DAMIAN
I make a dash for the stairs shouting for my sister again, “Ruby, whatever they told you, forget it. They can’t hurt you. Come with me.” I make it almost halfway over to it when my father’s hands reach around my legs and pull me back and down, both of us crashing heavily onto the floorboards.
He flips me over and decks me right across my face twice before I react with blocking with my arms. Pain rocks me and I grunt. Maybe she isn’t here after all. Maybe they tied her mouth- “Ruby come on- a taxi is- oof- waiting,” I manage to get in, in between blows.
My father moves on to my stomach- with his boots and I roll over on all fours, his heavy steel-tipped digging into my back and sides. I still don’t hear any sounds from upstairs.
“You f*cking assh*le, the police are on their way,”
