Artemis

Chapter 1

*SLAP*

 The echo of the hand hitting someone was almost deafening in the complete silence of the huge house near the edge of town. Inside, the father had just slapped the small, quivering girl in front of him. 

"Why haven't you done what I told you to do!? You heard what I said yesterday, didn't you!? I told you to get rid of that cat!" he shouted. 

"But father, it had nowhere else to go and..."

"I don't want to hear any more but or excuses from you, Scar. Get rid of it! NOW!!"

At that moment the mans older daughter came in to the room through the single door leading to his office. 

"Dad, what are you doing? Why are you shouting? Oh..." she said and stopped when she saw her father standing grim-faced and menacing in front of her sister. 

"Aah... Ruby, dear... Well, I was just telling your sister that we can't have a cat in the house, that's all, because there is no one to take care of it." the man said, followed by a mixture of disappointment and discomfort on his face. 

"Why can't she keep it?" said Jessica.

"Well, like I said..." he said with hesitation.

"Oh come on dad, let her keep the little furball. It is her eighth birthday after all. You haven't given her anything yet and since you're not going to then let her keep the cat. And besides, mom is going to ask questions when she gets home, you know that."

"Yeah... you're right, of course you're right. That's my girl, always thinking about what's best for us." 

Jessica smirked in her sister's direction before turning around and walking back to the door. She stopped with her on the doornob and turned to her father. 

"Oh and dad, you might wanna cover that bruise on her cheek too. Mom is sure to notice it." she said meaningfully to her father and with that she left the room. 

 

One hour later the mother came home. She called out to let everyone know that she was home. Almost at once the youngest daughter came running down the stairs and ran as fast as she could, with her head bent down, and hugged her mother hard, while giving away quiet moans. 

"Hey honey, what's wrong?" she asked, and when the girl did not answer, "Violet, are you crying?" 

Violet shook her head but her mother was persistant.

"Hey, let me look at you." she said with a gentle voice, " please Violet, let me look at you. Can't you do that for your mom?" 

The girl, Violet, slowly raised her head to look her mother in the eyes. There were vague tearlines on her cheeks. 

"Honey, what happend to you? Please tell me what's wrong."

Violet said nothing, she only shook her head while her shin quivered. 

"Alright, I actually don't want to drop the subject but if you don't wish to tell me, you don't have to. I won't force you to tell me but I just want you to know that I'm right here if you want to talk or if there is anything else troubling you, okay? " Violet's mother said with a low voice. "Now then, do you want to help me unpack the groceries and then see what your father and sister are up to? Come on." 

She held out her hand for Violet to grab, which she did, and they both went to the kitchen to unpack the things Mary had bought. 

 

"Mary, can you take Violet to bed, she's very tired?" Violet's father said later that night. 

"Yes, of course I will. Come here, hun. Let's get you to bed. Robert, can you take Ruby to bed? She too looks tired." Mary added to her husband.