The Perfect Family

12

Time. Time. Time.

     It just takes time, right? Yes, but we also needed to escape ASAP. That night I gazed at the burning stars, twinkling and shining brighter than anything. I cleared my head,taking  a deep breath when I got to my feet. I crept down the attic stairs and eased the door open, my eyes glaring in the darkness. Snores erupted from the door at the end of the hallway, shaking the walls, disturbing the peace.

I needed to stop those snores.

I crept along the side of the hall, glaring at the door. If no one was going to stop them, I was. I eased the door open ever so slowly, the snores louder, rattling my brain. I crept towards the bed, thinking about grabbing the pillow, but thought better of it. I wasn't about to murder them.

I put my hand over Harold's nose, pinching it together so air wasn't making its way through his lungs. He sputtered, coughing before throwing a fist out, striking me in the nose.

I fell to the ground, pinching my own nose, trying to stop the blood flow when he got to his feet.

"Ahh, Autumn, nice to see you were trying to kill me." He gasped, his eyes wide in mock sarcasm.

I applauded on the inside. What great sarcasm.

"I wasn't." I said, my voice sounding weird. You know when you pinch your nose together to make your friends laugh at your voice? That's how I felt. Except I was trying to stop the blood flow. And this wasn't funny.

"I think you'll like the shed tonight, maybe tomorrow as well, yes?" He asked yanking me up by my arm. So there wasn't a basement. There was a shed. Hmm.

"Eh, I could honestly care less." I stuttered, wiping the blood from my face, shivering as some of it drifted down my throat.

"Oh, well then you won't mind if you're in there for a week then?" Harold asked, chuckling deeply. Was this guy drunk? His eyes had a weird shine in them, as he pulled me out of the house and across the property.

      The pale moonlight casted shadows across his face as he paused outside of a small wooden shed.

       "This will be your home for three days. No food. No water. I'll be back."  He paused before opening the door.

      "Looks comfy." I shrugged, taking a step in. There wasn't a lock on it, I could easily just open the door and walk back to the house for food.

      I stepped inside,becoming uncomfortable as he followed me in. Maybe he was drunk.

     "Just to make sure you can't get out, put your hands behind your back,and put your feet together." He said tugging down rope from a shelf.

       "This just made this extra comfortable." I shrugged sitting down, doing as he said. I watched as he strung the rope around my ankles, grabbing another piece to tie across my wrists.

         "Watch out for rats." He whispered before closing the shed door, leaving me entirely in the dark.

     Rats?!

     "Um, you can come get me now!" I screamed, when it hit me. How could rats be in a shed? Why did they even have a shed in the middle of their property?! I gazed around, waiting for my eyes to adjust. The humid air snuck underneath the door of the shed, and I soon began to sweat. The ropes around my wrists began to itch as I began to tug at them.

The rope seared at my wrists,and soon enough they began to burn. Without any light, I knew the skin was raw, I could feel it. I shut my eyes tight, whispering into the dead air. I missed my mothers soft hands as she hugged me, telling me goodnight. I missed my fathers rough, scratchy voice as he told me my curfew, his smile, and his laugh. I opened my eyes, tears sliding down my face.