Muse

Chapter Eleven

*Laura's perspective*

We wandered around the art gallery for about an hour. Knight talked for most of it, telling me about past pieces, current pieces and their makers. She had a funny anecdote about a man who's best piece was actually when his dog walked across his piece that was essentially just pavement, nothing special, and had been in the gallery for about ten years now. I loved listening to her speak because she seemed truly happy. She spoke with confidence and clarity and I could tell how much love she had for this place. But that did not last.

"So you've seen my past," Knight said as we got back onto her motorbike. "I want to show you my present."

So she rode us back into our town and to her home. It was a run-down home. There were broken windows, glass in the overgrown garden as well as an abundance of empty alcohol bottles. She had pushed the motorbike from about two hundred feet away because "I don't want to wake my Father."

"Quiet," she whispered. She let us into the house. It was small, dark, damp and was littered in rubbish. "My Fathers' home but he's probably passed out."

"Knight," I turned to see a man at the top of the stairs whispering down to us. He wasn't her Father, he was young. He must have only been a year or two older than Knight and I.

"Joshua," Knight whispered back to him.

"Fathers' awake." Joshua whispered back urgently. Knight looked back at me, this time with a flicker of fear in her gaze. In one swift movement, she had me by the arm and was dragging me silently out of the house as quickly as she could. I turned to see what the fuss was as soon as we were several metres away from the house but my heart skipped a beat when I saw him.

He was in his mid fifties, greasy hair, dirty clothes, a portly stomach and a beard. His face was already red with rage.

"How dare you! How dare you!" The man began to shout as he marched towards us. He began to shout cruel, unrepeatable phrases at us that made my skin crawl.

"Laura, do you remember how I rode the bike? I need you to go, now." Knight handed me the set of keys before pushing me towards it. She stood still, waiting for her Father. I was shaking, I couldn't get the keys into the machine at first. I had never rode before but I had watched Knight carefully when she did. I managed to get it going and I rode away slightly, intending to watch Knight's interaction.

She stood strong against her surprisingly large Father. He continued to scream foul things at her, spitting on her and shoving her. My stomach lurched when he pushed her particularly hard and she fell onto the ground. I watched from a distance, knowing there was nothing I could do. I saw Joshua watching from the front of the house, feeling equally scared and helpless.

His threats only became more scary and haunting. I couldn't help myself. I revved the motorbike, and charged.