hiding

Spicy Deja Vu

- Flash Back –

8-year-old Alexia was curled up on her bed, tears running down her face. Her 14-year-old brother held her, rubbing her back in reassurance. She flinched at the sound of glass breaking; her stepfather screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Nii-san I'm scared." He could feel her trembling in his arms.

"I know Alex, it will be okay." Her brother murmured to her several times, soothing her hair.

They remained sitting on the bed like that for over an hour. Their stepfather's voice, never quieting. Their mother had returned home late from store. Only by five minutes, but it was still late. Their stepfather never allowed for lateness. He had been raging in the living room for an hour now, breaking several things in the process. Alexia could hear her mom pleading with him, trying to reassure him, trying to calm him down.

Alexia and her brother jumped at the sound of a piece of wood shattering, their mom's voice pleading for their stepfather to stop whatever he was doing.

"Mommy..." Alexia whimpered.

"It's okay Alex, I'll make it all better." Her brother let her go, getting up and walking for the bedroom door towards the violence.

"Nikko no! Don't leave me! He's really angry." Alexia pleaded to her big brother.

"It's okay Alex," Nikko reassured, smiling at her with a big cheesy grin, "I'm super tough! I'll make everything better okay?" Alexia slowly nodded her head yes, clutching the blanket to her chest.

She stared at the open door, wishing he would turn around and come back. Her stepfather was angrier than she had ever seen before. The shouting stopped only briefly, and then began again, even more aggressively. She wanted her big brother.

Getting up from the bed, she slowly walked to the door. Her legs were trembling so hard, as she heard the raised voices of her stepfather and brother. She walked down the hallway and saw them in the living room. Her stepfather had his hands around Nikko's throat, lifting him off the ground in the process.

"Milan! Please let him go! He's just a foolish child!" Her mother was on her knees begging.

"He's a spawn of scum! Worthless! He should have died with his father!" Milan barked in anger, dropping Nikko.

"Leave my mother alone you ass! Men don't beat women!" Nikko sputtered in-between coughs.

"What did you call me? You scum! If you want to be such a man, I'll show you what we do to grown scum!" Milan grasped Nikko by his hair, forcing him up.

Alexia watched in horror as Milan continuously slammed Nikko's head into the wall, leaving small splatters of blood. Their mother screamed on the floor as he dropped Nikko, grabbing the poker from the fireplace. He brought the poker onto Nikko's upper body several times as he cried out in pain. Blood splattered everywhere, and Milan continued to beat his body with the poker, even after Nikko had stopped moving, no more sound coming from him.

"NIKKO!" Alexia screamed at the top of her lungs, running towards his side.

"My baby!" Her mother pulled his body into her arms, rocking him back and forth as she stroked his hair, sobbing.

Alexia pulled her brother's body away from her mother, trying to hold him to her as best as she could. She knew he was dead, his body already turning cold. His blood was covering her.

"Nikko please, wake up! You said it would be okay! Nii-san wake up!" Alexia pleaded with him desperately as she cried.

"Sasha you stupid bitch! DON'T YOU DARE!" Milan roared at her, causing Alexia to look up at her mother.