disgust before, but the look Daniel gave to his father in that moment was so strong it made her very bones turn cold.
Trevor kicked out his leather booted foot, pummelling it into Daniel's stomach. He curled into a tight ball, as his brother continued to hit him with the poker. The metal clanged as Tom frequently missed in his drunken state and hit the floor beside him. The occasional thwap of the poker hitting flesh made Annabel wince as Daniel cried out. His body turned slowly black and blue. Blood seeped from his many wounds yet his eyes never shifted from his father's face. The look inside those eyes grew colder with every second, even as the strength was leaking out of him.
All of this happened in a matter of seconds.
Amidst the horror surrounding them, Patsy had sunk down to the floor to hold her frozen mother, who seemed even more distressed at the nearness of her youngest child. The haggard woman looked on with an impassive expression as her son was beaten, without uttering a single word in protest. Unable to reach the metal jug to repeat her previous attack strategy, Annabel grabbed a bucket full of ice cold water from near the door and poured the lot over the three men. Daniel spluttered and coughed, rolling onto his other side so he could breathe, finally breaking the eye contact with his father. Almost in slow motion his attackers stopped and turned towards the young girl at the door, who had been so submissive upon her first arrival but was now beginning to harden to this wretched way of life.
"You want some of this do you?" growled Tom, raising his poker once more. His grotesquely large muscles bulged with hate as his body swayed in his drunkenness.
"Think o' the money m'boy. We can't ruin her yet."
"You ruined `er in the forest."
Trevor laughed, a rasping sound that rattled a large quantity of phlegm in his throat. It was a sound that took Annabel back to that day, filling her with fear. Tom smiled as well at Trevor's amusement. The bond between the two men was almost sick. Tom seemed always out for his father's approval, whilst his father lived to give it to him.
"I can take you to the point o' death with this poker and then jus' leave ya in the filth wi' the idiot and the animals until you're healed. The reward'd be so big by then that your folks would `ave no choice but to sell me your fancy house."
Tom had stepped over Daniel, careful to tread on his fingers as he went. Daniel groaned and tried to grab his brother's ankle but he just shook him off. Tom stopped so close to Annabel that their noses were almost touching. His rancid breath and unwashed body filled her nostrils so strongly, she had to fight with every ounce of will power she had not to be sick. Tom, another evil grin lighting up his features, turned around and planted a hard kick to Daniel's stomach. Patsy screeched as Tom pushed past Annabel laughing. Trevor followed his favourite son like an obedient dog.
Annabel dropped beside Daniel. The sight of his limp body filled her with a sense of panic. Her heart was beating so quickly it felt as if it were in her mouth. The sound of Patsy and her mother's shrill voices were drowned out by the blood pumping rapidly through Annabel's veins and pounding inside her head. She shook Daniel's shoulder, softly at first but with increased urgency as his body remained motionless. A small drop of blood was now trickling down from the corner of his mouth.
"Daniel!" she screamed over and over again, watching his swollen, unconscious face for any signs of life. Patsy was at their side in a matter of moments, calling his name as well. In a state of utter desperation Patsy drew back her hand, slapping Daniel over the face.
"Patsy!"
But Annabel's scorn was drowned out by another loud screech from Patsy as Daniel's eyes fluttered and a bubble of blood bloomed between his lips, signalling that he was breathing. He coughed as the air rushed back through his body.
"Daniel," Annabel whispered again. Her hands
Trevor kicked out his leather booted foot, pummelling it into Daniel's stomach. He curled into a tight ball, as his brother continued to hit him with the poker. The metal clanged as Tom frequently missed in his drunken state and hit the floor beside him. The occasional thwap of the poker hitting flesh made Annabel wince as Daniel cried out. His body turned slowly black and blue. Blood seeped from his many wounds yet his eyes never shifted from his father's face. The look inside those eyes grew colder with every second, even as the strength was leaking out of him.
All of this happened in a matter of seconds.
Amidst the horror surrounding them, Patsy had sunk down to the floor to hold her frozen mother, who seemed even more distressed at the nearness of her youngest child. The haggard woman looked on with an impassive expression as her son was beaten, without uttering a single word in protest. Unable to reach the metal jug to repeat her previous attack strategy, Annabel grabbed a bucket full of ice cold water from near the door and poured the lot over the three men. Daniel spluttered and coughed, rolling onto his other side so he could breathe, finally breaking the eye contact with his father. Almost in slow motion his attackers stopped and turned towards the young girl at the door, who had been so submissive upon her first arrival but was now beginning to harden to this wretched way of life.
"You want some of this do you?" growled Tom, raising his poker once more. His grotesquely large muscles bulged with hate as his body swayed in his drunkenness.
"Think o' the money m'boy. We can't ruin her yet."
"You ruined `er in the forest."
Trevor laughed, a rasping sound that rattled a large quantity of phlegm in his throat. It was a sound that took Annabel back to that day, filling her with fear. Tom smiled as well at Trevor's amusement. The bond between the two men was almost sick. Tom seemed always out for his father's approval, whilst his father lived to give it to him.
"I can take you to the point o' death with this poker and then jus' leave ya in the filth wi' the idiot and the animals until you're healed. The reward'd be so big by then that your folks would `ave no choice but to sell me your fancy house."
Tom had stepped over Daniel, careful to tread on his fingers as he went. Daniel groaned and tried to grab his brother's ankle but he just shook him off. Tom stopped so close to Annabel that their noses were almost touching. His rancid breath and unwashed body filled her nostrils so strongly, she had to fight with every ounce of will power she had not to be sick. Tom, another evil grin lighting up his features, turned around and planted a hard kick to Daniel's stomach. Patsy screeched as Tom pushed past Annabel laughing. Trevor followed his favourite son like an obedient dog.
Annabel dropped beside Daniel. The sight of his limp body filled her with a sense of panic. Her heart was beating so quickly it felt as if it were in her mouth. The sound of Patsy and her mother's shrill voices were drowned out by the blood pumping rapidly through Annabel's veins and pounding inside her head. She shook Daniel's shoulder, softly at first but with increased urgency as his body remained motionless. A small drop of blood was now trickling down from the corner of his mouth.
"Daniel!" she screamed over and over again, watching his swollen, unconscious face for any signs of life. Patsy was at their side in a matter of moments, calling his name as well. In a state of utter desperation Patsy drew back her hand, slapping Daniel over the face.
"Patsy!"
But Annabel's scorn was drowned out by another loud screech from Patsy as Daniel's eyes fluttered and a bubble of blood bloomed between his lips, signalling that he was breathing. He coughed as the air rushed back through his body.
"Daniel," Annabel whispered again. Her hands
Similar Books
