It was Saturday and, as usual, Jane was working. She was in front of the counter, alone, reading a magazine. Joyce let her alone, she had some things to buy and trusted Jane enough to leave her alone at the store. Jane kinda appreciated the gesture, she didn't think it was because she was a good employee but more because there were any customers. But this time, someone entered. Jane looked up, ready to welcome them but she didn't. She froze. This man was not here to buy something. She saw him only one time, but she knew who he was.
Neil was standing in front of her, eyes full of anger, nostrils dilated, heavy breathing, torso forward, and fists closed. He walked to her with heavy steps, grabbed her by her jacket, and threw her above the counter on the shelves with cigarettes boxes. Jane fell on her belly, her face hitting the floor, making her more dizzy than before. Her back was hurting so much that she thought it was stuck. She tried to stand, taking support on her shaking arms, but Neil grabbed again her jacket and threw her behind. She hit another shelf with batteries on it, which all fell on her.
The man walked to her and tried to grab her again, but Jane kicked his knee, making him lose his balance and falling on the floor, enabling the girl to stand. Before he could do the same, she kicked him in his torso, cutting his breathing.
She was going to leave, but the man grabbed her ankle and made her fall on the floor. He placed himself on her, crushing her body, before punching her in the face. Jane felt a brutal pain in her nose and a liquid flowing of it, going to her mouth. Neil punched her in the jaw many time, getting her dizzy. Her vision began to be blurry because of the tears and she could hardly breath with the blood flowing in her throat. He grabbed her jacket and raised her face to his and screamed :
- "STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!"
- "STEP DAUGHTER!" Jane yelled.
She spat on him the blood she had in her mouth and hit his face with her head. The man fell on his side while Jane rolled on the other side, spitting the blood on the floor and trying to catch her breath. She tried to stand, but Neil kicked her in her face. She stayed unconscious a few seconds. A pain in her shoulder woke her up. Neil was hitting the floor with her body, and managed to dislocate her left shoulder. When he was over, he stood and began to take off his belt. Jane tried to crawl on the floor but her wounds were sending her electricity in her entire body, making every movement a sorrow.
The belt was now out. He whipped her with it, again and again. The young girl tried to protect her face the best she could with her hand, but it was not enough. She could feel every hit on her skin, cutting her face, cutting her hand, making her bleed more. She saw no end to this, she didn't know if he was going to kill her or not.
Neil brutally stopped hitting her. Jane's vision was still blurry and her ears were buzzing, she didn't know what was happening. She slowly opened her eyes and saw someone yelling at him. When her vision became clearer, she saw Neil going away and recognised Joyce. The woman crouched next to Jane and helped her to sit.
- "Are you okay?" Joyce asked with a concerned tone. "I called an ambulance and the police, just stay awake Jane, okay?"
She examined the young girl and sat her against a shelf, which wasn't on the floor, and went to the back store to take her first aid kit. When she came back, she disinfected Jane's cuts and pressed her nose, holding Jane against her chest.
A bit further, the man was in direction of his home, bleeding from his lips and nose, but with angry eyes. When he entered, his wife and Max were in the living room.
- "Oh my god! What happened!?" Susan asked with a worried tone.
But Neil ignored her. He went directly to Max, grabbed her by her tee-shirt with his bloody hands, and blocked her against a wall, his face close to hers. Max was struggling and breathing heavily with her nose, but her step-father was stronger than her.
- "I know what you are," Neil firmly told. "You're gonna stop that shit, do you hear me?"
- "What are you talking about!?" Max replied, scared.
- "If you don't, next time, I kill her."
Max frowned. She understood what he was talking about.
- "What have you done to her!?"
- "What she deserved!" Neil yelled, blocking more Max. "Break up with her, those persons are not human! Am I clear!?"
She didn't answer. She felt the tears coming in her eyes, and she didn't want to break up with Jane, she was in love with her!
- "AM I CLEAR!?" Neil repeated, louder.
- "YES! Yes, I, I will," Max said with a shaking voice and tears falling.
- "Good."
Neil let her go before slapping her and leaving the house. Max collapsed on the floor trying to hold her tears while her mother was just standing there, under shock.
- "Thanks for your help!" Max snapped.
She stood and went to her room. She didn't want to break up with Jane, but she had to or both of them would have problems.