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anansislibrary · 6 months

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Before The Lights Come On [First Chapter]

The other two chapters can be found here!

Chapter One:

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Cool fall air jetted through the thin slit of an opening, in the window of the small, four door sedan that Amina found herself crowded into the back of. It smelled… slightly unpleasant. Somewhere between rotting leaves, manure, spilled gasoline from the road, and spoiled roadkill. Behind her, she could hear the dog scratching at himself while he sat among their bags. She briefly considered closing it, but changed her mind when she remembered the sound of rushing air was the only thing covering up the sound of her eight-year-old brother, Jay, tapping away on his GameBoy, as well as the repetitive sounds coming from the game itself.

She gave him a cursory glance, before looking back out the window. Heavy gray clouds hung themselves low in the sky, just above the barren trees, as they sobbed thick raindrops onto the dirty asphalt. What little light that came through shone on barren branches stretching toward the sky like gray fingers.

Her father gave her a look through the rear-view mirror of the car as he drove, his deep brown eyes observing her forlorn expression, and began to speak.

“Don’t look too excited Mina.” He said jokingly. Amina didn’t react.

“I’m not.”

“It was a j- nevermind.” He sighed. “Look, I know you aren’t happy about the move, but I promise you this place is gonna be better than you think. It looks bad because of the weather, it’s just that end-of-winter-rain.”

Amina looked at her dad with a raised eyebrow.

“What even is there to *do* here dad? It’s like, the middle of nowhere. We probably ain’t even gonna have internet are we?”

“We’ll have internet.” Her dad said, rolling up her window. Amina wilted but said nothing. “Not that you need to be on there more than you already are anyway. Why y’all can’t run around outside or somethin’ boo. All these trees out here, go enjoy nature. Put the phone down…” He muttered that last part to himself, as Amina’s mom chimed in.

“That’s exactly right. Shoot you probably look so miserable now cause you can’t be on that phone-”

Amina tuned it out as her parents went on a mutual tirade on the evils of cellular devices.

“Devices *y’all* paid for, but lemme not say that…” She thought. It didn’t matter anyway. She’d packed her charger in one of the boxes on the moving truck and forgot which one, so her phone was essentially little more than a plastic brick. Amina silently cursed God for her useless little rock and silent headphones as her brothers game and parent’s chiding rant droned on. It took everything in her not to claw her eyes out, but she managed.

She nearly faltered when Jay leaned her way and stuck his tongue out at her as he heard her get fussed at. She responded by covertly punching the shit out of his arm. Jay bit his lip and held back a cry, before punching her back in the thigh. Amina glared, but remained silent. She tried to distract herself from the sensory hell by counting the passing cars. The road wasn’t empty, but there were few other travelers around them, and eventually even this distraction failed to entertain her sufficiently.

After a few minutes of silence, she remembered something her father had mentioned before they left their old house in Jackson, for whatever unnamed Gulf town they were headed to now. She couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of a place she already hated. But she did remember him mentioning the town's history, and it didn’t assuage her frustrations doing so.

“Dad, didn’t you say something about the town having a fucked up-

“Excuse me little girl?”

“Sorry ma- MESSED up history?” she said, rubbing her slightly throbbing thigh.

Her father sighed and removed a hand from the steering wheel to rub at the stubble on his chin.

“Yea, It’s an old story but it still comes up occasionally. A bit controversial. Back in nineteen-o-one there was a race riot here. An ethnic cleansing.”

Jay looked up from his game.

“After the Civil War, there were a lot of former Confederates who moved here, as well as a lot of free black folks who had taken up residence. One day the white folk decided they didn’t want to put up with that setup or what it could mean, so they got together and decided to forcibly… evict the black population. Everyone who didn’t leave was lynched. Whole thing took three days, and any evidence was destroyed, or so local sheriff’s claimed. No one ever got arrested or held accountable.” He sighed and continued picking at his chin. “It’s a debate among some what actually happened, or if it really happened, but there's eyewitness accounts, and people who escaped with the scars to prove it.

Amina and her mother shared a look, before her mother asked.

“And we just decided moving here was a good idea?”

“It was over a hundred years ago, baby. It’s different now, there’s a higher black population now than there was back then. And when was the last time somebody got lynched here anyway? I’m telling y’all, it’s gonna be fine.”

Amina turned back toward the window, unconvinced by her father's words. As she peered through the rushing tree line she tried to imagine what it would have been like, sprinting through cold woods to escape that kind of violence. She shuttered internally, and banished the thought. Something in the trees seemed to whisper to her of danger, to warn her that this place didn’t welcome her, but her parents seemed blind to it, as did Jay.

As if the universe had sensed her discomfort, and sought to validate it, there was a flash of red and blue, and the quick blare of a siren behind their car that made her jump in surprise. Amina’s dad sucked his teeth and slowly edged to the side of the road, slowing to a stop.

“Aaron-”

“I know Marie, it’s fine,” Amina’s father chided softly.

The cop car behind them mimicked their motion and pulled to a stop just behind them, inches away from bumping chassis. Amina watched her mother look down and begin taping on her phone, then place it face-down in her lap. Her father kept both hands on the steering wheel, knuckles visibly straining, but kept a calm voice.

“It’s fine, y’all don’t worry.”

Amira watched as the deputy, a slightly pot-bellied white man, with a balding head covered by a comically appropriate cowboy hat. Amira would have laughed and expressed exactly how stupid he looked, in the most poetic form her tongue could twist out, but instead she remained silent, knowing the risk. He wore sunglasses, but even from the back of the car, twisting her neck around to watch him approach, she could see the almost predatory blankness of his expression, a look that offered no empathy and little patience.

The knot in her stomach grew with every step he took, until the pain of the tension made her almost nauseous. He glanced through her window as he walked by, clammy hand pasted to his pistol as he met her eyes for a moment.

A chill went up her spine.

He leaned into the driver-side window and offered a thin smile as he chewed his gum.

“Evenin.” He said in a calm voice. He pressed his arm against the window and leaned in.

“Hello, officer.” Dad replied.

The officer looked around the interior of the car. Amira could see him mentally sizing the entire car up, taking them in. Examining them the way a butcher would examine a sheep.

Amina glanced at Jay. He wasn’t looking up, and had placed his hands in his lap, still as stone. The way the cop looked at him made her want to stand in front of him and shield him. This was the kind of look that left a curse.

“Where are y’all headed, exactly?”

“Sir do you have a reason to st-”

“Yeah, I do. We’ll circle back to that.” The deputy said. “What are y’all doing?” He pressed in a stone cold, perfectly even voice. To anyone driving by the conversation would have looked almost friendly. Only those in the car could feel the heavy, acidic contempt leaking from the officer’s pores.

“We’re moving into town, sir. Am I free to go?”

“Why?”

“I got a job as a teacher here.” Amina’s father answered.

“Teaching what?”

“History. Am I free to go?” Amina’s father said, his voice even, but starting to drip with a similarly cold energy.

The deputy sniffed and swiped at his nose with his free hand. The movement made Amina’s breath jolt.

“I got a kid who goes to school there.” The officer said in an almost, *almost* amiable tone as he stood to his full height. “Make sure you’re teaching that history right. It would be a shame to spread any… misconceptions.”

The wind blew and the trees behind them shuttered.

Her father met his gaze.

“It certainly would be. Am I free to go?”

The pig gave a toothy, glutinous grin, and waved them off.

“Yessir, you certainly are. I’ll be seeing ya. Be on your best behavior.”

The moment he sauntered back to his car, Amina’s caught breath released, and her parents both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Did you rec-”

“Yeah, baby. I got it.” Amina’s mother interrupted. She rubbed his leg and turned back to the kids.

“Are y’all okay?”

“Yeah.” Amina said quickly. She glanced at Jay and noted his silence. He gave his mother a polite nod, but nothing else, and pulled his game back up with lightly trembling hands. She took off her headphones and placed them on his head, handed him the wire to plug into his game, then patted him on the back softly.

Aaron pulled off the shoulder of the road, and continued their journey.

No one spoke for the rest of the ride.

—---------------------

They arrived while the sun was still fairly high in the sky. The shadows under the trees were beginning to stretch out further and further. Closer to the town some of them still held brownish-gold leaves that danced toward the ground as they drove over the winding roads, past the town marker, and into town proper.

The houses were a mix of very few more modern looking setups, mixed with visibly older colonial houses, some split up into duplexes, others normal sized, or smaller but in the same style. Their new house was one of these slightly smaller colonials. Chipped red paint that had completely faded in some sections covered the outside of the house. Otherwise, it looked mostly normal. A bit old and worn, but not damaged. The moving truck was already there, parked in front of the house waiting for them, as well as a lanky tall white man, with blonde hair and a blonde goatee, and thick framed brown glasses. He wore a blue polo button up, and simple blue jeans and what Amina could only describe as “dad shoes.”

“Michael!” Amina’s dad shouted out the window with a wide grin as they pulled into the driveway. The car rocked with a soft whump as it drove over the bumpy gravel driveway.

Michael’s eyes brightened and he offered a similarly bright smile.

The vehicle jerked to a stop and Amira tore off her seatbelt, clumsily launching herself from her seat to stretch her aching legs.

“Michael, it’s good to see you man!” Aaron said, clasping his friend on the back. Amina tuned the adults out as they ran through their standard greetings and instead focused on relieving the soreness she felt when she stood.

She glanced around as she stretched, and noticed a blonde haired little boy standing behind Michael. He looked vaguely similar in the face, but had more impish features and a little scar on his bottom lip.

He met her eyes, but didn’t speak up.

“Oh!” Michael said. He looked at Amina and Jay, who was exiting the car with Amina’s headphones around his neck.

“Y’all this is my nephew Mason. I brought him with me since he doesn’t live too far from y’all. Figured he could introduce you to some other kids and maybe show y’all around?”

Amina’s dad nodded and turned to them.

“That’s a good idea. Y’all go take a walk while we sort out the moving crews.” Amina wilted.

“Dad my phone.”

Amina’s father put a hand up.

“Don’t worry I’ll find the charger while we unpack. Take the dog with you. Go enjoy nature. Unwind. We’ll get everything unpacked.”

Amina sucked her teeth quietly and walked back to the trunk, then popped it open.

“C’mon Bones.” She said, and gave a short whistle. The mottled brown and black pit sprang from the back of the car, tail wagging excitedly as Amina struggled to leash him.

“Let me hold him!” Jay demanded, Gameboy still in hand. Amina gave him a withered look.

“Can you hold onto him?”

“Can you?”

“Better than you.” Amina said, sticking her tongue out.

“Don’t start.” Mom said, giving an even more withering glance.

Amina handed Jay the leash and walked on.

Bones led the three kids on the walk, straining against his harness and nearly dragging Jay along. The eight-year-old barely managed to stumble step by step down the street with leash in hand, as Amina and Mason walked along either side a few steps behind him.

“Why’d y’all move here?” Mason asked her. Amina looked at him and gave him a once-over. He was a little shorter than her, and probably about ten years old. He had sandy blonde hair and grayish-blue eyes, and wore tan cargo shorts with a grey t-shirt and a black baseball cap. When he smiled and spoke, she could see one of his two front teeth missing, and a new one halfway grown in.

“Your uncle didn’t tell you?” Amina asked, “My dad moved us here for work.”

Mason shook his head.

“He didn’t tell me nothing. You ever been to the old courthouse?”

“How would I have been there if I just said I just moved here?” Amina deadpanned.

“Oh.” Mason said. There was a second of silence.

“Wanna go?”

“I do!” Jay said excitedly, nearly tripping over a rock as Bones pulled him toward a particularly interesting-smelling plot of grass.

“You don’t even know what it is, stupid.” She chided her brother. He rolled his eyes back.

“So?”

“It's an old abandoned house! It’s suuuper creepy,”

Amina walked up and took the dog’s leash from him.

“Is it far?”

“Nah not at all.” Mason said loudly with a broad smile. He and Jay were practically vibrating.

“Fine.” Amina said in a blank tone.

The two boys whooped and nearly ran off without her. Bones barked and took off too, dragging a barely-stumbling Amina behind him as he followed her brother and his new friend.

The dog pulled Amina down the road, past rows of thick trees that still had green on their leaves. The sound of gravel under her feet played alongside a chorus of rustling, wind-blown leaves, bird calls, and the smell of rainclouds on the air.

Bones slowed down and began to walk at a normal pace, and Amina sighed heavily in relief as she caught her breath. She took in more of her surroundings as she did, and realized they had arrived at a clearing. Despite the grayness and decay of late winter, there was a grim beauty to the place. She hoped that it would be less creepy in the summer when things were greener. Mason and Jay were both walking off the road and into the grass of the clearing now.

There was a gravel driveway, mostly overgrown with grasses and weeds, snaking its way up to an old barn-house. Tall grasses up to Amina’s knees blanketed what probably used to be a well managed lawn for some kind of farmhouse, but was now slowly being reclaimed by wilderness. Her legs itched from the blades, and she scratched absentmindedly as she followed after the two boys. Branches empty and barren clattered like cold teeth, and the chorus of their swaying was dense in her ears, cacophonous.

All around her seemed to be a song of death.

The closer she got to the strange old barn-house, the less in a rush she felt to press on. She couldn’t name it, but the place felt familiar in the worst way. A paranoid thought told her the song of death was dedicated to her own.

She looked up as she followed her brother onto the uneven, grassy ground, and realized that the birds had stopped singing. The scent of rain grew a little stronger and the air seemed to thicken around her and weigh her lungs down. Each breath felt heavy, like a strong hand was pressed gently against her gut and wouldn’t let go. Mason seemed not to notice or mind as he trampled along through the grasses toward the farmhouse, though Jay had slowed behind him, enough that Amina and Bones caught up to him, while Mason continued to leave them behind.

Eventually he realized that Jay was falling behind him and turned.

“Wanna go inside?” He asked, a grin on his face.

“Hell no.” Amina thought.

“What is that?” She said instead, feigning a lack of apprehension.

Mason grinned.

“It’s the Old Courthouse.” He said that as if the name itself should explain everything, then ran up the drive toward the barn house. Jay followed after him, but Amina hung back, hesitant. The hand over her gut gripped her tighter.

She examined the old, crumbling building with an anxious, morbid curiosity. She could see even from her current distance over a hundred yards away, that the wood was deeply rotted, turned black, grey, and deep brown by the decomposition of its material. As she slowly approached with timid steps and drew closer, she could see the light film of mildew and mold eating away at the wood. For a brief moment the image of rotting flesh of a similar color intruded into her mind's eye.

She shook her head and followed her brother as he and Mason slipped into the building.

When she arrived at the actual farmhouse, and the makeshift entrance substituting for the collapsed front doors, she saw Jay hadn’t actually gone in yet. Instead he stood stiff by the large crack in the wall that Mason had slipped through.

Amina opened her mouth to speak as she approached, but stopped as if a hand had clutched her throat and squeezed her words sharply back down her throat.

Her feet remained rooted to the spot as she stared at the building. Something about the darkness inside seemed to reach out to her, yawn toward her to drag her inside. Her throat closed, and her chest pounded so hard it made her dizzy, the darkness seemed to focus and refocus, drawing closer, jaws widening until-

Bones licked her hand and gave a soft nudge, whining as he pulled them away from the barn. Amina’s eyes refocused and the hole into the house was suddenly just that. A normal crack in an old building.

“Come on through y’all I’m on the other side!” Mason shouted.

Amina turned to Jay, to see him still rooted, hands shaking as his unfocused eyes stared on. She grabbed his hand, snapping him back to awareness, and pulled him away, around the side of the barn to the back of the building, rather than through.

“What the hell is this place Mason? You said it was a courthouse.” Amira hissed when they got to the other side of the house and saw Mason waiting. He was sitting on a rotted pile of wood and bricks and grinning like an idiot. His smile dropped when he heard her tone and he gave a halfhearted shrug.

“I heard it from my dad,” he said dismissively. “Let me show you something weird in the woods!”

“Hell No.” Amina said firmly. “We’re turning back. Now.”

“Don’t be a chicken come on!” Mason protested. “You’re such a baby!”

“Come on Jay,” Amina said, ignoring him. “Let’s go.”

Jay looked back at her, unsure, then back to Mason, who was making chicken gestures in their direction.

“Idiot…” Amina thought.

“Come on Jay, ignore him.”

He turned to Mason.

“I’m not a chicken,” he declared, before taking off toward the tree line across the field. Amina groaned, realizing she had no choice but to follow, and walked after them, Bones whining in protest the whole way.

She walked as if she were calm, but a stabbing tingle in the back of her neck, hissed that someone was watching her. When she looked back she saw nothing but the rotted barn, a field of grass, and a loop of blackening frayed rope, hanging from a rusty nail on the back wall of the barn. The image gave her chills.

“I think I know who was having trials here…” she muttered to Bones.

The woods themselves were no less unsettling. The coming spring had not set in yet, and no breath of life blew through the trees. While some had a few leaves or the faintest hint of buds, most were still barren, or holding dead leaves from the previous fall. The scent of decaying plant matter filled Amina’s nose, as did the sound of cold, dry wood cracking as it swayed. Leaves crunched and squelched in the muddy, damp ground underfoot, and Amina had to tug her shoe free of a few muddier spots.

The gap between her and the boys grew wider as they sped ahead while she and Bones struggled uphill on rough terrain after them. She could hear Mason chatting away, but couldn’t make out his voice well. The wind had picked up, and the trees began to rattle, their skeletal forms filling the woods with the sound of creaking, cracking wood, and rustling wind.

Amina lugged herself up the hill until the ground began to level out, and they came to a small clearing.

The trees here were entirely barren. While the trees in the rest of the woods were a mix of sparse, reviving, or still holding leaves from fall, the ones in this circle were dead, not even in the process of reviving. The ground looked almost like it had been blasted a long time ago. There were no plants growing in this soil. In fact, the clearing formed an absolute perfect circle. A perfect ring of sandy dirt, trampled flat. And in the center, a massive oak tree towered above, its dead, barren branches stretching high into the sky around them, and nearly spanning the length of the entire clearing.

Amina looked at the tree in the center, feeling the coldness of its shadow wash through her and send a chill through her bones. It was nothing like before. The barn was scary, cold, creepy yes. And she’d felt something… someone, touch her neck in a way that made her blood feel like needles under her skin.

The tree was worse.

Much so.

A pit seemed to be carved through her stomach and she turned sharply on her heel.

“We need to leave.”

“Well hang on!” Mason said cluelessly. He began to climb the tree, huffing heavily as he pulled himself up a few branches and sat down near the base of a thicker one.

“How did you find this?” Jay asked as he walked up to the tree himself and began bracing himself to climb.

“My uncle told me about this tree. He said people like to leave stuff in a hole in the stump a little higher up, or bury it under the roots. He said it's like a shrine.”

“Have you seen it?” Jay asked, pulling himself up to the first branch to follow Mason.

“WE need to leave.” Amina interjected. “Now.”

Mason groaned.

“Does she ever like shut up?” He asked Jay. Jay shrugged and began to climb, until Amina jerked him off the tree by his collar and began marching away. Jay stumbled down to his feet and jerked away once he regained his footing.

Amina looked up. The sky seemed to be darkening for another rain, and the wind was blowing harder now, unsettling the dust of the clearing and stirring it up around her legs. She gave another cautious glance at the tree. It’s jagged arms tore through the sky and seemed to yawn toward her, as if they would reach down and pluck her into the sky to swallow her whole down its trunk. Shadows extended toward her like warped fingertips. She could swear she felt the brush of a hand on her neck. Or a rope.

Amina didn’t have to guess what this place was. The rounded grooves in the branches, frayed still-hanging tatters of rope, and scorch marks that seemed impossibly, terrifyingly recent, across one of its sides. As if someone had burned not the tree itself, but something suspended beside it. Her stomach churned with fear and rage as she whipped to face Mason.

“Did he bring us here on purpose?” She turned her tongue over the thought like it was a bleeding tooth, but forced herself to move on.

Something jabbing at the back of her mind told her she had to be gone before dark. She was inclined to listen.

“The street lights are gonna come on soon.” She said. We don’t need to be in this place after dark, let alone at all.”

Jay sighed, but no longer argued as Amina led him away.

“C’mon Mason, I *will* leave your ass.”

The wind fussed through the trees lightly as they began walking, and soon the strange howls and creaking of the dying forest subsided, and with every step away from that foul place, so did Amina’s anxiety.

A voice, half her own, half another, felt like the place deserved to burn. She was in agreement regardless.

13 notes · View notes

misfitgirlsworld · 10 months

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RED (Origin Story)

Her origin story is free game :) I don't want to put out too much since I still want to have surprises! This is the final draft of the first part of my WIP!

Here is Red's character sheet!

TW: Heavy abuse, manipulation, heavy violence, blood/light gore, 18+, this is technically a creepypasta if I wanna be true to Red's beginning so read with caution!

The clouds were dark today. The lack of blue sky or yellow sun seemed to make the atmosphere more depressing than anyone thought possible. Everything seemed so quiet to Cherri. Several people surrounded her, watching her mother’s coffin get lowered into the ground, but she couldn’t hear anything. She blinked a few times and glanced around to focus on her surroundings.

“She was such a great woman.”

“I can’t believe she went like this…”

Now Cherri wished she could ignore the whispering. She wiped at the tears that fell from her eyes.

Don’t make a scene.

“I just can’t imagine how Richard feels,”

Richard didn’t give a damn. Not when he was the one wrapping the belt around her neck.

He killed her. You watched your mother die.

Cherri closed her eyes tightly. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself.

He killed her and now you’re next.

Cherri let out a strained sob before quickly covering her mouth as more tears fell from her eyes. Her head began to throb and she felt her heart clench painfully, “m-mom!”

“That poor girl…”

Cherri felt her knees go weak and she let herself fall. Instead of hitting the ground, she fell into someone’s arms and they wrapped themselves around her. She sniffed and looked up to see her father staring down at her. His presence only made the girl cry harder and she made a move to pull away, but his grip tightened.

Don’t. Make. A scene.

She went limp in his arms and closed her eyes again. This will be over soon. She just wanted it to be over.

“Richard. Cherri.”

Cherri recognized the voice and wiped away her tears before side-eyeing the woman. She slowly stood up straight and took a few slow breaths.

“Rachel. It’s good to see you,” Richard smiled softly.

“Why wouldn’t I be here in your time of need? I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope the police find the murderer and lock them away for good.” Rachel’s voice was laced with sorrow.

Cherri scoffed at the comment but quickly looked away once she felt Richard’s gaze.

“You must be going through a lot,” Rachel rested a hand on Richard’s shoulder.

“Yeah. It’s a lot right now. I’m more worried about Cherri than myself right now.” Richard pulled the redhead closer and she flinched slightly.

Rachel looked at Cherri and sighed, “I’m so sorry, Cherri. The woman pulled the girl away from Richard to hug her tightly.

Sorry for what? Going behind my mother’s back? Pretending to be her friend? Or fucking her piece of shit husband?

Cherri slowly hugged the woman back, “It’s fine.” Her response was blunt as she pulled away.

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.” Rachel smiled up at Richard and Cherri rolled her eyes.

“Thank you. I’m gonna take Cherri home so she can rest.”

The redhead turned on her heel and began walking away without another word. She made her way to the small black car that once belonged to her mother, preparing herself to go home.

~~~~~~~~

The ride home was tense. The redhead refused to even look in her father’s direction and kept her eyes glued to the window. Once the car pulled into the driveway, Cherri got out of the car and made her way to the front door. Before she could make a move to pull out her key, she was grabbed by the collar of her black button-up shirt and yanked back. She gagged and her hands frantically went to the front of her shirt as her father unlocked the door. Once the door was open, Richard shoved Cherri inside and she hit the hardwood floor with a thump.

Richard walked inside and slammed the door shut as Cherri slowly got up. She was on her hands and knees when she received a kick on the side, knocking her back down.

“What the fuck was that? Were you trying to embarrass me back there?”

Fuck you.

“I asked you a question.”

Why would I show respect to the woman you were fucking behind my mom’s back?

“I don’t like her,” Cherri answered quietly, getting up and rubbing her side.

“I don’t give a fuck about who you do and don’t like. Either way, you keep that shit to yourself.” Richard hissed.

“Yes, sir.”

“Fix dinner for two, I’m gonna invite Rachel over later.” He took off his jacket.

Cherri glared at Richard as he put away his jacket but her gaze was on the ground once he turned to look at her. He grabbed her by the collar again and lifted her from the ground just by a bit.

“Don’t just fucking stand there. Go make dinner.” Richard shoved her back against the closet door, causing a picture to fall off of the wall and shatter, “and clean that up while you’re at it.” He mumbled, making his way to the living room.

“Yes, sir,” Cherri muttered. She picked up the picture and saw that it was her and her mother. She was young in the picture, and her mother had the same beautiful smile that Cherri missed. She folded the picture and put it in her pocket.

Fucking bastard.

She cleaned up the glass and went into the kitchen.

~~~~~

Cherri jolted awake with a gasp and looked around her room. Her alarm wasn’t set to go off for another hour. She let out a sigh and covered her face.

Nightmares.

Her father was in her dreams too; there was more escape.

Cherri climbed out of bed and pulled out her school uniform before gathering her bright red hair in her hands and putting it into a quick ponytail. She quietly went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and paused once she heard a thump. She quickly turned off the water and stood still, listening. It was quiet, but there was no movement. It wasn’t until she heard her father snoring again, did she calm down and continued her morning routine. The girl focused on her hair, taking the time to properly oil her scalp and moisturize her hair before putting it up into a bun and going back to her bedroom to get dressed.

Once she was done, Cherri grabbed her bookbag and quietly made her way downstairs and out the door. A feeling of relief went through her once she was out of the house, but her mind still felt clouded, and she was tired. Part of her was tempted to get on a bus and skip school for the day. She wasn’t given enough time to grieve her mother, but if she missed another day of school, she would be too far behind.

There was a time when high school filled Cherri with happiness, but it hasn’t been the same long before her mother passed.

Cherri crossed the main street that separated her neighborhood from her school and began walking up the hill that would lead her to the building. She let her light brown eyes stare up at the castle before her that used to fill her with awe before walking inside. She was still pretty early, so she grabbed an orange juice from the cafeteria and sat for a bit before slowly making her way to her first-period class on the third floor of the school. There were a few students here and there, but mostly it was the teachers who gave her sympathetic looks. She entered the classroom and glanced at her teacher.

“I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”

Cherri gave a small shrug, “didn’t want to get too far behind.”

“Well, don’t push yourself too hard, Cherri. Our counselors are here if you need anything.”

They can’t help me and neither can you.

“Thank you.” Cherri gave a small nod before moving toward her desk. She sat down and laid her head on her desk. It wouldn’t hurt to get a small nap before school started.

As she slept, students started to fill the room before the bell finally rang. The redhead slowly opened her eyes and sat up as the teacher moved to the front of the class with a student not far behind.

“¡Buenos días, a clase!” *

The students mumbled and murmured in response, some saying “Buenos dias,” and others incoherent.

“Tenemos un nuevo estudiante hoy. Su nombre es Darius Hughes.” **

Cherri’s light brown eyes went to Darius as he smiled. She quickly looked down again.

He’s kind of cute.

“Darius, siéntate junto a Cherri. Cherri, levanta la mano.” ***

Oh, great.

Cherri hesitantly raised her hand and sifted a bit as Darius moved to sit down. It was quiet between the two as the teacher started her lesson. Cherri did her best to focus on taking notes instead of on the glances that Darius would give her.

“So, Cherri,” his whisper caught her attention and she glanced at him, “you good at Spanish?”

“I’m decent.” She answered, continuing to take notes.

“That’s a surprise. You look like you don’t wanna be here,” he smirked.

Cherri paused and arched her brow, “who wants to be here at eight in the morning?” She scoffed.

Darius eyed the girl seated in the row in front of them. She was the most attentive in the classroom; everyone else seemed to be dozing off. “That fuckin’ nerd up there.” He pointed

Cherri cracked a small smile and chuckled, “Yeah, I can believe that.”

Darius grinned, feeling a bit accomplished for getting her to laugh.

“So where are you coming from?” She looked at him.

“Not far. I’d say thirty minutes by bus. I just had to get my grades together before I could transfer.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Cherri nodded. She started to doodle in her notebook as Darius studied her carefully. Before he could say anything else, the bell rang. The redhead got up and grabbed her book bag.

“I guess I’ll see you later?” Darius smiled, standing as well.

Cherri looked up at him and gave a small smile again. “Yeah, we’ll see. This is a pretty big school, after all.”

He was nice.

~~~~~

The day seemed so long for some reason. It wasn’t that she wanted to go home, but her second class seemed like it would never end. The girl was never that good at math. All the numbers and letters together looked like a foreign language and she could barely concentrate.

You’re already behind and there’s a test soon. You’re gonna fail. He’s gonna kill you.

Cherri clenched her jaw and she began to bounce her leg up and down. She hated when she got like this.

Nothing you do is good enough. He hates you. He’ll find an excuse so he can kill you next. You--

The bell rang and Cherri flinched before quickly gathering her things and leaving. At least she had Theater next, then Creative Writing; she could relax a bit. She made her way to the basement of the school to her third class and sat down, pulling out her notebook.

“We meet again.”

Cherri jumped and looked as Darius sat next to her.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t peg you as a theater kid though. He grinned.

Cherri felt her cheeks beginning to heat up, “I could say the same to you.”

“Well, now I know we both like theater,” Darius leaned in closer. “I wonder what else I have in common with the mysterious redhead.”

Is he flirting? He can’t be, you just met him.

Cherri let out a small laugh, “why don’t you find out then?” She arched a brow.

Maybe she was actually making a friend. Since her father made her drop all of her extracurriculars and come straight home after school, it was hard for her to really keep friends, especially without a cell phone. Plus, Cherri and Darius not only had Spanish and Theater together, but they also had Creative Writing and lunch together. They spent that time getting to know each other and things only seemed to get better when Cherri walked into her last-period class after her English II to see Darius there. She almost didn’t want the class to end.

“Well, you definitely made my first day way more enjoyable and less intimidating.”

“I’m glad. This school can be terrifying and stressful.” Cherri let out a small sigh.

“I heard from a few students that after school they sell pizza. Maybe we can grab some and you can show me around?” Darius offered.

“I would love to,” by now, the girl had forgotten about needing to go straight home.

“Last one there has to pay.” He challenged.

A race? Is he challenging me to a race?

When the bell rang, Darius darted out of the classroom, but Cherri was right behind him. She flew past Darius and made her way down to the first floor, carefully dodging and weaving through other students. She stopped in front of the tables stacked with boxes of pizza just near the school’s main entrance and crossed her arms as Darius caught up, who unlike her, was out of breath and panting as he pulled out his wallet.

“Two…slices of…pepperoni please…” He breathed out as Cherri laughed.

~~~~~

“This is where the debate team practices for the most part. We have the best debate team in Baltimore.” Cherri explained.

Darius side-eyed her, “I smell bias.”

“I’m serious,” Cherri chuckled. “Peep all the trophies and medals around the room.”

Darius eyed all the trophies and couldn’t say he wasn’t impressed. There was one recurring name that he didn’t expect to see though.

“Cherri Crawford won about six first-place trophies, huh?”

He could tell by the way her eyes widened that Cherri had no idea her trophies were still up.

“So you were on the debate team. What else did you do?” He asked as they left the classroom.

“Well, I ran track for a bit and I still write sometimes for school plays. I was on the talent show committee too.”

“Cherri, that’s fucking amazing! That also explains why you dusted my ass down those steps earlier without breaking a sweat. What made you stop?”

“Oh…just family problems.”

Family. Shit! You were supposed to be home an hour ago--

Cherri stared up at the clock nearby, her heart beginning to race.

“S-Sorry, I have to go. I wasn’t supposed to stay out for this long--”

“I understand. Can I walk you out?” Darius offered.

Cherri gave a small smile and agreed. They walked out of the school as Cherri tried to come up with a decent excuse she could use when she got home.

“You wanna hang out tomorrow?”

What?

Cherri blinked and looked at Darius, “...hang out?”

He chuckled. “I know this place that has the best subs. Sorry if this seems too forward or anything. You’re really nice, and I want to get to know you more.”

Cherri blushed and looked down, thinking of ways she could get out of the house, “yeah. I’d love to go out tomorrow!”

“Great.” Darius smiled, “see you in class?”

“See you in class.”

Cherri walked home with a smile on her face. It didn’t take her long to get to her doorstep and make her way inside. She glanced around and saw that the living room was empty. It was oddly quiet, and she knew that her father was home since the car was still out front. Fear slowly began to creep back in. Not only was she going to have to deal with her father now for coming home late, but if she wanted to go out tomorrow, she’d likely have to sneak out and she’s never done that before.

You’ll get caught.

The thought of getting caught made a lump form in the girl’s throat; she was rethinking the whole decision now. She kicked off her shoes and took off her book bag and jacket to hang it up. Cherri’s thoughts were cut off by Richard.

His fingers gripped onto her bun and yanked harshly, pulling her head back as she let out a surprised yelp. She stumbled to the ground, making Richard lose his grip on her and she was quick to stand again, facing him this time.

“D-Dad--”

His hand wrapped around her neck tightly as he slammed her against the wall, “What the fuck did I tell you, bitch? You’re supposed to come straight home.” He seethed, tightening his grip.

“I’m--sorry!” Cherri breathed out, her hand reaching out to grip his wrist, “t-tutoring! I stayed back for tutoring!”

Richard narrowed his eyes and threw her to the ground. He kicked her in the stomach, making her cry out. She tried to move, but her body was tense, trying to recover from the pain. He kicked her again, and she slid back. A loud thump could be heard as her back slammed against the closet door.

“Stop! St-Stop!” Cherri cried out, curling up to try and block his hits.

Richard lifted her and shoved her into the kitchen. “If you ever try pulling this shit again, you'll have hell to pay. And you better be passing all your fucking classes. Have dinner ready in thirty minutes.”

Fuck you.

Cherri fell to the ground and groaned as tears spilled from her eyes. She felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and she placed her hand against it. She could feel blood on her hand. He always kicked her in the same spot and his boots were painful. Cherri lay on the ground, whimpering in pain.

Richard stared at her as she held onto the counter, trying to stand up. Once she got up, he walked to her and grabbed her face.

“Tears never accomplished anything, Cherri.”

Cherri stared up at him, not responding. His light brown eyes seemed drained of emotion; all she saw was evil.

“You’re just like your mother. Pathetic.”

Cherri tensed up and clenched her jaw.

Do it.

She let out an angered sob as her father let her go. She acted in the heat of the moment and grabbed the skillet on the stove. Without thinking, she swung and hit him in the face, making him stumble back and groan out in pain.

Perfect.

“You evil bastard! If you didn’t love her then why did you marry her?! Why do I even exist?! I should call your friend, the Commissioner, and tell him who really killed her!” Cherri seethed, her light brown eyes darkening in anger. She lifted the skillet to hit Richard again, but this time he caught her wrist and glared at her. Her eyes widened and panic quickly replaced her newfound bravery as he snatched the skillet from her hand.

Before Cherri could react, Richard hit her with the skillet with the same amount of strength she hit him with. She was surprised he even held back. Pain spread through the side of her head, but her father’s tight grip kept her from collapsing. He hit her again, this time letting her hit the ground. Cherri’s hands went to her head, holding it tightly to try and ease the pain.

Richard threw the skillet down and it hit her directly in the shin. Cherri let out a pained yelp and tried to crawl away, but Richard yanked her back to him, climbing over her, “You little bitch!”

He punched her in the stomach, and she gasped as she felt the air leave her body. She could barely breathe now, but his punches kept coming. Most of his hits landed on her stomach and arms, but it felt like he was adding more force each time.

“Stop! Dad, please! I’m--I’m sorry! I’m sorry! STOP!” Cherri cried, trying to cover herself.

Richard rolled his eyes and stood up. He grabbed Cherri by her hair and dragged her out of the kitchen. She let out a small scream, trying to free herself as Richard dragged her through the living room and towards the stairs. She could feel her scalp going numb as Richard dragged her up the steps. She cried out every time her body roughly hit each wooden step.

Richard threw her into her room, “If you leave this fucking room at all tonight, I’ll kill you.” He seethed.

Cherri slowly climbed onto her bed as he glared at her. Pain radiated through her body and she could already feel some bruises forming.

Mom.

“And stop the waterworks before I get the skillet again.” Richard threatened.

She slowly managed to stop crying and lay on her bed, sniffing loudly.

“Useless…” Richard grumbled as he left the room, slamming the door shut as he left.

I can’t fucking take this. I can’t take this.

Shaky hands tangled into her red hair and she tugged, biting her tongue hard to stop herself from screaming out in pure frustration.

Kill him, kill him, kill him, kill him--

Cherri squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head roughly.

You can’t. You won’t win. You’ll go to jail.

The girl relaxed a bit once she heard Richard go back downstairs. She wanted to.

She’s wanted to kill him for years now.

Her thoughts were beginning to scare her.

~~~~~~

Cherri slowly opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. She didn’t remember falling asleep last night. Her light brown eyes went to her alarm clock before turning it off. The movement made her whole body throb. She muttered out a curse before slowly standing up. Her leg buckled and almost gave out, so she quickly sat back down.

Great.

After a few moments, Cherri got up again and made her way to the bathroom. She turned on the light and bit her lip, looking at the bruise on the side of her head and along her arms. She lifted her shirt and clenched her jaw at the sight of the dark bruises on her lower abdomen. She’s surprised one of his kicks hasn’t popped something yet. Maybe he has and she just didn’t know. Cherri closed her eyes and let out a sigh before cleaning the dried blood on her. She got ready for school and pulled out a fresh uniform; this time with a long sleeve shirt, and grabbed a hat to temporarily hide the bruises on her face.

She slowly made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. Her eyes scanned over the several beer bottles on the counter and the empty bottle of Hennessy.

Drunken asshole.

Cherri grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a paper towel before carefully placing it under her shirt against her abdomen before grabbing her bookbag and leaving for school. She kept her head down until she made it to her locker and started to gather her makeup so she could cover the bruise on the side of her head.

“Hey, Cherri.”

Cherri flinched away from her locker and took a glance to see that it was Darius before her eyes were on the ground again. His smile slowly fell and he arched his brow, “What’s wrong?”

Cherri let out a sigh and shook her head, “Nothing. I’m sorry, I just didn’t sleep very well last night.”

Darius eyed her carefully but decided not to press her. “Okay…”

“I have to go. I’ll see you in first period.” Cherri closed her locker and walked as fast as she could without visibly limping. She made her way down to the basement of the school, passing the cafeteria to go through the gym at the end of the long hall and into the bathroom on the other side. It was a bathroom that no student used unless they had gym, and Cherri still had time before school began. She took off her hat in front of the mirror and covered her bruise with her makeup. Once she finished, she brushed her hair and styled it into its bun before stuffing her hat into her bookbag and rushing off to class.

~~~~~~

The day went faster than the day before and Cherri didn’t know if it was because she mostly avoided Darius all day, but it certainly felt like it, and she felt bad. Horrible, more like. She was trying to figure out the nicest way to say she couldn’t go out. There was no way her father would say yes anyway. When the final bell rang, Cherri got up to leave, but Darius quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“Are you okay, Cherri?” The amount of concern in his voice made her blush a bit.

“...I’m fine, don’t worry.” She couldn’t cancel now. She’d just have to sneak out. “I’ll meet you at six, okay?” She gave the best smile she could muster.

Darius watched her closely before giving a hesitant nod. “Yeah. I’ll be there.” He let her go.

Cherri nodded and gave him a quick hug before leaving the school. She got herself home as fast as she could without injuring her leg any further. Once she was in the house, she let out a sigh and sat her bookbag down. The anxiety of actually sneaking out was already closing in on her. She didn’t want to leave Darius hanging, but she was starting to regret saying she could make it.

“Hey, Cherri!”

The redhead was pulled from her thoughts and she flinched a bit before looking at Rachel. That was when the smell of baked chicken finally hit her nose.

“...Hi.” At least Cherri didn’t have to cook.

“How are you? Feeling okay?” Rachel moved closer and the motherly tone in her voice made the girl tense up and honestly, it made her sick.

“I’m fine, thanks.” Cherri looked down before glancing up quickly, “where’s my dad?”

“In the kitchen, come on.” Rachel turned on her heel and Cherri followed. She’d use Rachel being her to her advantage. Her eye met Richard’s and she forced a small smile.

“Um, Dad? My friend is going out for subs and he asked if I could go. Is that okay?” Her voice was soft like always but overly sweet. Richard could hear the sarcasm in every word. His stare hardened, but he quickly fixed himself, glancing at Rachel.

“What’s his name?”

“Darius.”

“Hughes?” Richard tilted his head. Cherri paused but still nodded.

“That’s Jacob’s son.”

“...Son…” Cherri muttered.

“I didn’t know Commissioner Hughes had a son.” Rachel frowned a bit.

“Yeah.” Richard eyed Cherri, “Be back by nine. No later.”

Cherri nodded, “Thanks, Dad.” She turned to leave the kitchen.

“You two get along so well. I bet Richard treats you like a princess since you’re his only daughter~” Rachel cooed.

Cherri paused and clenched her jaw. She almost scoffed but stopped herself before responding, “Yeah! He treats me just like he treated his wife.”

Cherri could feel Richard glaring at her but Rachel didn’t notice. She was too busy trying to uncomfortably mask the guilt around the situation. The redhead gave a small smile.

“I’m gonna go get ready now.” She quickly made her way upstairs and into her room.

Rachel’s next.

Cherri shook her head. And pulled out her favorite outfit; the pants and jacket will cover her bruises well. It was fairly simple. Dark jeans with a yellow hoodie and a plaid long flannel with a pair of boots. It didn’t take her long to get dressed and fix up her makeup. Cherri gave a quick goodbye as she left the house and took a breath, walking up the street.

“Oh look, just in time.” Darius smiled at Cherri as she walked across the street, “You look cute~”

Cherri’s cheeks heated up as she smiled, “Thanks. Lead the way, sir.”

As they walked down the street; a comfortable silence fell over them. After a while, Darius glanced at the girl.

“When I told my father who you were, he seemed pretty surprised.”

Cherri looked at him, “mine too. I never would’ve guessed that Commissioner Hughes had a son.”

“I lived with my mother for the most part, but I appreciate the warm welcome I’m getting.” He shrugged.

“Oh yeah, you’re getting popular quickly.” Cherri teased.

“I guess you could say that. A lot of people came to me because they saw us together. Thinkin’ about doing sports again? I hear the track team is shit now.”

Cherri snorted. “Stop! That’s not true.”

“Whatever you say.” Darius grinned and glanced down at her leg. “...How come you were limping earlier?”

Cherri didn’t respond right away. “Oh…I just hit my leg on something.” As long as they didn’t walk any faster, he wouldn’t notice that her leg was still hurt.

“You sure?”

“Yeah!” Cherri nodded. She wanted to tell him everything.

I just met him. He probably already knows and got fed the same lie as everyone else. Commissioner Hughes covering up everything like a fucking--

“What kind of music do you like?” Darius asked.

Cherri blinked and focused. “Well, 80s, 90s, early 2000s. A bit of alternative rock. A bit of 70s too.”

“Oh, I see. You’re into like…TLC and…My Chemical Romance?”

“Yes! I love their music. My favorite band is Get Scared. I love all of their music.” Cherri smiled.

“I’ve heard of them before. I might check them out. I’m guessing red is your favorite color?”

Cherri touched her hair and nodded, “Red, green, orange, and pink.”

“Red suits you.” Darius smiled, “any boyfriends?”

Cherri blushed slightly, “Nope. What about you?”

“Me?” Darius arched his brow.

“Hey, I don’t even know your type.” Cherri shrugged.

He chuckled, “Good point. No boyfriends. I have had girlfriends though. What about you?”

“No. I do like girls though, very pretty.”

“Agreed.” Darius snorted. “Cute for someone who’s almost a senior though. How come you’ve never dated?”

“Well, you make it seem like a relationship is mandatory.” Cherri teased, “I was always super focused on school. Plus, I’m not really sure my dad would let me date--”

“Oh? So what am I? A potato chip?”

Cherri snorted, “No, but you’re definitely a drama king. I have to get to know you more first.”

Darius laughed. He was about to respond but paused, watching Cherri closely. It was almost unnoticeable, but he caught it; she was limping. “...You’re still limping. What’s wrong?” He stopped walking.

Cherri stopped and tensed up a bit, “I told you. I hit my leg on--”

“That’s bullshit.” Darius glanced around. There weren’t a lot of people walking around, but he still pulled her into a nearby alleyway.

“Darius, it’s nothing. Really, I--”

“I know that’s not the truth, Cherri.”

She wanted to tell him. She really did. What would happen? Would he help her? Could he even actually help?

“Cherri.”

She couldn’t take this; she was completely torn.

“I want to help you. I can’t if you don’t say anything. Please,”

“It’s--It’s my dad. My dad, h’s--” Cherri took a shaky breath.

“Your dad? Cherri--”

“You have to help me! Darius, please. He hurts me and he hurt my mother, he--”

She couldn’t say it.

Damn it, she couldn’t say it, she was terrified. Tears ran down her cheeks as she let out a cry and Darius hugged her tightly.

“It’s alright. It’s gonna be alright. Does my dad know?”

Cherri nodded, wiping her eyes. “He knows. He’s always known.”

The fucking bastard. Cherri hated him.

“What the fuck…well I’ll tell someone else. I’m going to help you through this. You aren’t alone anymore.”

Cherri didn’t know how much she needed to hear that until Darius said it. Being alone was painful and scary--terrifying even. Maybe she found someone that could save her from everything. For the first time in years, Cherri felt hopeful.

“Thank you, Darius.” She looked at him and realized how close he was.

The thought of him kissing her made her heart race. Nothing else seemed relevant at that moment but him. She wondered if this was what love felt like.

Cherri’s thoughts were cut off once his lips were on hers. Darius pulled her closer as he kissed her and Cherri closed her eyes. He slowly backed her against the wall as her arms wrapped around him. She was a bit confused when he moved his lips from hers, but tensed up once he started kissing along her neck.

Cherri didn’t move at first, thinking she’d get more comfortable with it, but she didn’t. She slowly pulled her hands from around him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

“Darius,” she tensed up as she called him, trying to get his attention.

Her grip on him got a bit tighter once she was ignored and she also pushed a bit.

“Stop,” She tried again but more direct.

“Calm down,” Was his response, pressing her against the wall more.

Cherri was beginning to panic now. She couldn’t move away from him and the way he was sucking on her neck was now painful.

“Darius, stop!” I’m serious--I don’t feel comfortable.” Cherri hissed out, trying to squirm away.

Darius slid his hand down Cherri’s pants, making her let out a yelp. She shifted, trying to move his hand as his free hand pushed her flannel down.

“Darius, STOP!” She screamed.

“Don’t be like that,” Darius pecked her lips before continuing, “This is how it works. You said you wanted to get to know me better, right?”

“I--This isn’t what I meant! Get off! Stop it!” Cherri tried to kick him away but he still managed to unzip her jeans. His hand gripped at her bare thigh but before he could do more, Cherri raised her hand and slapped him. Darius stumbled back with wide eyes as Cherri shakily fixed her pants. She zipped them up and pulled up her flannel to cover her bruised arms. By the time she looked at Darius, he was already glaring at her.

Before Cherri could say anything, Darius slammed her back against the brick wall again. Her head smacked against the wall and groaned out as pain spread through her head.

“Very nice repayment after I listened to your fucking sob story.” He hissed.

Cherri’s eyes widened, “sob story? But I thought--I thought we--”

“I told you, this is how it works. I do something for you, like make you happy, listen to you talk, and give you company. In return, you do something for me. I didn’t realize you’d be so stuck up.”

Cherri felt her heart break at the statement. She shook her head, “We were talking--I don’t even--I’m not ready for that yet! I--”

“Yeah, I’ll just find another girl. This was a waste of fucking time.”

“But what about--”

“I don’t care.” He cut her off and scoffed as tears filled her eyes. He let her go and rolled his eyes. “Go home, Cherri.”

The girl couldn’t look him in the eye. She looked down and took off up the street, running as fast as she could.

~~~~~~

Cherri slowly slipped through the front door with three minutes to spare before her curfew. She had to make sure she was done crying for the time being to avoid questions. She wanted to get to her room as fast as possible.

She walked towards the steps and glanced into the living room, eyeing Rachel, who was asleep in Richard’s lap as he watched TV. She managed to contain her scoff as her father looked at her.

“Enjoy your night out?” Richard asked her.

“...Yes.” Cherri gave a small nod.

“Good. That’ll be the last time you use Rachel to get out the house.” He seethed, glaring at her.

Cherri glared back but nodded. “...All you’ll do is kill her too.” She muttered once she looked away.

“What was that?” Richard sat up a bit, preparing to move Rachel so he could get up.

“Nothing, sir,” Cherri responded quickly. She made her way upstairs and into her room before Richard could respond. She closed her door and locked it before walking to her bed and sitting down.

Cherri buried her face in her hands and immediately started to cry. She was angry, betrayed, and sad, but overall, she felt stupid for trusting Darius as much as she did so quickly.

She didn’t understand why.

Why did it seem like when things get slightly better, something has to happen to fucking ruin it? Was her life not miserable enough as is?

Every horrible moment seemed to come flooding back. Every beating she witnessed, every beating she endured, her mother’s lifeless eyes.

Her father hated her and she had no idea why. He was a murderer that enjoyed seeing her in pain--why else would he keep her alive?

Darius was a snake. He never really liked Cherri but he made it so believable.

Assholes.

The Commissioner, her grandfather, Richard’s stupid fucking friends. Assholes.

“They’re all fucking assholes!” Cherri hissed, gripping her hair tightly, pulling at it, and messing up her bun. She took out her hair tie and tossed it, letting her long hair fall over her face and down her back.

Cherri wasn’t scared. She wasn’t sad. She was tired, and her heart ached. She was tired of being someone’s punching bag. To her, every person that’s caused her pain was better off dead.

Cherri wiped her eyes and sniffed.

Death.

She didn’t stop herself from thinking about it this time--she wanted to kill them. Maybe force an apology at least. She had to stand her ground.

And she’d start with Darius.

~~~~~~

Cherri woke up before her alarm again. She turned it off and slowly climbed out of bed, beginning to get ready for school. The redhead was having second thoughts about confronting Darius; she was concerned and unnerved by her thoughts. There wasn’t a violent bone in Cherri’s body…until recently she was sure of that. She’d never actually done anything but hit Richard. It felt good, but that was what scared her.

Cherri grabbed her bookbag and fixed her uniform before slowly making her way downstairs. She moved into the kitchen and hesitated before grabbing a knife from the drawer with their silverware. She examined it carefully before sliding it into the side of her knee-high boot and leaving the house.

For the first time in years, there was silence. Her mind was blank, there were no fears or anxieties; there was nothing but a mute blankness and a growing urge to use the knife she took from home. Cherri felt content with her decision once again.

Once the girl entered the school, she slowly walked in the direction of her first-period class and picked up her pace once she caught sight of Darius. She was still angry; very much so, but also there was a pang of anxiety that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard she tried.

“...Darius--”

She stopped once he stopped and glanced back at her. He let out a sigh and turned to face her.

“What do you want?”

“I want to talk about last night,” Cherri replied.

“There’s nothing to talk about?”

Is he serious?

Cherri clenched her jaw a bit. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“...Slapping you.” She muttered.

“What?”

“Slapping you,” Cherri spoke louder. “Please? Hear me out?”

Darius watched her before shrugging. “Fine. Right here?”

“No. Follow me.” Cherri led the way down to the school’s basement and to the bathroom. She glanced back at Darius and started to feel hesitant all over again. Did she really want to be alone with him again? What if she told a teacher instead?

What teacher would really do anything to the Commissioner’s son? It was too late to back out now. The pair walked through the gym to quickly avoid being seen by the few teachers inside and to the bathrooms. Cherri led him into the girls’ bathroom and as usual, it was empty.

“I don’t know what came over me,” Cherri started to speak while walking farther into the bathroom. “I was starting to feel really uncomfortable and--”

While she was explaining herself, she began to really recall last night. He didn’t care at all. This was a waste of her breath, just like last night was a waste of his time. She wouldn’t get an apology from him.

“I understand, Cherri. You don’t have to explain.” Darius was closer now, and the redhead tensed up.

Anxiety washed over her, but this time irritation began to rise just as quickly; quicker than usual.

What the fuck is he so close for? What does he think this is?

“Darius--”

“And if you want to give our little date another chance,” his hand trailed down her arm and she quickly pushed it away.

“I-I said I wanted to talk. I asked you to hear me out--”

“Don’t you think you talk too much?”

He can’t be serious.

“I mentioned your situation to my dad, by the way.”

Cherri’s eyes widened. His dad? “What? But you said you’d talk to someone else! Why--”

“He said he was calling Mr. Crawford when I left, so I’m sure he’s gonna look into it.”

Cherri couldn’t tell if Darius did this because he didn’t believe her, or because he did and he was going to try and use her father against her.

“I could text him though and tell him false alarm. Would that ease your anxiousness?”

The grin on his face made it very clear that he chose the ladder. Of course, he did.

Fucking men.

Think with your dick why don’t you, if you already aren’t.

She was done.

Cherri was fucking done. After everything, he still thought he had a chance. Even after she said no, he was going to use her abusive father against her.

“...Could you text him?” Cherri responded lowly.

“Hm?”

“Could you text your dad, please?” Cherri looked up at him as he smiled.

Fucking disgusting.

“How about a kiss as thank you?”

“I-I don’t want to--”

“So you’d rather deal with your father after school?” Darius challenged.

Silence. Anger was building within her quicker, she was starting to physically heat up; her eye even twitched a bit. Darius Hughes was fucking stupid. After no response, the boy leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, closing his eyes. Cherri stood still for a few moments, eyes open and glaring. She slowly lifted her leg and slipped out the knife from her boot. As soon as she did, a rush of cold washed over her body and she was beginning to shake a bit. His dad is the Commissioner.

And after I kill Richard, I’ll kill him too.

Cherri’s lack of movement was about to cut her window short, so she decided to play along. She gripped the collar of his uniform shirt and pulled him closer to continue the kiss. She could tell it effectively distracted Darius and she wanted to roll her eyes. Her light brown eyes went to the knife just above the boy’s back and the second thoughts were coming back. They went away quickly once she felt Darius trying to force his tongue in her mouth.

Cherri could hardly believe she thought he was even a little attractive. The redhead forced away the hesitation for just long enough to drive her weapon into his body and he immediately froze and let out a noise, eyes wide as he stared down at Cherri.

Any ounce of anxiety, panic, or regret Cherri thought she would feel wasn’t there. She stared back into his eyes with a small smile, eyeing the pained expression on his face. She wanted more. She wanted to kill him.

“Wh-What…are you…”

“I’m giving you what you fucking deserve.” She roughly twisted the blade before pulling it out and stabbing him again.

And again.

Blood.

It was dripping from Darius’ mouth. It covered her and her arm. Some even splattered onto the sink. She did it. She retaliated. She stood her ground. This was the last time Cherri would ever cower before a man.

Darius hit the bathroom floor with a wet slap. Blood was already beginning to pool under his body. Cherri knelt in front of him. She was never able to bury her fear so deep like this. She’s never felt so powerful. It felt like she was saving any other girl from Darius, and she very much was.

Somewhere along Cherri’s stabs, Darius had taken his last gargled breath.

“Even when you’re dead, you look pathetic.”

It was the first time she didn’t regret voicing her thoughts. The redhead stood up and stepped over Darius’ body. She rinsed the blood off of her and put her knife away. She picked up her bookbag and left the bathroom. She took the exit near the bathrooms and tossed her bookbag across the street before walking back home.

Next was Richard.

~~~~~~

Cherri walked back into her house and looked around. The living room was empty and so was the kitchen. It was quiet. The redhead walked into the kitchen and picked up the skillet from the stove before moving to check upstairs.

Her mind was blank. She could hear light ringing in her ears that was steadily getting louder as she moved up the steps. Just as Cherri began to believe that Richard left the house, he walked out of his room, fixing his clothes. He looked up and paused once he saw Cherri standing there. She was hiding the skillet behind her and still had the knife from earlier.

“What are you doing home?” Richard glared at the young woman and she shrugged.

The man rolled his eyes and stalked toward the redhead before gripping the collar of her uniform shirt and yanking her forward. “What are you doing home? If you’re skipping school, I swear to God I’ll--”

Cherri swung the skillet and knocked her father across his jaw with as much force as she could muster. It wasn’t just the one hit this time. The redhead got her footing while Richard was stunned and swung again, then again, then again. She didn’t feel satisfied enough to stop until blood was gushing from the man’s head and he was limp on the ground. Still breathing for now. Cherri was going to do this right. Richard deserved to suffer. Cherri was going to make sure that happened.

~~~~~~

Cherri had enough time to change out of her school uniform. She settled for all black. Now, the girl sat in front of the chair she tied Richard in, waiting for him to wake up. The silence made her dissociate long ago, her light brown eyes stared blankly ahead. A groan from Richard snapped her back and she stared at him as he slowly lifted his head. The blood that was running from his forehead was now dried up and his head was throbbing. He paused once his eyes landed on his daughter sitting in front of him.

Cherri and Richard glared at each other. Cherri picked up Richard’s height and his eyes as well. Seeing his own eyes glaring back at him made him a bit uncomfortable but he recovered quickly, pulling at his restraints.

“Cherri, get me out of this fucking chair.” He hissed.

No response. Cherri continued to glare at the man as he pulled at his restraints.

“Cherri! Fucking untied me or--”

“Or what?” Cherri challenged, standing up. “What are you gonna do besides cry out like a little bitch?” She grabbed the knife she used to kill Darius and drove it into Richard’s shoulder. The man jerked forward and let out a pained yell.

“Cry out, scream, whine, that’s all you’re good at now. A useless piece of trash that won’t amount to shit.” Cherri roughly dragged the weapon down while it was still lodged in his shoulder.

“Fuck you! When I get the fuck outta this chair I’m gonna--”

Cherri was tired of hearing his voice. This time, the girl lifted her leg and pressed the thick heel of her boot against his chest before pushing him down to the ground.

“Shit the fuck up! I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was twelve and I’m gonna fucking enjoy it.” Cherri narrowed her eyes as she yelled, standing over Richard.

Cherri has never been the type to raise her voice in any situation. She was always quiet and would choose to avoid conflict; or any negative emotion. She would bottle it and handle it on her own instead of choosing confrontation. She bottled up too much. She was seeing red. She wanted revenge and she was going to fucking get it.

Cherri left the knife in Richard’s shoulder and began to kick the man in his side and stomp on his stomach repeatedly. A taste of his own medicine that he didn’t seem to be taking too well. He may be stronger than his daughter, but he always seemed to forget that she was a student-athlete. Even though because of Richard, she isn’t on the track team, she still practices daily. Even if it’s only a little because of aches and pains.

Each kick landed was harder than the last. The force of the kicks caused Richard’s chair to slide back a few inches and Cherri stalked forward with each slide. He wasn’t getting away. The impact from each kick and stomp forced the air from his body each time. Pained grunts and wheezes left him, tears rolling down his cheeks. The pain was becoming too much for Richard. Cherri noticed his tears and it only angered her more.

“You have the audacity?” She scoffed, finally stopping her assault. “Tears? You’re fucking crying right now? I was eleven when you first kicked me like that. You’re a grown-ass man, Richard. Take that shit.” She kicked him again and he cried out.

“You’re crying? After you threw me down the steps? After you choked me? After you tried to fucking drown me? After you killed my FUCKING MOTHER?! You think I give a fuck about your useless tears? If anything, it pisses me off more that you want mercy.” Cherri was still yelling. Her throat was hurting. How did Richard yell like this all the time?

Cherri knelt down and grabbed his face, “Tears never accomplished anything, Richard. You’re fucking pathetic. Scared mom was gonna leave you so you fucking killed her. Or was it because she finally stood up to you?”

Silence.

Richard was in immense pain, he could barely focus. Cherri had been kicking him for at least ten minutes before she noticed his tears just now. She didn’t care about any of that though. None of that mattered when Richard would beat her half to death and then expect her to cook him dinner. She was getting impatient now and he was beginning to look more and more pathetic and useless.

“Fucking answer me!” Cherri snapped. She yanked the knife from his shoulder and shoved it into his stomach. “Why did you kill mom?! Why did you kill her?! TELL ME!” She yanked his chair upright and stabbed him again in the leg.

“IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE YOU!”

Cherri knew that. She assumed that first, but the guilt still began to drown her.

“I was gonna tell Jscob you fuckin’g killed yourself and have Michaela make another one. She always chose you over me. She did that day too so I decided to replace her instead. You should be fucking grateful that you’re still alive!” Richard yelled back, screaming in her face. Whenever Richard raised his voice, he was used to his daughter cowering in fear. This wasn’t Cherri. He didn’t know who the fuck this was. The night Michaela died and officers crowded their home, Cherri’s eyes looked the exact same as they do now. Like they’re only able to fit one emotion or nothing at all. Empty of anything but rage. Cherri let go of the knife and stood up straight. Her chest heaved up and down. Richard could barely focus his vision, but he managed to just in time to see tears begin to fall from Cherri’s eyes.

Her expression didn’t match the action. It was the same menacing scowl she had since this all began. She grabbed the skillet from nearby. Her intent the first time was to just knock him out. This time was different. When Cherri swung at his jaw this time, her adrenaline gave her just enough strength to cause a loud crack to echo in the kitchen and his jaw to visibly move out of place.

“I shouldn’t have told you to speak. I don’t want to hear another word out of your pathetic mouth.” Cherri glared down at him, yanking the knife from his thigh. “Try to kill a 16-year-old because you thought your wife would leave your sorry ass. ‘Cause your bitch ass was scared. I’m not scared of you anymore. I’m not scared of any man anymore. I started with Darius and I’m not ending with you; the Commissioner is next if I don’t decide to let guilt eat him first. I’ll make sure no man hurts a woman ever again.” She pushed her knife through the man’s neck and listened to him begin to gurgle and choke on his blood.

“Good fucking riddance.” Cherri hissed, leaning in.

She waited for him to die. Waited out every spasm, choke, and wheeze, until Richard’s body stilled and he went completely silent. That was when she finally pulled the knife from his throat. She closed her eyes and stood there for a moment before slowly turning around and going upstairs.

Cherri went into Richard’s bedroom and moved towards his bed, crouching down to pull a bookbag from under it. She checked inside and found what she was looking for. Richard had taken the birthday money her mother gave her. $500 should get her out of the city for sure. She put the bag back and grabbed her bag from her room which was already filled with water and snacks. She was still building the courage to run away but ended up killing the problem instead.

Cherri felt fearless. The girl pulled her hair down from its bun to pull her hood over her head and made sure to grab a picture of her and her mother before leaving her house through the back door.

I’ll kill them all. Every single last one.

Cherri didn’t look back at her house as she walked away. The anger was still there. She glanced down at the knife that was back tucked in the side of her boot. She wasn’t done. Not at all.

They’ll all die.

*"Good morning, class!"

**"We have a new student. His name is Darius Hughes."

***"Darius, sit next to Cherri. Cherri, raise your hand."

I hope you all enjoyed it!

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