Blue Lips

Chapter 1: Innocent Starry Eyes

{Sparks By Cold-play}

SMASH!

A vase could be heard smashing against a wall, as the screaming grows louder. in a small room down the hall from the decaying walls of the living room hid two small bundles huddled under a desk. 

Adam Evans, who was  11 at the time was protecting his little sister Phoebe Evans, who was 8 at the time. earlier that night he was helping phoebe get ready for bed, having already given her a bath and got her dressed. they were in bed reading a story when he looked at the clock in the living room that hung over the old, small t.v. and up on the decaying wallpaper. 11:30, it read. he was quick to shut the book and clean up the room before grabbing his sister and dragging her to their shared room at the time. he shut and locked the door behind him, phoebe sits on his bed on his side of the room. fear in her eyes as she watched her older brother set up the room for the night. 

She has become used to the routine, but tonight was important. they had to make SURE they would be protected tonight. Saturday nights have always been a nightmare since the two could remember. 

Adam then placed his desk chair under the knob of the door, and hooked the make shift door chain. Adam had destroyed phoebe's bike in order to take the chain and make the lock. but she was okay with it. it was to protect them right? 

" There...done!" Adam said as he turned to her with a smile on his face. " no way they can get through this!!"

Phoebe smiles back at him, but her hands do not stop shaking or sweating from fear. she was still scared of them..her parents would somehow still make it in. 

SLAM!

They heard the front door slam and hit the wall from the living room to their room. Adam was quick to pick up his sister and grab her blanket, stuffing her and it under his desk. he glances at the door one last time, before taking his tiny radio from his book bag and rushing under the desk. he smiles and tunes up the radio, he puts on a rock/metal station. now you all might think that its crazy two little ones are listening to all this screaming and yelling from the radio, but it was a welcome to them. because at least with their screaming, there are no fists flying at them.

The music was loud enough to save Phoebe's ears from all the screaming outside their bed room. but Adam...he heard everything. 

You see the Evans family has always been a working family. a HARD working family...that is until Adam and phoebes father rogger took over. the son of Sean ray Evans, a hard working bartender and body guard to men, women, and kids who walk into his bar. but when it came to his son, it was a different story. when Sean finally retired his son rogger got the bar/apartment above it. forcing the old man into a nursing home. and like that everything changed. the once loud a busy bar full of customers, now barely holding on with regulars that are keeping them afloat. the bright colors shifting into grungy and dirty places that you wouldn't want to get caught in. it was so dark as well, you had to hold a friend's shoulder just to make it to the actual bar to get drinks. rogger was NOTHING like his father. he was selfish, drunk almost 24/7 and only was sober when he knew people of money were coming. he was never truly kind unless he knew he was getting something outta it. a snake in the grass..waiting to strike. 

" They come to get drinks, not see each other" Rogger once said hissing to his employees when they asked about the non-working lights.

You would think a man who dresses so nicely and has nice slicked back blonde hair, and a nice smile to mach..would be more...lets say welcoming. 

And then their is the apartment...lets just say that a child let alone two...shouldn't be living their. mold grew in the shower and kitchen sink. forcing the kids to use the bathroom sink and the bar's kitchen sinks to get clean. the vents were never used because Megan their mother, used them to hide things from her husband. drugs, illegal weapons, etc etc. so the kids relied on the clothes their family would buy them. you would think a kid on Christmas would want the new game system or the new dream house barbie came out with, but no. little phoebe wanted a new pair of fuzzy socks and a new winter coat. and Adam wants new sweaters and pants. instead of toys, they wanted food or clothes. though sometimes...only sometimes. would phoebe ask for art supplies or books. but, this would end in Adam yelling at her for wanting things that wouldn't help them stay safe or survive. but she cannot help it. reading and art where her only escaped, Adam got to go to school!

While she got to stay home, doing all the chores. cleaning the apartment and cooking dinner. then be forced to clean the bar after close or before it opens in the early morning while Adam got to sleep another 2 hours. It's the quiet times on Monday afternoons, when her father is out and her mother asleep and Adam in school. she would sneak out their bedroom window and climb to the roof with the tiny radio. blasting the death metal station as she opened a book or would bust out her drawing notebook she got from grandpa Sean. he seemed to be the only one who ever actually looked at her with love in his eyes. 

BANG!

Phoebe's eyes snapped open, coming back to reality that her and adam where still under the desk. and her parents were still out there. their yelling turned to screaming..then came the constant crashes of glass hitting the floor.

"..Mom found the glasses...i thought i told you to HIDE THEM!" adam whisper yelled at the scared girl clutching her ears and hair. he changed his tone and sighed, he grabbed her hands and placed them on her blanket. 

" Remember what grandpa Sean said?" he asked her, while making her touch her blanket. 

"T-touch the bumps and groves to feel.." she started. she then wrapped the blanket around her small form. " the weight will keep me..safe" she said in a soft low voice. looking at the carpeted, dirty floor. she sighs. an eight year old shouldn't have this amount of anxiety, or fear in her own home. it was meant to be her one safe place. but...it's just not. not with these people...her parents. 

Parents..by definition they are supposed to be loving and gentle to their little ones. showering them in love and kindness...gentle hands and fingers used to remove tears from their child's eyes...not cause them.

Megan Evans, a stereo type in pink stiletto heels. she looks beautiful, with her natural brown hair that was in a bob style  and curled at the ends. her green eyes that sparkle and flash when a man offers her a free drink. she was the head singer of the bar. and she sings like an angel, phoebe used to sneak down the stairs to the lounge that led to the bar  just to listen to her mother song. it was like a lullaby she always wanted. but she was caught every time, and thanks to whoever is watching her above. it was always adam. the worst he did was yell and lock her in the closest. 

There was one night that adam forgot her for 4 days. no food, no water...no sun. she just stayed on the floor of a cramped closet. she shut her eyes as a single tear fell from her two colored eyes. she gave one last sigh before she slipped into darkness. it was oddly comforting, the dark was always there for her. and never once held any anger. just..peace.

Cold water finally woke her from her slumber, she sat up and rubbed her face, she giggled in joy as she basked in the cold water and drank from her hands. she looked over to see adam with tears in his eyes, he grabbed her and held her close to his chest. 

" I'm sorry..I'm sorry..god above I'm sorry" adam wept onto the girl. she just smiled and hugged him back. as if he did nothing wrong. 

CLASH!!

" The kitchen table..." phoebe said. she widens her eyes and quickly shuts them. " i hate it here..."

Adam snapped his head to her, shrugging he ran a hand through his dark blonde hair. he looked a lot like dad..it was scary sometimes. 

" Nah..it could be worse. at least when they don't drink they are-"

" Worse" phoebe inputs him. she shyly looks him in the eye to meet his glare. she flinched. " t-think about it..I've never heard mom say i love you..dad never talks to us when we are in trouble or to make us feel bad.." she said all while clutching the blanket closer and closer. 

" Oh just shut up, will you? they are not that bad! at least they feed us and clothe us!" he rolls his eyes while he fidgets with the radio. she just sighs and sinks more into her thoughts and closes her eyes for the last time that night. the comfort of radio static and the tight hold she had on herself, lulling her into a state of sleep.

Adam finally set the radio down, and grabbed for his own blanket. he looks at his sister once last time, he grits his teeth and growls lowly, before falling asleep himself.