Dark Encounters

Chapter one: Introductions ( continued)

Betty is the younger of the cousins, I would try to help her with homework and her assignments. Which now lay scattered across her bedroom floor.

Kira and Betty shared the one bedroom, putting me in my own room. Which suited me fine.

Betty looked up to me just as much as she looked at to Kira, although she’ll always be a Daddy’s girl. She also has taken advantage of my knowledge quite a lot in the last few weeks, although she’ll always doesn’t know that I know. Being the smallest and youngest and probably hadn’t known better, has developed a fondness for sweets. She loves chocolate the most and like most children her age, has a small weight problem. But she promptly ignores it.

I love that her blonde hair is like fine silk and like most people I’ve wished for hair like it. Betty also has dark brown eyes, very creepy ones. Like if you stare at them long enough, they start to appear black.

Living out on a farm in the middle of nowhere can be difficult, as there are plenty of ways to hurt oneself. For example; once Betty went out horse riding and the horse had shied away from something. Causing it to rear, throwing Betty off.

Buttercup had been the horse’s name and when she reared Betty fell, landing on top of one of those rocky outlets. Breaking her arm on impact.

Betty is not an only child, as I said earlier, she is the youngest of my cousins. Kira is her older sister.

She is taller than Betty but shorter than me. Kira had one of the brightest minds I’ve ever seen and if she wanted to, she could move away for college.

Since moving in with them, Kira and I have become close, sharing a bond like any sister would have.

Sometimes, Betty can get jealous of said bond that we share, even though we’ve explained to her several times that it won’t replace their bond.

My thoughts were broken as my adoptive family returned home, our driveway leading up to the house was made from millions of little stones. So, it’s easy to hear is someone has pulled up, the sounds of the wheels crunching on the loose stones is what you needed to listen for.

A bad feeling told me that today wasn’t going to be a happy afternoon. I could already hear crying and yelling coming from outside. I looked up from what I was reading in time to see Betty shove her way through the front door, the screen door slamming shut behind her. She dumped her school bag onto the floor in the lounge room and ran for the room she shared with her sister.

Kira closely followed her, trying her best to give her the best comfort possible. When really there wasn’t really anything she could have done. Larry’s loud voice stopped her from going any further, rooting Kira to the spot.

I didn’t even have to look at him, to tell that he was mad. I could hear it in his voice. But when I did sneak a glance, his chubby face was red and livid. This was indeed my cue to get up and leave, quietly. A good time to go and check on Betty, even.

I didn’t get very far; Larry was like a blood hound on crack. He noticed.

“Don’t you go after her!” He screeched, spraying spittle all over.

“She got what she wanted.” He continued. His finger shook a bit when pointed at me.

He then stormed across the room towards me; this time his anger drove him forward.

Larry’s not just mad anymore, he’s pissed the fook off. He caught my arm in his rough scaled hand and pushed me against the wall. He pushed his face close to mine, close enough that I flinched. “ I said, not to go after her!” Larry shouted into my face, his little spraying over my cheeks.

He was close enough that I could smell beer on his breath, “you’re drunk!” I yelled back, pushing against him.

The way he just stood there, grasping my arm made me angry now.

He clutched my arm tighter, pulling me away from the wall, “don’t you dare talk to me like that!” Larry growled, “and after all that I have done for you.” He said quietly.

I suddenly became aware of my surroundings and wondered where Kira had gotten to. I sure could use some help here and as if reading my mind, there she was.

Standing off to the side of him. Kira took note of the situation that I’d somehow gotten myself into and she immediately grabbed her father from behind. She gave me a stern look and nodded towards the corridor, “go talk to Betty. I’ll get father a cup of coffee.”

Her voice shook a little but the expression she wore was all business. I murmured my thanks before slipping away, grateful to be finally out of sight.

Yes, my arm hurt. It stung painfully. The vice-like grip that Larry sure had, had in fact left a hand print, even though it wasn’t much of a grip.

Or was it?

I took a deep breath and looked down and saw the purplish, blue handprint materialising.

Tears began to roll down my cheeks and I wiped them quickly away. When I reached Betty and Kira’s room I paused just outside, I needed to compose myself. What happened really rocked me.

After a few seconds of deep breathing, I knocked and after a few more seconds Betty opened the door. Greeting me with a teary-eyed face, she smiled at me warily.

I pulled her in for a long hug, not just for me but for her as well. Betty wasn’t as tall as me, she came up just under my armpits. Even though it felt like a short time, standing there in a hug felt like hours. We both really needed one.

“Come, I’ll go make us some hot chocolate to go with dinner.” I spoke, smiling a little.

Betty clung to my side, as we hesitantly made our way towards the kitchen. I reheated her food and then I made her a hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.

While the microwave heated Betty’s dinner I took the opportunity to scan the room, Larry now sat, or rather he lounged in his favourite armchair. His gaze glued to the tv, watching his usual show for this time of night. Deal or No Deal.

I sent up a silent prayer, thanking whoever was watching the he had his back facing towards me.

Larry is a big man; he has broad shoulders and has skinny legs with knobbly knees. He used to have green eyes, but they’ve faded over the years, most likely from all the drinking. His sandy blonde hair is cut short and looks as if it’s never been brushed.

Being on a farm, his hands are rough and abnormally large, and he’s also known to have a bad temper.

Once he’d been the kindest man alive, wouldn’t even hurt a spider that had been trapped inside. Larry’s always made sure they were released unharmed, but now if one ever crawls in. There was no saving it from his boot.