Amongst the worst

Scream

Flashback: The first time Rose saw it.

The sounds kept getting louder and louder, more deafening.

Scarier.

So I cover my ears with the palms of my hand and squeeze tight. I shut my now teary eyes, and stare up at the ceiling; whispering words to myself.

I have no idea what these sounds are, I was never told despite my constant asking. Ghosts maybe? That's what I always tell myself.

There's a ghost lurking around in our house, and it's screaming and it's crying because it thinks no one can hear.

I turn my body round to Claire, who was completely submerged in the blanket, laying I the bed across from mine. I didn't even see her face.

Then I turned back to Aiden, who was somehow managing to sleep peacefully beside me.

He always sleeps with me when this happens.

Or I crawl into their bed.

I used to always sleep with Greyson, but it seems to annoy him now, so I don't do it anymore.

Instead Aiden comes to me.

The screams get louder, so loud covering my ears wouldn't be enough to block out the horrifying sounds coming from our basement.

That's it.

I heave myself out of bed, trying to contain my shaky legs I open the door and make my way down.

We're not supposed to leave the bedrooms after light out.

We're not supposed to leave the bedrooms after lights out.

This is stupid. This is stupid. I'm so stupid.

I slowly make my way down the stairs, towards the basement. The training room.

We're forbidden to do this, to lurk around at night. That's one of our rules, and I've never questioned it because father told me not to. I trust him. He is my father after all.

He's my family.

The sounds got louder, louder and louder.

And when I'm finally there, I'm completely frozen.

Frozen because of the truly horrifying scene in front of me.

My eyes didn't want to believe it, I must be having a nightmare.

I get those a lot.

My father....

He was hitting Greyson in the back with a belt, Greyson had tears in his eyes, but I didn't see him shed a tear.

Almost like he was used to it.

And my mother, who stood there and watched.

My father was saying words that I didn't understand, and Greyson was taking it.

But as soon as they saw me, they stop.

Their eyes widening.

Greyson gave me a pleading look, like he wants me to leave.

The realisation hit me so fast I didn't even recognise it, my father is a monster.

A real monster, like the ones in the books.

I never realised before how scared of him I was until now. But, he's my father. He's my father and maybe I'm like him too.

My father stares at me, fury burning in his eyes.

It scared me more than anything else. More than any tarantula, of any snake, or even my intimidating siblings.

How dare he? How dare he hurt him.

Without thinking twice I charge at them, stepping in between them.

"Stop it!" I yell "Stop it, don't you see you're hurting him!"

And I hug him, I hug Greyson. Wrapping my arms around his bloodied back protectively.

"If you want to hurt him, you're going to have to get through me first" I say shakily

Because whatever love I once felt for my dad, I loved my brother way more.

And now I'm beginning to understand, why Greyson is the way he is with us.

_____________________________

Present time

Rose POV;

My vision was so clouded I couldn't make out where my hands were.

We still haven't found them.

But we ran, we ran so fast. Tyler gripped onto me so hard, as if he was scared I would run away.

In all honesty, I probably would.

"I can run on my own you know" I breathe out

He doesn't respond to that.

Not until he stops.

"Wait no-" I try to say but he pushes me out and now I'm outside the exit door.

And he's standing there, looking down at me

"You're going to stay here, and you're not going to run back in because you're not an idiot"

"Wh-what why ar-are you going back in there?" I mange to get out

"I have a feeling Raven didn't leave" he says

And he slams the door shut and runs back into the flames

"TYLER!" I yell but he's too far gone

______________________

"Tyler" I say, but it comes out as a whisper

And now I'm alone.

Again.

"Daisy!" I yell "Maya!"

"Andrew!" I yell louder

"ELLIOT!" I scream "Please...someone?"

When I don't get an answer I find myself turning round to face the burning building. The building that was once our home, our school.

Our school that was now submerged in flames.

Gone forever.

The amount of lives that must have been lost.

A scream snaps me out of my thoughts.

A singular scream, filled with so much pain.

Filled with-

I recognise that scream.

Daisy.

And I run.