of her parents cared. They were too busy trying to kill each other. We were in the eye of the storm, but Shawn was not going to leave Angel to weather it alone. He reacted before I even had time to process what was going on. He dropped the notebook and jumped off the bed. I followed him, reaching for his arm and wrapping mine around his. As much I did not want to leave Angel alone, it was dangerous. His father was terrifying when he was like this and was likely to lash out at Shawn too.

"I'll be okay," he whispered. Maybe he could sense my fear or he could see it written on my face.Shawn gently pried my fingers off his arm.

"Stay here," he said motioning to the floor. I nodded and watched him walk out the door. I whispered his name, but he was already gone.