Prehalia's Demons(Completed) I #Wattys2019

14 I JAMES SAMUELS

I hear a loud bang on the front door. I'm alone today as Jessica is having cheerleader practice and my mother is once again somewhere doing business.

Usually there would be someone to open the door and today when I hurry down the steps, I see a familiar face. "Oh, it's Emily!"

The shock on the girl's face is evident when I greet her with a smile. I've already memorized about ten people but I still like Emily best. She was the one to make me do that in the first place, after all.

"H-hello, miss. I heard the door getting banged on and I just-"

"It's alright, Emily. If someone is this persistent, there's probably something important." All joy has disappeared from my tone as the knocks become louder and louder. A questionable shiver runs down my back and leaves goosebumps after.

She bows her head and is about to leave when I speak up again. "Oh, and Emily? You know the gun in the left drawer in the kitchen? Please bring it to me."

I can see the nervousness as she nods and in mere seconds is back with the weapon in hands. I grab it steadily, keeping my cool, resting confidently on the knowledge that I've shot before. And like this, I scoot closer to the front door, opening it wide and instantly pointing the gun at the person in front of me.

In Pretorium nobody pays anybody a visit. Especially to the richest famillies— A giant gothic mansion doesn't exactly scream friendliness.

Our relationship with the others isn't sunshine and rainbows.

The girl's eyes fly open and she throws her hands in the air. "Jesus, Keels, overreacting much?"

It's Jess.

"And you? Why the hell are you banging on the door like crazy. I seriously thought someone was out her to get me."

"No, no...it's just cheerleading finished and I was about to come home when I realized that I've forgotten my keys in the room upstairs."

"You're never ever forgotten your keys at home before, though." I drop the gun, still confused.

Jessica plops her hand on my shoulder and shrugs hers. "There's a first time for everything."

I change the subject. "So, how was your day today, my dearest sister?" I ask half mockingly, as the adrenaline rush I got of the situation still has me tensed up.

She doesn't seem to mind the way I act, however, because she answers genuinely.

"Just being a mean bitch as always. Boys, brainless friends, some shopping. Also that guy that I pretended to like...what was his name again?"

I sigh in annoyance. Why do I remember his name when I haven't even had anything to do with him. He never really tried his luck with me either, because he transferred from another Pretorian school long after I began keeping low. He might've heard stories about my previous position, but that would be it.

"Riley Stone?"

"Yeah, that guy. I hit it off with him yesterday when I was late and he's not interesting anymore. You know how it is." The last part slips off her tongue before her mind could catch up. She realizes way too late how much her words hurt me "Oh, no, Keely, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you-"

But I'm already speeding off to the kitchen. "Keels!" She grabs my hand throwing me off my balance, and I consequentially end up tripping over her. My hand doesn't cooperate with my brain and before I realize it the gun shoots. I hear a high-pitched scream coming from my sister and for a moment I think I've shot her.

But then I see her land on her butt with me following her soon enough with a huff.

"Keelian Samuels, you are fucking crazy." She murmurs.

I stare at her, eyes still wide, my skin burning from the momentary fear. And then, we both burst out laughing.

During the fits of laughter I manage to breathe out an answer that can definitely be described only as...sophisticated.

We are surrounded by at least ten people, their eyes also wide with worry as well as confusion by the two crazy Samuels girls that just shot at each other and proceeded to make a joke out of it.

We are definitely a little out of our minds, I have to admit.

And of course the best things are followed by the worst, because while we are still laughing our butt's off, the front door opens up again and my mother enters followed by my father. Our fun is suddenly replaced by horror—the mere sight of the woman is making us feel as if the room temperature dropped drastically.

I groan internally just as I always do when she gets home unexpectedly. Why can't she just...disappear?

Elisa still looks as scary as always, but at least her eyes aren't red today. Yet.

"Good day, girls." She jestures something that might've passed as a warm greeting in another universe, but definitely not in this one. When she sees half of our staff surrounding us both, she stops in her tracks. Everyone bows as low as they can as she moves her blue piercing eyes through the crowd. "What is going on here?"

"We just, we had a-" I stutter, my mind going completely blank just when I need it to work. Great. I glance at Jessica but she doesn't even dare to look at Elisa, so she's not exactly offering any help.

A sudden voice, that I never thought I'd hear in a situation like this, echoes in the big room and cuts the tensed air like a knife.

"I tripped miss Keely by accident and the other servents heard and came to help. I'm really sorry." Emily comes to the front and bows again. I am left speechless. This girl knows how to lie better than I thought. She's aware of how crazy my mother is. She must've heard our 'conversation' the other day when she fired that same gun at me.

"Mother, it's alright. It was my fault anyway. She was just doing her job." I push the girl behind me, trying to express my gratitude with only my eyes. I hope she understands me without words.

There's a painfully long pause as Elisa looks at me, quietly judging the situation. I try to not let my eyes falter.

"I guess it's alright." She peeks behind me, searching for Emily's gaze. "Don't let this happen again."

"Yes, Mrs. Samuels."

And with a last challenging stare, my mom continues off, walks up the stairs and closes the door of her bedroom behind her. My poor father is still standing at the doorway and doesn't say anything to us up until the moment he hears Elisa's door get shut.

He speed walks to us and wraps us both in a warm hug,a smile slowly spreading on his face. "I've missed you girls."

My dad, James Samuels is an absolute sweetheart. If there is a person that I consider a real parent in this house, it 's him.

"Be glad that she didn't see the broken marble tile." He looks at where the gun pierced the ground. "Better have this fixed fast."

Me and Jessica both nod our heads enthusiastically and before long the broken tile is exchanged with a brand new, flawless one. It looks a bit awkward next to the others, standing out for it's lack of usage up until that very moment.

It's not something my mother would care enough about to notice, though, so we're all good.

With a relieved sigh I put the gun at it's place and I try not to let the memories of my mother's drunken craziness come back to me and evoke any fear. I have other things to worry about more than this.

Just then, Jess enters the room as well. She looks like she ran.

"Keels, there a message for you on your phone. It's from a restricted number." I feel the blood freeze beneath my skin but I accept the phone anyway. I open the message with shaking hands only to grab onto the hard surface of the sink before I fall over in shock and fear.

Hi, my precious sisters. Missed me? -J.J.