Stop him, please

As Catalina races up the creaky stairs, Sarah and Reese follow suit. 

Catalina busted open the boys' door. "What's wrong?" She paused to catch her breath. "I heard something fall."

"Mama, it was Reese." Ian pointed an accusing finger at his younger brother. "He pushed me  off the top bunk."

"I got there first this time, mama." Little Reese countered.

"And that made you push your brother off like that." Catalina scolded.

"But mama..." Reese protested.

"I don't want to hear it, apologize to your brother this instant." She told Reese peremptorily. 

There was a lot of to and fro between the boys before Reese finally apologized.

Reese still seemed taut as he stood as a spectator to the scene before him. He was watching the past events of his life unfold. He had not been able to be grateful for the homely peace he had with his family before but now he did. Unfortunately, for him and the strange woman beside him they were about to witness the advent of the array of events that tore a hole in his relationship with his family. That was if he could do anything about it.

Sarah stood in awe at the happenings around. She was being given a glimpse of a man's past without any inaccuracies. The past of a man whose present was so dim despite his prosperity that he needed help to overcome the shadow cast upon him. In between Reese's odd appeal to their situation or maybe her own intuition, something told her that more was to come for the night. 

Catalina went back downstairs to Todd where they finished eating. Reese and Sarah stayed upstairs. Reese himself continued to watch his little self go up to no good with his elder brother. It was amusing to watch, even for Sarah. There were some times she giggled and catch herself only to remember that they couldn't be heard.

They stood like what felt like no time at all but for some reason felt like an eternity. 

"Don't go to sleep yet, mama will soon come to say goodnight," Ian said out of nowhere like he had been contemplating it before.

Reese was quiet. Both Reeses are in the room were quiet.

"We have to leave." Older Reese said hastily.

"Huh? but..." She resisted.

"No, we are leaving now." Clasping her hand and pulling her towards the exit. His hand was moist he was more nervous than she assumed.

"Reese, where are we going?" 

"Anywhere else..." His voice faded.

"But I don't know how to go ba..." She heard footsteps coming upstairs. She didn't need to check who it was. It was either the dragging of the feet or irritating sloppiness of the sounds resonating from the sole of the person's boot. It was Todd.

Was he coming to say goodnight? Sarah's eyes wandered over Reese's fine features and proved her hypothesis wrong. They walked right through Todd which made Sarah cringe. Reese's mood seemed to have deviated to anxiousness. To leave the house. 

Something bad was about to ensue. 

"Mama!" Little Reese shrieked.

"Shut the fuck up, you bastard," Todd snapped.

Sarah's instinct took over. "We have to help him, something's not right." Only to find a Reese still pulling her towards the door.

Sarah pulled herself out of Reese's grasp, running up the stairs again. Reese jumped into action pulling her back.

"This... that is none of your business." Older Reese growled at her, eyes blazing something that wasn't anger.

She was shocked by his sudden shift in ambience. She looked up at him for a moment before her eyes widened with realization. She couldn't just leave while the boys...

"No, don't hurt her." A voice cried out.

 She couldn't place it this time. "Hurt who? Reese." She was looked up at him her hands bound by his big hands, his body blocking the stairs.

"Let me go, let me go now! Reese." Struggled to push at his unmovable chest.

"No, please leave us alone." One of the boys screamed. Then a whip is heard coming down on... or was it a belt?" The screaming got louder.

"No Reese we have to help..."

The boys are weeping louder as another strike comes down.

"Don't wake the neighbours." He roared at the boys. "If you do I will..." Todd's voice goes down again.

Another strike, then another, then another. Muffled sobbing is heard in the background. 

Sarah tries again to run up but this time Reese wraps his arm around her waist holding her hostage. She turned to face him squarely tears gathering behind her eyes. "Sarah, this is my life stay out of it." He appeared to be subtly pleading but his face was still distorted with some emotion she could not recognize.

"Reese, please..." 

He stayed undeterred to her begging.

"They are kids, he is hurting them, he is hurting you." The sound is heard this time but louder. Sarah flinches

"We  didn't do anything wrong, please stop." She isolated the voice this time. It was Reese. He would be around eight now how could she let this happen? Catalina! Sarah thought, there was still hope.

Adrenaline rushed through Sarah pulling herself free once again. She moved towards the kitchen only to find no one there.

"She can't help, she won't," Reese said, his voice filled with despondency.

She ignored him looking into the rooms she was allowed and could find. The sounds of whipping and occasional loud weeping filled the house.

She found Catalina in a room presumably sleeping. The room reeked of sex. 

"Wake up, please." Trying to touch her to no avail. The woman was unresponsive and appeared to be high. She was talking in shambles. 

"Mama!" A shrill voice rang through the house once afterwards a particularly loud strike is heard. Still no useful response from Catalina.

Sarah flinches as the gathered tears escape her lids.  Hopelessness slashed through her like a heated blade.

"Stop him, please." She lets out a heart-wrenching scream finally breaks down completely. Strong arms envelop her with but no urgency this time.

She felt safe and lets herself melt into Reese's embrace.

"It's okay you don't have to be here anymore." His velvety voice caresses her ears making them tingle. His breath washes over her again.

"We are going home." 

It all felt so real that she doesn't understand until she looks down to see the pendant around her neck glowing brightly.

Please review I want to know what you think of this particular chapter. Is it well expressed? 😅