Four or Dead by G O A

Four or Dead

Flashback, Reyes 7 years old

Loud shouting and the sound of objects breaking come from downstairs

I am hiding under the bed in the small, messy room I share with Alec, my older brother. I have always been scared when our parents fought

Lately, it has been happening more frequently than before

My father, Ander, works many hours and is rarely home. When he is home, he spends as much time as possible with Alec and me

My mother, Roxanne, fills her days with drinking and is drunk most of the time. When Alec and I return from school, we often find her passed out on the couch. There were times when we found her with other men, drinking or inhaling a white powder through their noses-cocaine, Alec called it. I have never liked those men. Especially Azael. He has always looked at Alec and me in a way that makes me uncomfortable

Sometimes, Azael and Mother would go into my parents' bedroom

Since her room is next to mine, I could hear strange noises coming from there. When I asked Alec about it, he told me to ignore it

I even started to think Azael was hitting Mother. Once, when Mother was screaming Azael's name, I was on the verge of tears because I thought he was killing her. Alec took out his guitar, the one our father got for him the first time he went to a very special place on the day he turned twelve-which I am not yet allowed to know about-and played a song, calming my nerves

When I turned seven, some months ago, Azael brought me a book about angels and demons. It told the story of how the demons rebelled against Heaven, and God cast them out. Father told Alec and me that the demons left Heaven because the angels became corrupt, so I confronted Father about his lies. When asked where I heard about the angels being good, I showed him the book and told him about Azael. That day, my parents had their real first fight

The front door slams and only Mother can be heard yelling, letting me know my father has left. Knowing what will happen in the next few minutes, I curl into a ballPlease check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

"Tt will be alright. I won't let her harm you anymore," Alec tells me. He has been sitting on the bed since the start of the fight

A few minutes of peace followed, and I think Mother might not be mad at me tonight. I am about to get out from under the bed when I hear

footsteps down the hall, and I freeze

The door to the room opens

"Where are you, you little piece of shit?!" Mother stands in the doorframe, a belt belonging to my father in her right hand

Mother's slurred voice has me peeing my shorts. I bite my fist. Will she be even angrier with me now?

Alec stands. "Mom, you should go to your room and lay in bed. You are not well."

"Of course, I am not well! Your father left me because that little bastard couldn't keep his mouth shut!" she screeches. "But I will teach him to never open his mouth again."

"Mom, please!" Alec, who is seven years older than me, has always been my hero. And now, he sounds as frightened as I feel

"He is hiding under the bed, isn't he?" she asked

"T don't know where he is." Alec tries to push her out of the room

"You dare protect Reyes after all he has done?!" she yelled

"He is only seven," Alec keeps defending me

"Almost a man. And tonight, I will teach you two what it means to be the sons of a Lord."

Mother has never hit Alec before. Only me. Until now

She pushes Alec onto the bed, and while I can't see what is happening, I can hear the sound of the belt on skin, followed by Alec's scream. I can't let him be punished because of me

I get out from under the bed. Mother does not see me as she is facing away from me. When she is about to hit Alec again, I grab her attention

"There you are," she says as she hits Alec one more time with the belt

"The bastard that ruined my life," she yells and grabs me by the hair, and throws me on the floor. "Did you just soil yourself?"

I try to talk, but only a faint whimper comes out of my mouth. She hits me with the belt over my bare legs. When I scream out in pain, she laughs

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"Mom, don't!" Alec tries to intervene, but she slaps him across the face so hard that he hits his head on the nightstand and falls next to the bed

"You killed him!" I wail when Alec does not move or make any sound

Mother ignores me and continues to hit me with the belt until my legs are full of bruises, welts, and blood. The first time she hit me was the day I told my father about Azael, but she has never been so vicious "Look at the mess you made. Go clean yourself," she orders me. Before leaving, she kicks Alec, and he groans. "See? He is still alive."

When the door closes behind her, I drag myself to where Alec is. "Wake up!" I beg my brother as I shake him

Alec turns on his back. His left brow is split in two, the bone visible. I put my head on Alec's chest and cry silently. Alec puts his arms around me, and we stay like that until I calm down

"Let's get you cleaned up," Alec says. I nod in his chest

Alec takes me to our bathroom, gets me in the shower, and helps me clean the blood from my legs. Before taking me back to the room, Alec grabs a hand towel from a rack and puts it against his brow, stopping

the blood flow

"Do you want me to play the guitar for you?" Alec asks as he sits on the bed. "Could you bring it to me? I am a little dizzy."

I grab the guitar from the corner where Alec had put it earlier. It is still plugged in, and I sit next to Alec on the bed. I love listening to Alec play the guitar. One day, I will also learn. Then, we will play together, run away from home, and become famous

Alec is on the second song when the door opens again, and Azael enters. Mother follows him

Azael looks at me and frowns. "Boy, what happened to you?"

I glance at Mother-who is drinking wine from a glass-then back at Azael. "I got punished."

Azael turns around and grabs Mother by the neck. He whispers something into her ear as he pets her hair. Mother nods nervously, and Azael lets go of her

"Boy," Azael tells me. "You are to come with me." I shake my head. Azael scares me more than my mother

"Do as Azael says or else you will receive another beating," Mother retorts

My eyes widen with fear, and Alec puts his left arm around me

"Wherever my brother goes, I go." "Quiet you!" Mother orders Alec. "And only your brother goes." "If Reyes leaves with Azael, I will do the same," Alec says

An evil grin appears on Azael's face. "Two Lord's children for the price of one."

"Alec is not part of the deal," Mother intervenes

"T wasn't talking to you," Azael sneers at Mother. When she tries to speak again, Azael cuts her short, "You want me to tell your husband you sold your children to the Dukes?" She lowers her head. "Come," Azael says to Alec and I "Where are you taking us?" Alec asks

"To get your wounds treated."

"Can I take my guitar with me?" "Yes."

End of the flashback

Chapter Comments POST Rebecca Hopper & oh no!!!! she destroyed his brothers guitar but they drove her to 5 everything she done Samantha O'Connor Delosrios

CI

The first time she hit me wasn't *

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