The Runaways

Chapter 1 

 “GET OUT”

“Fine I will”

“GET OUT, NOW!”

The door slammed and I knew he had gone. I watched him walk across the yard. In the corner of my eye I saw Clare go into her bedroom and cry. Dad was on the phone now and he looked like he was ordering a cab. Clare was still crying. She looked up. Her face was covered with blood. I felt the rage boil up inside of me. The cab had come and dad had left. I slipped out of my spot up in the tree and walked across the yard towards the house. Mum had left a few years ago. At first dad went into a huge phase of depression. But then he became angry. He began to blame it on us. One night he had come home from the pub drunk. Very drunk. He got violent. He began to hurt us. Over the years he got worse and worse. Not only doing it when he was drunk. I had gotten it the worst out of all. But never Clare. He had never touched her not once. Until tonight. I pushed the thought out of my mind.  Knowing that if I kept thinking about it then I would probably hurt someone myself. I walked in. Vanessa looked at me. Her pale skin contrasting against her fiery red hair which fell around her small face in a messy sort of way as if styled to look that way. She reminded me so much of mum. Even though she was only six she was already very distinguished in her looks. Her hazel eyes looked at me with a mixture of concern and horror. Clare wasn't the only one dad had bashed today. There was dried up blood still on me but I didn't care. I nodded and ran up to Clare's room. Rebecca got the first aid kit. The twins [James and Jack] were at the front door guarding. Tom and Vanessa were fixing the bomb shell called the living room down stairs. I walked into Clare's room. Rebecca passed me the first aid kit and I began to patch her up.

“Sam” her quite voice called out after a while

“Yea honey”

“Will he be back?”

“Not if I can help it”

Her green eyes looked back at me with fear and uncertainty in them. I looked back into them with what I hoped was strength and love.

“Promise?” she said. I pushed some of her black her that had fallen in front of her olive skinned face.

“Promise” I replied.

At that moment huge sense of protectiveness washes over me and I was reminded at how lucky I was to have such a close family.

“Sam”

“Yea”

“My nose is sore”

I smiled and she began to giggle. Soon we were on the floor rolling with laughter. After a while I stood up. My sides were hurting and I had tears of laughter in my eyes I wiped them away and went back to Clare. I started on her nose. She winced then asked if it was broken.

“No but it’s going to be saw for a while. I'll go get an ice pack it will help with the pain.”

She nodded and I stood up and turned out of the room. I stepped out of the door and Tom was in front of me. His sun bathed face strain with worry. I looked into his deep green eyes only to see horror and disbelief in them. In his hand he had his softball bat his body seemed ridged with fear.

“He's back” he whispered

I straightened. It wasn't like dad to be back this early. Usually he wouldn't some back for another day or two. I told him to tell everyone else to grab a weapon. He left and I ran up into my room. I went straight to my bed and slipped my hand under the pillow the tips of my fingers hit something hard and cold. I clasped my hand around it and ran back down stairs. On the way down Rebecca came out of Clare's room.