EYES LIKE RAZORS

(74) Charlie T. Shelby

"Auntie M," Hugo calls out, laughing as he ran up the stairs, "auntie m, help me."

"Don't he's absolutely fine." Ashton adds, sounding slightly out of breath.

"Auntie Chloe." Hugo screams joyfully as the red head opened their bedroom door, the ten year old hiding behind her giggling as Ashton and Richard appeared at the top of the staircase.

"What's happening?" Chloe asks, amused as Hugo peaks his head out from behind her shoulder.

"Yeah, if nobody is dying will you please shut up." Madison mumbles, still in bed, "not you, Hugo. Come here, bud. I'll protect you from the evil men."

Hugo blows a raspberry at Ash and Richard, bouncing onto the bed beside Madison.

"You can't stay in there forever." Richard says.

"Yes he can." Madison replies.

"You can't protect him forever, Mads. We will finish this." Ashton chuckles, "we'll get you one day Hugo."

"I can protect him forever, and I'm going to." Madison says, "now fuck off, I wanna go back to sleep."

"Madison, watch the language." Chloe reminds.

"Hugo, I said a bad word, don't repeat it, buddy." Madison says, "Chlo, just shut the door in their faces."

"Madisons orders." Chloe smiles innocently at the men, shutting the door on them.

There was another knock at the door and Madison groans, "seriously, if somebody wasn't dying before they soon will be if you don't let me sleep."

"Mads, get up." Edmund speaks, opening the door, "is someone dying?" Madison asks.

"No- sort of the opposite." Eddie replies.

"The opposite? Someone's creating life?" Madison questions, and Chloe smacks her leg, and Madison sits up, "someone's creating life? Grace?"

"Yeah, just had a call from Tommy, told us to get over to his house, Grace has just started getting contractions- or in his own words, the woman is squeezing his hand so fucking hard he thinks she broke it." Edmund tells them.

"Alright, we'll be downstairs in five, I need to get dressed." Madison says, pushing the sheets off and standing up.

-

"Thank fucking finally, where've you been?"Arthur says, when they enter Arrow House.

"At home?" Madison replies sarcastically.

"Has she given birth yet?" Chloe asks as they follow Arthur into the parlour, where the rest of the family was sat waiting.

"No," Arthur answers.

"Drink?" John asks, from where he was stood already filling glasses of whiskey.

"I'm alright thanks John Boy," Madison says, and heads turn to her, concerned looks on their faces as she took a seat.

"Does she have a concussion? Has her head gone funny?" Arthur whispers to Chloe, "she's never refused a drink before."

"Are you dying?" Isaiah asks Madison, getting smacked by Finn.

"I'm not dying and my head hasn't gone funny. I'm just trying to cut down on my alcohol intake, especially at..." Madison checks her pocket watch, "half nine in the morning."

"Still think she has a tumour." Ashton mumbles, feeling her forehead and getting his hands smacked away.

"Fuck!" Tommy's voice carries down the hallways.