LIS: My Other Half (Nathan Prescott)

7

just a simple forewarning:
heavy emotional chapter ahead.

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We sat close, Hazel in my arms with her head on my shoulder on the edge of the front porch steps at the Prescott's house. Nathan stood behind us, his arms folded as he stared out to the road.
I could tell Hazel didn't even want to look in the direction of the house, and just being outside made her uncomfortable, but we had to wait for daddy.

But finally, at long last, we watch as his car drives in, kicking up dirt behind it as he speeds into the driveway. We watch from afar as he jumps out, throwing a wave to us before jumping up the steps and bursting in through the door. We could hear from here the screaming from both him and momma. I clinged tighter to Hazel as the yelling continued, being sure not to lose her, but curiosity got the best of me. I let go, regretfully so, and stood, walking down the steps as Hazel and Nathan watched in confusion. I stopped once my feet hit the grass and turned back to the two.
"Just stay here."

"Wait! Don't go!" Hazel yelled. I knew at that moment I should've listened to her, but I went on anyways.

Once I made it into the house, I could hear the arguing and screaming was coming from upstairs. I'd never heard daddy yell that loud or get that angry before in my life, so it was shocking to hear him like this, he almost sounded unfamiliar. But just as I was walking up the steps, I felt a light tug on the back of my shirt. I snapped my head around to find Hazel standing under me, worry stricken and sweat beads falling down her face. I shook my head and tried pushing her away but she wouldn't let go, so as the noise grew closer to us, I snatched her hand and pulled her close to me, walking us up the stairs and standing in the hallway as the two fought in our bedroom. We crept closer to the doorway, standing just against the wall as they screamed at the top of their lungs. Hazel began to shiver, her grip around me getting tighter the louder the two grew. I clenched my jaw as momma tried justifying hurting Hazel.

It began to grow a little out of hand and momma shoved daddy out of the room. As he stumbled out, just barely catching his balance, our eyes met and he became worry stricken, looking to us with fear as momma walked out the room, her face so mangled with anger and red as a tomato. She noticed his expression and followed his eyes to me, her face softening for a second but getting angry once again as she rushed towards us. Daddy yelled for her to stop but she was determined. I held Hazel behind me as momma gained closer, but nothing could stop her when she threw her arm out, grabbing my arm. My body impulsively jerked back, and all in a breaths moment, I felt Hazel's hand slip from mine. Momma snatched me to her but in the meantime I turned my head, watching in horror as my twin sister fell backwards down the steps, her eyes crying for help and arms flailing in the air, attempting to grab something, but nothing in reach. The three of us watch helplessly as her head hit the steps first, her body flipping and thudding down each step. We could hear every bone crack, even see blood coming from her nose and mouth.

I could feel every time she hit each step, I could feel a kink in my neck, my bones and muscles aching, like my spine was being split in half. My heart was in my stomach at this point as I heard her final scream once she reached the floor. I stood, idly still in complete shock, unable to move any muscle. But finally, I caught my breath, gasping and yanking from mommas hand and jumping down the staircase, but once again freezing once I reached the final step.  As I stared, I almost could not bare the cost. My heart shattered to a million pieces, and my stomach retched while the feeling of nausea grew fierce. Her body was prostrated on the floor, face pale and stuck in shock but eyes completely empty. There was a drip of blood coming from the corner of her mouth and a cut on her arm....

It didn't feel real. I could feel a piece of me leave, and I could feel this ongoing pain, but it still didn't feel like reality. A moan slipped from my mouth, which turned to a longing cry. I could feel a fire raging in my chest as I stepped next to her body, collapsing to my knees. As I reached my hand to her, I had to pull back to cover my mouth from vomiting. I shook my head, closing my eyes from the offing image that was burnt into my retina. I gagged, pushing myself away from her as tears rolled down my cheeks. I whined as loud as I could, every feeling pouring out at once. Momma and daddy finally came down, pale in the face and faces stuck in horror. I gritted my teeth as a gurgling feeling rose from my stomach. I pressed my back against the wall, then leaned forward as the vomit chunks came flying out. I coughed and wiped the vomit from my mouth, getting on my hands and knees and crawling to her body again, forcing myself to look at her, knowing well this was not only momma's fault, but mine too. Nothing could undo this. This was set and done... my sister was dead.

Several days later I attended her funeral, carrying around this empty feeling with me, like I was missing something, or maybe I left something at home. But I knew what it was.
After the funeral, momma was sent to prison for four years, house arrest for four more after she gets out, but for now, daddy took the house and me.