Five Boys, One Girl

Chapter 17 - She's in trouble

Will POV

I could have killed that bastard at lunch time. I didn't care about him calling me a dick, well I did, but when he was bad mouthing Allie I lost it. He obviously had a death wish, or he was new. No one else in this town would be stupid enough to make me mad. We are sitting in the lounge while I patch up my knuckles and Jason shakes his head.

'If you hadn't done such a good job on that douche, I would kill him.' The twins nod in agreement. I snort,

'He was asking for it, arrogant prick.' The door opens and Chance walks in. He comes in and sits on the couch. We fall silent and finally Jason speaks,

'You okay?' Chance never normally sits with us. My older brother is silent and then speaks up.'

'I went for a walk and ended up walking past Allie's house. Who does she live with?' I frown,

'Umm why?'

'Answer the question Will.' I scour my memory and remember at dinner that she mentioned that she lived alone with her dad.

'Her dad.' Chance's head snaps up,

'Alone, just them two?'

'Yes, why?' I say slowly and Chance ignores my questions,

'What does he look like?'

'How the hell would I know?' He gives me a dirty look,

'Will, think. This is important.' I think a bit and then nod,

'She said that he was fairly short cos she got her height from her mum, she made a joke about his lack of hair as well.'

'Holy shit.' My brother looks shocked and we all stare at him.

'Chance, what is going on?' He looks at us in turn,

'I think Allie might be in trouble.'

My heart seems to stop.

Allie POV

Everything is going fine until I hear a car in the drive. Shit my dad is home. I quickly clear up the bag of crisps I was eating and shove the lasagne in the oven. I start putting away some dishes. I hear the door open and close. Then footsteps and I count them, turning around just as my dad walks in.

'Hello dad.' He grunts and I wince. He is in a bad mood, and drunk by the smell of it. I drop something and he starts yelling about something or another but then grumbles and disappears upstairs. I go back to putting things away and about 20 minutes later I hear my dad come downstairs, suddenly I hear his voice.

'What is this?' I turn around and see Will's book in my bag. Jason gave it to me earlier to give to Will but I forgot.

'For a friend.'

'You have a friend who is a boy?' His voice is low and threatening and I take a step back,

'Uhh no, sir.'

'Answer me, yes or no.' He screams and I wince,

'Yes.' He goes ballistic. He reaches out and grabs me by the hair. I drop the plate on the floor and it shatters everywhere. He pulls me towards the lounge and on the way smacks my head against the dining table, hard. Blood starts pouring down my head and into my mouth. He throws me against the wall and I crumple to the floor. He is kicking and the blows rain down on my body. I hear a metallic sound and glance up to see him take his belt off. I start to crawl away but he steps in front and stands on my head. I hear cracking and then my hand feels like it is on fire. I let out scream and clutch it to my chest. He laughs and I feel the tears come streaming down my face. Then I hear a sound and something lashes against my back. The first lash is torture but they keep coming. The pain is excruciating and I know that he is truly going to kill me this time.

'Stop, please.' He picks me up and forces me against the wall, the pressure on my back has me screaming. He punches me in the face a couple of times and I can barely stand up. He lets me go,

'Shut up, you fucking bitch.' I don't even care anymore and so continue to sob. The lashes resume but then they are everywhere. My arms, legs, back, everywhere. And then they stop. I hear thuds and shouts but then everything goes silent and I welcome the darkness. Finally.

Will POV

'What do you mean she is in trouble?' I grind out, barely keeping control of myself.

'A couple of days ago I was walking around and saw her with a guy. He seemed a bit rough but nothing more and I figured she just pissed of a family member or something like that. He was short and bald which is why I asked. Then I passed her house and saw a car in the driveway and heard shouting. I don't know but I have a really bad feeling.'

'Do you think...?' Jason asks and I growl at him,

'No, don't say it.' He looks away and shrugs,

'Just looking at what we know.'

'Let's just go to her house, what's the worst that could happen?' Hunter suggests and I nod while Chance shrugs,

'Sure.'

When we reach the house there is silence and we look at each other. I walk up to the door and knock but here is no response and then I hear a crash. Without another thought I kick the door. Two more times and it flies open. I hear shouts and then a scream that has me panicking. I storm down the hallway to the lounge, well aware that my brothers are right behind me. When we reach the lounge I come to a screeching halt. I am frozen for half a second,

'Mother of God.' I hear Chance mutter beside me but then I am moving. A man stands over Allie and brings his belt down repeatedly on her while she cries. There is blood everywhere and I feel physically sick. I launch myself at him and tackle him to the floor. I rip the belt away and through it across the room. The guy manages to push me off and then takes advantage of my lost balance and runs through a back door. I run after him but there is no sight of him.

'Will!' I hear Jason shout and then I remember. Allie. I am in the lounge within a second. She is lying on the floor. Her back a bloody mess, her face is covered in bruises and one look at the hand she had clutched to her chest has me convinced it is broken. She is pale and unconscious and I feel my heart stutter in my chest. She can't be dead. There is blood on the wall, splattered across the carpet and a broken plate in the kitchen.

'We need to get her back to the house. We can treat her there.' Chance bends to pick her up but I push him away.

'No.' He nods and moves away as I bend down and gently pick her up. I pull her to my chest and then I feel a tear roll down my cheek.