kindred

Chapter 14 - Monsters in the dark

"1"

BANG

 A solid noise, like a thunk was all that heard Addie before she was knocked to the floor, the man holding her had collapsed right on top of her. 

The gun in her hand clattered to the floor before it was quickly snatched up. A body had dived in-front of her and picked it up from the floor before firing at the people in front of her. 

Addie watched in horror as they tumbled to the floor. The bullets crushing their skulls and stealing their souls. 

It was over within a matter of seconds. 

Riley had found them, grabbed a tree branch and whacked the man over the head so hard he went unconscious. From the distraction Thomas had been able to dive forward and grab the gun shooting the other two men dead on the spot. 

Addie lay under the man in shock, she didn't move when the body was shoved off of her or when she was gently sat up. 

"Blood" She whispered as she stared at Thomas' beaten face. She didn't know what possessed her but she reached a finger out to touch his face before he caught it in his hand. 

"Hey Addie, it's okay. We're here, nothings gonna hurt you." Riley comforted her. He sat down behind her on the floor and pulled her into his chest, circling his arm's around her. 

"Talk to me Addie." She heard Thomas command as she let her conscious thoughts fade out as she focused on what had happened in the last two hour's. Her life was seriously messed up, just as her brothers were. 

A shaking pulled her out of her thoughts as she realised Thomas had shook her shoulders, trying to make her talk. She couldn't, her brain was like a foggy cloud. 

"She's in shock" Riley said, shoving his large brother off of her. Thomas reached his hand over to comfort her but Addie flinched away. It was an instinct, she didn't do it on purpose. But she still didn't miss the hurt that flashed through his eyes. 

Addie's head whipped around as she heard crunching of branches, the rain had petered off and was now only a slight drizzle. 

The thumping in her chest slowed slightly when she saw Harlan appear from the tree's with Elijah close on his tail. Within seconds ten more men swarmed into the small clearing. Harlan spoke intently on the phone, every few second's glancing over at Addie and her brother's. 

Soon enough he dragged Thomas and Riley away to ask them what happened, Addie kept her eyes on them the whole time, too scared too avert her gaze for even a second. 

She inwardly gasped as Harlan snatched the back of Riley's neck and dragged his face close, just like the man had done to her minutes prior. She guessed it was because he left to go off with a random girl. 

Her view was blocked when Elijah squatted down in front of her. All qualms of him and the gun earlier were forgotten from her mind as she gazed into his soft, loving eyes.

"Hey Addie. You okay?" Concern was etched onto his face as he ran a hand through her wet hair. 

She couldn't bring herself to say the word's so she nodded mutely instead. Elijah's face softened like ice cream in the sun and he reached out to hug his little sister. 

He reached down and picked her up off the floor, holding her to his chest and not setting her down. She rested her head onto his shoulder and wrapped both her arms around his neck, basking in the comfort. The familiar smell reassured her of her brothers presence along with the strong arms that held her tightly. 

Addie was so small that Elijah was easily able to hold her up with one arm, supporting her legs as she clung to him like a koala. 

"It's okay sweetheart. I got you, your big brothers got you." Addie could feel him walking away from the site of the murder. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that Thomas was a murderer even if it was in self-defence.