“You selfish bastard,” he growled and slapped her across the cheek. Bastard? He said the word, but it was so weird coming out of his mouth; it was as if it was someone else’s words. It didn’t fit. The slap echoed through the room and Violet hissed through her teeth, gripping the side of her face. But she didn’t make a sound. “How dare you speak to me like that after everything I’ve done for you? We are a family. You need to remember that.”
My blood ran cold. He wanted me to be a part of his family. He was going to keep me here. I already had a family—parents I’d skipped out on before saying good-bye properly, a brother I’d argued with before leaving.
Violet stood straight and something inside her changed. Her eyes darkened, her nose turned up, and she spat straight into his face. “We’re not a family, you psycho,” she shouted, wrenching her arm from his grip.
The noise that broke through his clenched teeth was animalistic and throaty; no part of it sounded human. I should have ran but fear kept me planted to the floor. Violet fell down, crying in pain from one hard shove. “Get it off me,” he bellowed and flailed his arms around frantically. My eyes widened in horror. It’s just a bad, bad dream that you need to wake up from right now, I told myself. But I didn’t wake up.
Poppy jumped up, grabbing the tissues and a bottle of sanitizer from the table beside me. I’d noticed a few other bottles around too—on the bookshelf, kitchen counter, and TV stand. She wiped his face and handed him the sanitizer, and he squirted it on his trembling hand and then rubbed it on his face. Rose and Poppy exchanged a look. I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew whatever it was, I wouldn’t like it.
He turned to face Violet, and she slowly backed up until she was pressed up against the wall again. I gulped. What now? Rose and Poppy moved to either side of me in a protective manner. Oh God. I gulped and clenched my trembling hands. This isn’t real.
Cocking his head to the side, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. I froze. No! He was going to kill her. He was going to stab her right in front of us. Why weren’t they doing anything? No one was doing anything. Was this what that look was about? Did they know this was going to happen?
“What?” I whispered, trying and failing to look away. Why couldn’t you look away from something bad? It’s like we’re all programed to punish ourselves.
“No, please. Clover, I’m sorry, please don’t,” she begged, holding her hands out in front of her and crouching slightly in surrender. He shook his head. Deep, heavy breaths burst from his lungs. I could only see the side of his face from where I was standing, but what I saw of it was cold and detached. “You’re right. I am so sorry. We are a family. You’re my family, and I forgot that for a second. Please forgive what I said. I should have never doubted you.” She shook her head. “You’ve always done what’s best for us. If it wasn’t for you, we’d all probably be dead now. You saved us. All you do is take care of us, and I treated you badly just then. I’m so very sorry.”
He tilted his head and his eyes softened. He stood taller with pride. What just happened? Was that how it worked, stroke his overinflated, screwed-up ego and you had a chance?
I held my breath as time stretched in front of us. The only noise was his and Violet’s heavy breathing. Rose and Poppy stood wide-eyed as they waited for his decision. The atmosphere was heavy and tense.
Rose was the first one to relax her shoulders as he lowered the knife in his hand. “I forgive you, Violet,” he said and turned to walk away without another word. I watched on, eyes bulging and frozen from the shock and fear. My lips were dry, and my nose stung from the citrus smell of lemon cleaning products.
Rose, Poppy, and Violet silently sat on the sofa and held hands while I stood stock still, like an idiot waiting to wake up.
3
SUMMER
Saturday, 24th July (Present)
“What was that?” I whispered, staring at the closed, heavy cellar door. The thing was thick, like it’d been reinforced or something.
“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have questioned him,” Violet said from behind me.
I recoiled in horror and turned to look at her. “Your fault? What you said was right. Was he seriously going to stab you then?” I wanted at least one of them to say no. Their silence said everything.
“Come and sit, Lily. We’ll answer whatever you want to know,” Rose said, stroking Violet’s shaking hand. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know anything.
Gulping my fear down, I sat on the end of the sofa. We just about fit on it all together; he must have bought it especially for four people. I was surprised that it was so comfortable. Everything down here, minus the smell, was comfortable and homey. The soft light-blue of the walls and light wooden surfaces and table made it look inviting. If the cleanly smell weren’t so potent, it would be a gorgeous room. It was completely out of place in this psychopath’s house.