Chapter I

Sylphi

I slowly open my eyes as my consciousness slides back. My head is probably facing the window if I am to judge by the way light spills inside.

Broken glass draws my attention as flickering lights of red and blue shine on it. First red, then blue, and so on.

"Why is there glass on the floor?" I think to myself.

"Am I also on the floor?"

The hard cold surface that presses against my body confirms my assumption.

Everything about this feels familiar, a déjà Vu. But it's not a dream; rather, it's the result of far too many similar encounters.

I make a poor decision by trying to move my head. My already blurry vision worsens as buzzing sounds erupt from my ears.

Each breath I take hurts. My limbs are not responding to any attempt I make to move them.

I need to get up, I need to find my sister and brother, but my body won't cooperate.

I try to remember how I ended up here, but my memories are hazy.

I try harder, but everything is pitch black in my head.

Within my memories, two big figures emerge from the shadow, slowly creeping towards me.

My heart starts racing as dread washes over me. One hand reaches out and as soon as it touches my head, memories come crashing back.

My sister is on the floor, and our foster "parent", James, holds her down as she struggles and kicks.

Another guy is between her thighs, raining punches on her body.

I remember grabbing a vase and swinging it at the other guy. The vase breaks into tiny pieces as he falls over.

I try to remember more, but after a sharp pain in the back of my head, everything turns hazy.

All I remember hearing are the desperate cries of my brother.

I shake those memories away and focus on the present.

I try to take in my surroundings better but to no avail.

I see shadows on my right side moving around. Some are in dark colors, some are in red.

Red…

My eyes start to sting as tears fill them. Someone must have called for help. At least this time they did the right thing I guess and did not ignore our screams.

Relief washes over me with the hope that my siblings have a better chance of being safe.

They have to be okay.

We survived similar encounters, this is nothing.

We will come out of this stronger like we always do.

From the corner of my eye, a shadow looms over me.It seems agitated, trying to get me to respond.

"Sorry Mister Shadow., the buzzing is too strong and I can't quite hear what you are saying."

I try to blink but I am not sure I can manage even that.

Another shadow comes next to him, they keep moving frantically around me, I think they are yelling something.

I try to focus my eyesight, hoping I can catch a glimpse of familiar faces.

Disappointment washes over me as the blur persists.

A warm hand grasps my wrist, I think they are checking my pulse.

It's there, don`t worry, I will not let those bastards win.

I feel a sting in my arm.

Light flashes in my eyes and I can feel them starting to tear from it.

Cold light, probably a flashlight. So they are checking my eyes' reflexes. Could mean I have a head injury. Would explain the pain I felt after hitting the bastard in the head.

I try to follow the steps they take, to keep my mind busy. I remember reading in a medical book that for head injuries, they need the patient to be awake, so they can check if their condition worsens.

Oh, I remember, tomorrow there was a livestream of a medical conference. Guessing from how things are right now, I will miss it for sure.

The pain starts to fade away. The sting earlier most likely from a needle to an IV bag with something for the pain.

Not the best choice. I need the adrenaline in me, once that fades my body will relax.

With each passing second, that is exactly what happens.

My body relaxes, the rush fades and I start feeling tired, sleepy.

So tired… If I close my eyes maybe for just a few seconds I will have some strength to move or reply.

My eyes grow heavier with each passing second until everything around me turns dark.

I feel my body being lifted and placed on something solid, a stretcher probably.

I try to tell myself everything will be okay, that when I wake up, all three of us will be together again, just us, just the way we always had been.

Three unwanted orphans against the world.

Knox

I sit in the corner, my legs shaking as I still ride the high from earlier.

Flashes of my sisters on the floor in a fetal position, trying to cover their bodies as best as they can.

And then he appears James, the foster shit.

Drunk and high out of his mind, yelling and kicking Sera.

His other two friends come into view and I know I just lost it then, as everything seems to have happened in a flash.

My eyes drift from my bruised knuckles towards the torn sleeve.

I think to myself: "Fuck! This was a gift from Sylphi…. Sylphi…"

I raise my head and look at her almost lifeless body across the room. Her torn clothes reveal skin filled with cuts and bruises.

"Those fucking bastards, I swear I will kill them," I whisper under my breath.

Cops are walking around her, checking the scene I guess. They look calm…unbothered…

I don't know if my head is playing pranks on me but I swear I saw them smirk while whispering to each other. "Do they even care?" I think to myself.

I can hear in the distance the ambulances arriving, their lights shining even brighter in the room.

The police officers already dragged the shits out, probably taking them to the station.

They haven't even bothered to get my statement as of yet, It is not like it matters to them, it never does.

I should have stayed home, why did I take that job?

If I knew the fucker would bring his friends over today, I would have made sure both my sisters were out of the house. I learned firsthand how worse James gets when he is plastered and "encouraged".

Sylphi also had a gig today, I should be happy that she arrived before me and helped Sera but fuck… She took the worst beating.

I rub my face with my hands, guilt building inside.

My clothes are covered in dried blood.

Well, mine and some from those bastards.

I try to lean back on the chair to calm down.

I ignore the throbbing pain in my sides. My left shoulder is dropping, probably dislocated.

Rage takes over my body again. It's always the same with these types of people.

They apply to be foster parents so they can get some easy bucks.

I have been there and seen others going through the same ordeal.

Physical abuse, mental abuse, rape, starvation, and so on.

It`s always the fucking same.

Most of our cases are buried. The better the image the state portrays to the public, the more public approval they get. They can't afford to show how unvented most of the foster parents are or how corrupt the system is.

Foster homes are overcrowded anyway, so they would take anyone if they could ease the number of kids inside them. The fewer kids in the system, the better the public sleeps at night.

"Utter bullshit.."

I see the paramedics bustling through the door and rushing to their side.

Good. I can relax now.

I take a deep breath and pain shoots through my ribs.

"Fuck that hurts!" I hiss through clenched teeth.

I try to stand up but my legs wobble, almost giving in.

He looks worried about me. Judging by his attitude, he seems "new" compared to the others. Maybe his first year on the job.

"Give it time dude, you will soon be like the others, indifferent and unbothered", I think to myself.

"You okay?" The police officer asks as he rushes to me.

"Yeah" I manage to respond as he puts my left arm over his shoulder.

Pain throbs and I let out a loud hiss.

He looks at my shoulder and releases it fast, going to my other side. After checking that I am not injured there, he repeats the same move and I lean on him for support.

"Let's take you to the hospital to get checked out"

"Same hospital as my sisters?" I ask, dreading they will be sent to a different one. It happened in the past and it was hell.

I think he sees the panic on my face as he gives me a warm smile and a reassuring nod.

I let him guide me, too weak to try to move on my own.

I hate this feeling of being helpless.

Only by damn luck I was able to get them off my sisters today, but this will never happen again.

I made a promise to myself that I will get stronger for them; that I will get them out of this life.

We exit the house and I look around.

Neighbors crowd the surrounding area, all whispering and pointing.

Great, guess we will be today's gossip in the bored housewife chat group.

I get placed in the same ambulance as Seraphine, since she is more stable according to one of the medics on the scene.

I look at the other ambulance as it leaves the drive in a hurry and I sense a weight hanging over my heart.

I grasp my sister's hand by instinct without looking away.

"Please be okay" I whisper as my eyes tear up.