As Len refused to eat, but Miku and Rin insisted, I felt his gaze turn to me.
I pointed at the plate in front of him. "Eat it Len" I said and he sighed.
He took a bite and everyone say down to eat. I knew why he didn't want to eat, and I guessed he had looked at me to ask if I would tell. I wouldn't. I knew it had been more than a week since he last ate, but he made sure to feed me and Roger everyday.
No one knew, but I hated when dad beat him just for eating.
Flashback
Roger and I watched as Dad dragged Len to his room and Len kicked and struggled, obviously afraid.
His room was a simple white and the walls covered in blood. It contained a small bed and box for his clothes. Other then that it was empty.
"Please daddy, don't hurt me!" He pleaded, his six year old body trembled as Dad took Len's shirt off and Len grabbed daddy's arm and he looked at him, his eyes wide in fear.
I felt bad for him, often times I didn't even know why dad hurt Len. Dad never hurt me or Roger.
Daddy slapped Len's face and Len cried out in pain.
"Be quiet!" He shouted at Len, forcefully placing Len's hands on the wall and then taking off his belt.
Len was clearly trying to obey and be quiet but couldn't still his crying.
I just watched as dad's belt buckle met with Len's back and he screamed in pain.
Dad hit him an uncountable amount of times, finally stopping when Len fell to the ground, shaking in pain, clearly weak and unable to even cry from the beating.
Daddy left, throwing Len's shirt at his body and walked past me and Roger.
Roger heard mommy in the kitchen and ran to her, telling her he was hungry.
I went over to daddy.
"Daddy? Why do you hurt Len so badly?" I asked, climbing onto his lap as he was sitting on the couch.
"Well, because, he's not important. When he eats, it's a waste of my money and daddy works hard to make money to support you, Roger and mommy" he said, caressing my hair with his hands.
I was confused, and didn't quite understand, but nodded. I was only four, maybe I'd understand when I was older.
After awhile Roger ran up and started pulling me to the bedroom because he wanted to play.
As we walked by Len's room, I looked in. He was curled up on the bed, still shirtless and his blood still trickled down his back.
I felt bad for him, but if daddy said he shouldn't eat then he shouldn't eat. Simple as that I thought.
End flashback
Now that I'm older I realize Len does need to eat and shouldn't be beat for it, but dad still did beat him for eating.
Usually I try to be out of the house when it happens, because I just like seeing the fear, not Len actually in pain. It was sad.
But I hadn't seen anything other then happy Len around Miku and Rin, and I truthfully enjoyed it. I wished I could be a better sister and make him smile like they do, but something was wrong with me.
I wasn't okay, I was a bratty selfish jerk.
I knew no one would agree with that, Len included, but it was true.
And if I ever said anything of the sort daddy and mommy would assume Len said that about me and would hurt him, so I never told anyone about how I felt.
We all finished eating and Miku asked if there were any more chores to be done.
"Um, no, I think we are done with chores" Len said looking around and then looking at the clock which read 1:07pm.
"And mom will be home in about three hours" he said and Rin and Miku nodded.
"So, what are we gonna do as we wait?" Rin asked, and I shouted "The park!"
Len looked hesitant, but everyone agreed and we went to the park, I ran ahead.
Me, Len, Rin and Miku played but eventually Rin and Miku went away, I didn't exactly hear why. Probably just to talk.
Len looked kinda on edge, but I couldn't blame him. He got beat up yesterday when he got out of the house, and if he was caught out of the house dad and mom would punish him.
But he did his best to play with me and have fun.
I hoped these days never ended, with me and Len and Rin playing and Len actually being happy.
I was happier than ever.