The Fearless One

Chapter 1. Drowning

Ava.

Here we go again, I thought to myself. Why can't I just come home to peace? "Yeah right," I whispered and chuckled. I haven't had peace since my mom was alive. It took her death for me to realize how much calmness one person can bring to someone else's life.

"AVA! where the hell have you been all day?" yelled my father. I rolled my eyes as I walked into the living room which was filled with cigarette smoke and littered beer cans and loud music blasting through speakers.

"I've been working dad, something I have to do since you like to gamble away our money," I replied, making sure the last part was barely audible.

 I've grown used to this lifestyle, my mom was killed when I was 12. She was a school teacher, after a late-night of grading papers at school she was killed in the parking lot as she walked to the car where my dad and I were waiting for her excitedly. I remember waking up from the backseat of the truck at the sound of 4 gun-shots. No one knows who killed her, I found it extremely unfair that no one cared as well. You see I live in Devil Dawns, Virginia, a place where this type of stuff is brushed off since there is a lot of gang activity so the police really have no authority over anything except clearing out the sub sandwiches at the local deli I work at and giving speeding tickets.

"I need you to clean out the garage, I'm having a couple of buddies over tonight and don't want them thinking my girl doesn't fulfill her role here in the house, hurry up" As if I wasn't tired already from working the 5 a.m-8 p.m shift at the deli now I have to deal with this crap. I nodded and headed to the garage, which of course looked the same as the living room but with 10x the amount of beer cans. My dad wasn't always like this, he used to be so caring and sweet but my mother's death took a toll on him now alcohol, drugs, and gambling are his way of dealing with it. 

After cleaning his mess I walked upstairs to my room to take a shower. After, I flung myself onto my bed and felt my eyes water. After graduating high school last year I had planned to leave Devil Dawns and my dad. He put me through hell and I barely had time to enjoy any part of my life since my mom died. Somehow though I couldn't allow myself to leave my dad even though he made me feel like I was suffocating or drowning,  I hated myself for that. 

Half an hour later I heard the front door open and many footsteps. I'm sure it was my dad's good for nothing friends. I've never said more than a hello or goodbye to them as they creeped me out. I decided to call it quits for today and to go to bed, I turned on my sleeping playlist and smiled as "Turning Page" by Sleeping At Last came on.

I was in deep sleep when I heard my door creak open, I always locked it so I sat up confused in the darkness. My playlist was still on and I blinked my eyes rapidly to try to adjust. "Who's there" I asked as the dark figure at my doorway began to slowly walk in.

"Drops of Jupiter" by Train played. The figure walked further inside as I reached to turn on the lamp on my nightstand. My eyes widened as I identified the figure as Sean, one of my dad's newest buddies. "What are you doing here?!" I asked as I jumped from my bed and ran to my desk and grabbed a pen and held it behind me.

"I just wanted to see how you are little Ava, you know I come here a lot now but you never stick around and hang out with us." Why would I hang with a bunch of old drunks? 

I started to get even more scared as he closed my door and made his way further into my room. "Sir please leave, I don't feel comfortable having you in here or near me..please" I knew he was drunk as he reeked of beer.

I gulped as he smiled and said, "Let me help you feel comfortable darling".

He advanced towards me and reached out to grab me, I smacked his hands out of the way and tried to sidestep him. I was too slow as he grabbed me and pinned me down to the bed. "You've always been so pretty Ava, you think I don't see the way you look at me?" he leaned down to bring his face near mine and I struggled against his grip. He began to place kisses on my neck and collarbone, I shivered in fear. His hands roamed over my body and I used this chance to knee him where the sun doesn't shine. He groaned and rolled off of me, I jammed the pen that was in my hand into his shoulder and ran out of my room and down to the garage.

My dad and his friends turned to look at me, their eyes widened as they looked at the tears running down my face. "What happened?" asked my dad. I ran to his side and grabbed his arm, "Dad please help me, Sean came into my room an-and he-he was touching me and tried to hurt me, please help me" I was shaking in fear looking straight into his eyes hoping that he could for the first time in years be the one taking care of me.

 "Ava...where is Sean?" he asked. I pointed up indicating that he was upstairs. "Ava please be a good girl, and go back upstairs with Sean. Sean has been very stressed lately and needs someone like you to be there for him"

I was so confused as so many thoughts raced through my head, was I hearing him right?

"Da-d what are you saying"

"Ava don't be stupid and go back upstairs or else." I looked around feeling helpless. I shook my head as more tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I have to get the hell out of here. I began to walk backwards to the door of the garage and as if he read my mind my father stood up and grabbed my chin. I winced in pain and begged him, "Dad, please stop this, let me go!"

Before I knew it his hand collided with my cheek, pain fluttered across my face. Did he just hit me? my father was many things but he never laid a hand on me, at least not until today. I was in disbelief that I hadn't even noticed that Sean now stood in the doorway with an angry look in his eyes. "RANDY! YOUR SLUT OF A DAUGHTER PLAYED HARD TO GET AND FUCKING STABBED ME" he made his way torwards me and pushed my dad away from me. I tried to make a run for it but he yanked my hair so hard I'm sure he tore some hair out. "Listen little girl, I wouldn't run away if I were you. No one here will help you. Now you will listen to me and do what I say and you can thank your dad for that." I gave a questioning look to my dad and Sean chuckled at me, "Feeling confused are we? guess he didn't tell you that he owes me 20 grand and you...are his payout." I felt the blood rush from my face.

"Ava, don't be pathetic stop crying." murmured my dad as he went to sit back down with the rest of the drunks. I didn't know what else to do except to push away from Sean and to run towards the door again. I of course was too slow and Sean threw me over his shoulder and headed back upstairs. "We'll be back guys, I'm just gonna break her in." 

I continued to struggle against him but I was no match for him. Growing frustrated with me as we came into my room, Sean threw me to the bed and rained down punches all over my body. I cried in pain and begged him to stop. I felt myself blacking out, I was hoping to pass out from his hits so I wouldn't have to be conscious for what I knew was coming.

After a couple more hits I felt them stop, my eyes fought to stay open as they saw Sean being thrown down to the floor. I heard the sound of gun shots ring downstairs. The last thing I saw was a tall figure reaching out to my body as my eyes finally gave up.