"Honey, we have a few questions for you and your brother," she says, placing her hand on mine.
We're currently sitting in the living room together. The T.V. is on, but no one is watching it.
"Okay," I say quietly. I knew this was coming the moment I woke up last night. If only I had known before how this was going to happen.
"Your father," his mom starts, "he's been doing this since your mom died?"
"Yeah," I say, then realize I should correct myself, "well, actually, no. He started doing it about a year later."
I purse my lips as I fiddle with my fingers. My eyes stay glued to the floor.
"What would he do?" Ryder asks. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't look up.
"He'd, um," I fidget with my hands more, and squeeze my eyes shut, "he'd hit us- me. He'd, uh, he'd use other things, too. And-"
"Other things?" Mrs. Daniels asks. I swallow down the burning lump in my throat.
What is wrong with you, Dawn? You're never like this.
"Knives, whips, glass," I say with a shaky voice, "he used a bat once. Boiling water. But he didn't just beat on me."
"What else?" Ryder asks with a clenched jaw.
"He'd starve us. He'd never allow us to eat at home, he never gave us money to get food at school or anything. I'd always sneak into his room and find some cash laying around to give Jesse for lunch, but he's still just as unhealthy as I am. And then when I do get food, my body rejects it if I eat too much or if it contains a lot of sugar or fat. That's why I usually just eat an apple when I have the chance to get one at school," I look up at Ryder as I explain that to him.
"That's why you disappeared from the hospital," his mom says.
"And that's why you threw up when you ate that donut," Ryder adds.
"We weren't allowed to have friends," Jesse tells them, "it was against the rules."
"Rules?" They both say in unison.
"Yeah," I nod, "we also weren't allowed to talk," I look Ryder in the eyes, "neither of us were aloud to talk, we had to pretend to be mutes. Jesse blew it on the first of school when we got here, though. So it was just me that had to keep following it."
"Shit, Dawn," Ryder frowns, "I was such a dick to you over that, I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay, you didn't know," I look back at the ground.
"Were there other rules?"
"Well, there were school rules, and there were house rules," Jesse tells them.
"What were the school rules?"
Jesse and I look at each other, and recite them together.
"Rule number one, we are not to talk to anyone under any circumstances. To the rest of the world, we are to be assumed as mutes. Two, no friends whatsoever, as they could find out what happens in our house. Three, nothing but good grades, no detention, and no trouble. If this does not happen, there will be consequences. Four, no boyfriends or girlfriends. They might find out or you might tell them. Five, if we feel that someone is getting suspicious, tell father immediately so that we can move."
"What about house rules?" Mrs. Daniel asks. I decide to explain these ones.
"One, always have dinner ready before he gets home. Two, never touch the groceries without permission. No one is aloud over at any time," I count on my fingers as I continue listing them all off, "Never run away from father. Never talk back or question father. Never leave unless you're dismissed. Don't talk without permission from him. Do I need to go on, or do y'all get the point?"
"We get it," Ryder says as he rubs his temples.
"You said he used whips? And knives?" Mrs. Daniels eyes tear up.
I just nod, not wanting to go into detail. Her hand covers her mouth as she tries not to cry.
"All those scars," her lip trembles, "the ones I stitched up, were from.."
I look at the door again, and nod once more.
"Oh my," she gasps as she quietly cries.
"It's okay, Mrs. Daniels," Jesse assures, "he cant hurt us anymore, you saved us."
I don't look up, or say anything else.
They might have saved us, but can they keep us safe?