April comes home.

April POV

I made it back to port, mom wasn't answering her phone nor daddy, so I took a cab home from the boat.

It was very quiet in the family home I had been raised in.

There wasn't any sign that mom had left a note or anything for me. It was strange. I know she must be worried.

Grabbing up a bottle of diet cola from the fridge, I walked upstairs to change and take a hot soaking bath.

As I passed by January's old room, I looked around at all of her things. It seemed pretty sparse compared to my own. The yellow walls and blue comforter were plain looking.

Some of her clothes were still in her closet, but there were no real personal items. Like she was never really even there.

Sitting on her bed, I could still smell Adam's strong cologne from when we made love here not that long ago.

" s**t!" I hate Adam. We could have been such a power couple.

I grabbed the bottom bed sheet and ripped it off, pulling the mattress away from the wall. I heard a soft thud, something fell between the bed and the wall.

Using my leg to force the bed away from the wall, I saw a small pink flash light and a note book, the kind that had an elastic band around it to keep it closed.

Monday.

Today was awful. April's friends were relentless and I got my period for the first time ever, at school!

I didn't have anything for it so I went to the lunch room and found my sister sitting with her friends.

I tried to get her attention, but she told me to- I quote,"f**k off." I knew I had embarrassed her.

Her friends started calling me 'Ronny's littlest slut'

April didn't stop them. She wouldn't. I don't know how to make her like me.

I put flowers in her room like everyday to make her in a good mood, but it didn't work.

I thought mom put those flowers on my dresser. I noticed January didn't ever get flowers. At the time I just thought mom was showing me I was special.

I even gave her the wooden art kit I got from daddy for Christmas. It was my favorite thing.

She just broke all the pencils and stomped the wooden case laughing at me.

Sunday.

I'm going to graduate as soon as I can and leave forever. I feel so happy to think about starting my own business, or meeting a nice guy to....

The writing ended and the last sentence was crossed out in thick ink, ripping the paper underneath.

I flipped to the back page, last entry.

Thursday.

He hurt me tonight, broke me inside. I knew I should have gotten drunk or taken a few of mom's strong pain pills to loosen up.

Anything to be able to let him touch me, to have s*x with him.

He wasn't happy. He was so angry. He raised his fist in anger to me. I tried to give myself to him.

He called me those names that a man calls a girl when she won't give him what he needs.

I can't even write them here.

I went to mom's bathroom, got a handful of pills. But Amanda texted me before I could swallow them. 

My friend sent pictures of him with her.

My own flesh and blood.

She just got home and she denied it all. I showed her my phone. 

She shoved me. She told me she hated me. But I knew that.

I closed January's journal.

Chewing my bottom lip, I never saw things from her side. I never tried to. It was like mom treated us so differently, like January was a stain.

If mom was home I'd ask her about Ronald Parsons. I need to know now. I want the truth now.

About an hour later, after my bath, I heard someone in the kitchen, like going through the fridge.

I put on my pink sweat shirt and pants and peaked down the stairs.

My heart leapt into my throat, a strange man was going through the fridge.

Scrambling back to my room he must have heard me, he stopped what he was doing.

I ran into the closest room and hid.

The door flew wide open. "Janu, you came home sweet girl, come let's cuddle."

I screamed at the top of my lungs as Ronald Parsons grabbed at my shirt and yanked me out.

" Oh April, what the hell are you doing in January's room?"

" What the hell are you doing here? My father will kill you for being here and in HER room too!" I cried.

" Calm down girly, I'm here because your mother invited me here. We can all be a family now. You'd like that wouldn't you honey?"

He touched my chin. His hands were scarred with scabs and dirt.

" Where is my mother?" I asked pulling back from him.

" Oh, we were just doing some work in the boat house. She got hungry, worked up an appetite you know?" he winked at me.

I ran downstairs and out the door yelling for my mother.

" Mother!" I ran down hill to the boat house and yanked the large wooden door open. My eyes widened with surprise. We never used this place, why was mother in here?

" Adam?" Adam was hanging from a chain in the middle of the room.

He was groaning loudly with a wide piece of tape over his mouth, his hands and feet bound.

He was stark naked and filthy.

I stood up on my tip toes and ripped the tape off his mouth.

" April! Thank God, untie me quickly!"

But I completly froze seeing mother tied up to a small cot, arms and legs spread out, she was dirty and naked.

She had tape over her mouth as well.

I threw my self on her and hugged her. "Oh mother no!"

Her eyes became so wide as she seemed to scream under the tape. She was thrashing her body trying to release herself.

Ronald Parsons was right behind me now. I could feel him there.

As I turned around, he punched me right in the face.

I crumpled to the dusty floor and held my jaw. It felt like it was broken. My eyes filled with tears.

" Have you heard from your little sister Janu, darling daughter of mine?" he asked me as he began to undo his belt from his pants.

Wrapping it around his fist, he suddenly punched Adam in the gut.

" Oooff." Adam cried out.

" Untie me Parson so I can write you a check. I got work to do. Let's settle this, I'm a busy man." He barely squeaked out.

" Right, right...but not too busy to threaten me over a simple little girl. My little girl."

Oh my Lord he is crazy.

I reached my hand up and grabbed mother's arm, squeezing it.

She moaned and closed her eyes. She couldn't speak but I understood, we were both wrong about Parsons, very very wrong. He was a dangerous psychopath.

Ronald was busy goading Adam, I tried to untie mothers hand. I reached over and pulled the tape off her mouth.

" Run April, get help." She whispered.

I nodded as I inched over towards then end of the cot, slowly moving towards the door.

Adam tried to distract him.

" You say she's your girl, but I've had her plenty of times. She gave me her virginity.

She was so tight. I guess you got caught before you could finish the job huh?" he rasped out.

Ronald unfurled his belt and began furiously lashing Adam's torso with it.

I crawled out the door and started to run. I ran as fast as I could up the hill and past mother's car. I ran into the house and grabbed the phone, it was dead.

" f**k!" I looked for the car keys, panicking now.

The nearest neighbor was several blocks away.

I had to try and go for help.

My lungs were on fire as I ran at full speed, tears blinding my vision.

The neighbors house was in sight now.

Turning to look behind me, I saw mother's car, speeding up behind me.

" No!, No!" I screamed.

The car swerved just missing me as I rolled into the deep ditch.

My head was killing me, my eyes were blurred. I felt a large rock under my head.

Nausea rose as I flew forward wrenching.

" Where are you darling?" Ronald was coming, looking for me. " Come now, naughty girl. Daddy won't hurt you if you come out now!" He said menacingly, his voice gruff and craggy.