Sinister [Jason McCann]

Four

Lea's POV --

 

Something crashes to the floor hard enough to pull me out of what I suppose was a good dream. Even with the music I had playing in my room to drown out the noise I was so accustomed to hearing every night, I still managed to hear the shattering of what was probably glass or a ceramic object. I turn over in my bed and hope that the shattering wouldn’t cause an uproar of arguments to come but of course I would be asking for too much.

 

I turn off the radio and listen for a moment, lying on my back in the center of my bed. As I listen I turn my head to look at the clock, it was three-seventeen. Now I sit up and toss the blankets off of me then I scoot off of my bed and walk towards the door. The closer I got to the outside the louder the noise appeared to be.

 

“Do you fucking realize what time it is, Lana?!” That was my mother yelling.

 

I bite my lip and grab the doorknob, twisting it slightly so as to not making any noises. I pull the door open slowly and peek outside, my room was just a few meters away from the staircase so I had a clear view of the small entrance where our front door was. Lana was leaning against the door, both hands pressed against her temple.

 

“Were you drinking?!” My mother grabs her wrist and yanks it away from her temple just to purposely yell beside her ear. “Were you?!"

 

She cringes instead of answering, all the yelling was probably making her dizzier than she was before she stepped foot into the house. I see my dad standing with his arms crossed over his chest, foot tapping on the floor angrily. It was finally quiet but I could tell it wasn’t going to last long.

 

My mom was steaming, practically heaving from all the anger building up in her system. My intestines were twisting into knots and I suddenly felt like I should just shut the door. I grip the doorknob just when she lets go of her wrist to backhand her across the face. I look away, down at the floor and hold my breath hoping that that would be all she had to endure for the night. When I take a look down the staircase again, I spot my dad lifting Lana to a stand, by her hair. From what I could see her wrist was already bruising from the grip of my mother’s hold. Lana’s arms were up to her hair, trying to pry my dad’s hands off of it so she could run up the stairs. She wasn’t crying yet but the tears were glistening over her eyes.

 

Another smack and then a toss to the ground. My mother continues yelling at her along with my father who was bending over to pick her back up. The little strength that was in my was enough to push me out of my room and dash down the staircase. My sister was in fetal position, shaking every now and then and she had finally began to cry. My mother looked over at me, anger blaring in her eyes. Hands shaking into tight fists, she takes a step towards me and I coware, wrapping my arms tightly around myself like as if that would protect me from surviving a horrible beating.

 

“Go back to your room, Lea.” My father says, slowly straightening himself. “This doesn’t concern you.”

 

The little distraction was enough to give Lana a chance to stand up to the best of her ability and sprint towards the staircase. Her movements were all sloppy and out of place, clearly from all the alcohol she consumed. Instead of chasing after her, my parents stare at me with dagger eyes which were threatening to attack me. I take a few steps back until I bump into Lana who was having a hard time keeping her balance. I turn around and wrap her arm around my shoulder, then wrap my right arm around her waist. Knowing the outcome of tonight, a great portion of me was extremely happy I hadn’t gone to the party.