Sacrifices

Vevay and Newlyn Davis with Hugh and Gwen Davis

Note, this log takes place 11 years ago

Her father shook his head sadly as he wrapped his belt around his hand slowly. He sighed at his little girl who was crying and sobbing her apology and wringing her hands. "Don't beg, little one, you know what it gets you."

Vevay sobbed even harder as she whimpered. "Please, Daddy," the girl of ten begged. "Please..." The snarl from her father made her flinch and drop to the floor.

"I told you not to beg," he growled as he poked her with his foot. "Get up and go to your room. Now."

She scampered away, curling up on her head and burying herself in the covers, shivering and still sobbing. Her hand had slipped, she'd poured hot gravy all over her Momma's lap. She'd apologised and Momma was fine but Daddy was angry, really angry, shaking and white with it. But he had that sadness that meant pain, more pain than normal, the kind that left her spinning and wheeling for days after. Vevay could hear Momma asking him to be lenient, to let it go this once. A hard slap and a crash made the girl flinch and cry even harder.

"Don't you dare question my authority!" her father roared from the other room.

Vevay's heart beat in time with the thump of her father's feet up the corridor. But suddenly there was an almighty crash and a howl of pain from her father. For the briefest moment, she felt sickening satisfaction but then her door flew open and a metal toy exploded against her wall.

"Is that yours?!" he yelled.

It was Newlyn's, Vevay knew it, but instead she nodded quickly. "Yes, Daddy, I'm sorry for leaving my toys out."

"Oh," he growled, " you will be..."

A pair of emerald eyes watched as the door to his sister's room was slammed shut but filled with tears. Newlyn hugged his arms around himself, feeling himself cry really hard. He started to move toward the room, his hand outstretched to knock, but it was snatched away by his mother.

"No," she whispered, her eye already blossoming into blackness, "let it be, little man, don't draw his attention to you. Once he starts, he never stops. Your sister knows what she's doing."

"But Mommy..." he sobbed as he was lifted into the frail woman's arms and carried away. "I want to protect her too..."

"I know, little man, one day when you're strong... when you're stronger than he is..." Gwen rocked her little boy, flinching for every crack of a belt she heard in the other room.