Sassy and Scarred Luna

“KK?” My little sister whined as she tossed and turned in her sleep. Her stomach was growling even louder than last night but there wasn’t anything I could do about it right now. Dad had the door locked and I wasn’t tall enough yet to reach the basement window. My own stomach was worse than her but I was older so I could handle more. I laid back down with her pulling the barely there blanket over us I started to sing. It was the only thing that helped in times like this but even nowadays it was closer to failing. Father kept us down here longer and longer each time we got in trouble. “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” I pulled her too small 7 year old body against mine. “I love you, it is true, Ill be strong for us two.” The memories of mom singing this to us before she died. Even then she must have known what would happen when she was gone and wanted us to be strong for each other. I hated that she left us here but I couldn’t hate her. She was some of our only happy memories although they Kymbre finally went back to sleep but my eyes refused to close. I could hear our father upstairs pacing around. I couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t come down here wanting to get a hit in. If he was drunk he went for me but if he was drunk he went for Kymbre like a coward. I only had my body to block his hits since he took anything that could be a weapon out of the basement last year after I knocked him unconscious with a left over pipe. My stomach roared again and I hit it. “Would you shut up? Tomorrow should be the day he lets us back up and I will fill you up the best I can.” Just thinking about the cooks fresh bread and handmade cinnamon butter had me in pain. “Just gotta remember to put enough back the next few days to restock our supply down here.” Turning over I stared at the ceiling. This shouldn’t be the life of a ten-year-old. I shouldn’t be worried about eating, getting water, or how my father would react to me basically breathing. I just wanted to be able to go to an actual school not a pretense of homeschool The footsteps stopped before I heard a crash and a yell. I scrambled up already knowing what was about to happen. I quickly picked up Kymbre and her blanket trying to be faster than his approaching steps. “K?” Her voice was tired but full of fear. “Shhh.” I placed her behind the broken heater that was barely big enough to keep her from our father’s sight. “Don’t come out until I tell you. Do not listen to dad. Ignore everything you hear.” “But you-“ She grabbed my arm searching my face. I put my hand on hers and smiled an empty smile. “Don’t come out until I tell you and use our secret word.” I hated we even had to have one but I didn’t trust anyone to try something. She finally let go and nodded. She was crying but silently. I knew once he was done and left she would feel even worse because I had taken the beating alone. I refused to let her get hurt if I could help it. The few times I hadn’t been around to save her was enough for me to do whatever I had to do to keep her skin clean of bruises and scars. The door crashed opened my father stumbling to the first step. “Girls…Pathetic waste of space… It is all your fault.” I rushed and sat on the bed mentally prepping myself to keep my mouth shut this time. My sarcastic attitude only made these beatings worse. I just couldn’t stop myself most of the time enjoying his frustration. Finally making it to the bottom of the stairs without falling or breaking his neck unfortunately. “Where is your snot nose little sister? I am sick of hitting you.” At least he wasn’t so drunk he didn’t remember anything. That was usually when he went too far. “Not here.” I ignored his growl of anger. “How about you just go back upstairs and pass out on your comfy bed and leave me alone?” “Why haven’t you learned to shut your mouth yet?” He stumbled closer to me grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking on it trying to get me to stand. “Why couldn’t you or your sister be a good little girl like my son would have been if your b***h of a mother hadn’t killed him before his birth.” Keep your mouth shut, Kiera. He is trying to get a rise out of you. He is just an ass that doesn’t care if women have a failed pregnancy due to anything other then it being their fault. “She should have killed you. Useless.” He pulled harder on my hair yanking my neck back. “Females are useless unless used for breeding or getting more power. You have no power so guess I just need to get you sold off to a male to start popping out babies. This pack won’t allow it but others do.” “No.” Well s**t guess keeping my lips sealed wasn’t a strategy I was using tonight. He dropped my hair and grabbed my throat squeezing it. “No? You think you can defy me?” His fist went into my stomach stealing even more breath from me. “You are mine to do with as I please. Your mother left you and your weak sister here with me. There isn’t a damn thing you can do.” His smile was sloppy but evil. “Because she died.” I shouted unable to keep my mouth shut. “You will be next if you don’t shut the hell up.” He punched me in my chest a rib of mine cracking. “Pain never bothered you but if I find your sister and use her for my anger maybe that will teach you to be silent.” He knew the right button to push. I would never put her in danger. I pursed my lips and nodded. He cackled slapping my cheek. “Good girl. Maybe I won’t sell you off.” He slapped me again. “I might wait until you find your mate and then kill you right before accepting him.”