I must warn this book is not so edited and there might be some errors. Do well to correct me if you spot one, enjoy your read ♥️
CHAPTER 4
9 years ago
                 I pondered on the question I asked myself concerning what I had seen in dad’s room, and I really do not have an answer. After dad had left his door open that day he had been walking us closely. Perhaps, he was waiting for any of us to talk about that day or about the door. I was careful not to mention what I had seen that day. I trusted no one and I did not want to share any information with anybody.
                  On a certain Wednesday evening, we were all seated at the dining table eating. Dad started talking about his workplace, avoiding the main details. Then, he gave us an opportunity to talk and Alice was the first to talk. ‘’Dad I do not mean to offend you but you are getting so harsh. You do not care about me anymore. You beat me a lot and you always talk about your workplace or how you really want to punish us or about your master, Lucifer. You do not talk about fun stuffs that daddies talk about with their children in the city. You are weird, dad’’
‘’Oh Alice, you want to turn your back on me too?’’ dad stated, a bit too calm, looking at Alice like he wanted to feed on her soul.
‘’No dad! I am just saying, I do not think you are okay. I really think you need to visit a hospital. I...I...hope you are not offended’’, Alice said, visibly shaking. Although I still hated Alice pretty well, this was one of the few times she said something humanly. I knew for sure, that it had been a year since dad stopped giving Alice preferential treatment, and I knew, it had gotten to Alice pretty well but I did not think standing against dad was a good idea.
‘’I think I am offended’’, dad said quietly but he did not get up. Instead, he continued eating his food like Alice did not just talk against him. We all ate silently but tension filled the room. This was the first time dad had overlooked someone talking against him. After the food, dad was the first to wash his hands and rise. ‘’All of you should stay I will be back.’’
He was back within few minutes with a grater. ‘’Today I want to try something new. My favourite daughter has decided to betray my trust and I want to show her she is no more my favourite child and will never be, even if she tries.’’ Dad did not overlook this as I thought. I should have known better.
Alice went white in the face. ‘’Alice get up and come here.’’ Alice got up visibly shaking.
‘’Hurry! Do not annoy me more than you already have!’’ Alice walked over to dad quicker.
‘’Place your hands on the table.’’ Alice gulped and did as she was told.
‘’You all should watch as I punish my once upon a time favourite daughter and if I can punish her the way I am about to, then none of you stand a chance against me.’’ He used the grater to scrape Alice’s knuckle like it was some kind of carrot. Alice screamed and tried to pull away, but dad held her firm and continued with her right knuckle till it was so bloody and her tissues became visible.  Then he stopped, and walked out.
                      Mum walked out too and I followed. I was getting cruel as well. I did not care to help her. Alice walked with bandage for days and could barely get any work done because it was her right hand that had been brutally injured. She also went quiet for days and tried avoiding everyone at all cost. The only person I showed kindness was Benjamin. Dad had moved Benjamin from mum’s room to the room I shared with Jordan but I barely let Jordan touch him. Ben could sing by the age of one and I really loved the little man’s company.
                          Dad’s birthday came by on the 10th of April and he celebrated by buying us plenty of chocolates that could even last us the whole year. I always liked his birthdays because he was always a bit jovial and less frightening. That night he called me to his room to celebrate with him. It was usually Alice who celebrated with him but since Alice was no longer his favourite, he used me to replace her. That simply meant that, I would be his slave on every 10th of April. The thought of that made me want to puke.
                              He was rough this night and I felt like my whole body was going to melt. When he was just halfway done, I was already pretty sore and in a lot of pains. This is what Alice brags about? This disgusting and painful thing. It made me hate her more. Three days later, it was Jordan’s turn to clean the house. Dad permitted me to stay with Benjamin and see a movie with him in the living room because the little man would not let go of me and dad was interested in spending time with young Ben. As we were seeing the movie dad bought for us, Jordan grumpily cleaned the house. He cleaned every other place before he came to the living room and began cleaning up. Upon getting to the sofa where I sat, he demanded, ‘’Get up! I want to clean up the sofa.’’
‘’No! Unless you say please.’’
I could already feel dad’s eyes on me but he said nothing. ‘’No! I won’t.’’
‘’Then I am sorry to burst your bubble. I am not getting up.’’
Jordan scoffed, ‘’It is because you are special huh?’’
Wait what?
‘’What did you say?’’ dad asked quietly, making Jordan jump. Jordan did not notice dad was here. I almost smile.
‘’I…I…I… am sorry. I did not mean that. It just slipped.’’
Dad got up. ‘’I know it slipped but, you cannot fool me that way’’, dad said, giving him a striking slap. “Next time you make such a statement, I will have your lips sewn together. Am I understood?’’
‘’Yes dad,’’ Jordan said holding back the tears that dared to stream down. I noticed after that day that the slap inflicted a large scar on Jordan’s face and I totally forgot the ‘special’ question he asked.    
8 years ago
                 I started getting back at Jordan pretty hard, and he knew well enough to avoid me. Dad got a mug for himself. He instructed everyone not to dare use the mug and no other person but I was to hold the mug. I was only permitted to hold it for washing or for serving dad water perhaps, a drink. Nobody else was to touch it.
                   It was my turn to wash the dishes. When I left for the kitchen, Ben followed me. He could walk pretty fast and I guessed he would be a fast runner like I was. I hummed as I did the dishes, while little Ben walked around the kitchen singing. He usually sang even if I did not know any of the songs he sang, they were lovely. He barely talked, rather, he sang. I was so absent-minded that I did not see Ben come close to dad’s mug. I had carefully placed it in a tray. The next thing I heard was a loud bang. I turned and saw dad’s mug in pieces. Ben got a deep cut. I took Ben away from the pieces of the broken mug and cleared his wound as he wailed.
                  Dad appeared from nowhere as though the fallen mug summoned him from his room. ‘’What is going on here?’’ The first thing his eyes met was his mug.  ‘’Who did this?’’ There was no reply.
‘’It is that little son of a bitch, right? I knew dad loved his mug more than he loved Benjamin and I was not going to let him hurt Ben. ‘’No dad, I am the one who broke your mug. I am sorry.’’
‘’I do not believe you. You are lying.’’
‘’No, no, no dad. I am not. I tripped and the tray fell. Ben was close. That is why he got wounded. I am so sorry dad. I am so sorry for being careless.’’
‘’I am very disappointed and angry with you. Nevertheless, I am in a good mood so I would just lock you up in the cellar and give Jordan baby Benjamin for three days that should be lovely punishment for you.’’ It was. When I was out of the cellar Ben clung to me like never before and I knew Jordan must have tried hurting him in some way but was wise enough not to make it visible.
                   After some months, dad started getting pale, his skin started getting rougher, his teeth browner, and he looked like an actual zombie most times. He shouted a lot, self harmed a lot and punished a lot. The second thing I had learnt was quickly coming to pass. Dad’s body was getting weak and it was only a matter of time before the devil leaves dad’s body, but, whose body would it go? Mum’s? Jordan’s?  Alice’s? Benjamin’s? Fred’s? Or mine? I did not like the thought of the devil in anyone’s body. Everyone seemed crazy in one way except Benjamin. Even I felt like I was a psycho some of the time.
                   Mum’s illness as I would like to term it, got worse. She got a lot colder and would usually talk to herself. She worshipped dad and did tons of other creepy stuffs I never imagined she could do. Although, I hated Alice, Jordan and Fred who was a living demon with a soul, I preferred staying around them than with mum. Mum was sick.
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Nikita✍️