Chapter 11

Have you ever had a moment when everything just… stops?

The world freezes.

Then everything moves and you can do nothing but watch your world fall to pieces in front of your eyes.

That’s happened three times to me. When Mom died. When Ru died.

The third time was when I saw that car driving towards Ryan.

The saying that you don’t know you how much you love someone until you lose him is true. So, so true.

I never realized how much Ryan meant to me until I saw him turn and face the car with confusion that turned to panic and fear.

I didn’t fully realize that Ryan was everything to me until I saw the car send him flying.

Until I saw the blood pooling under his head.

Until I saw his closed eyes.

Until my world shattered.

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“Ru!” I cry. Ru’s mother is standing to the side with tears in her eyes. She’s nursing a bruise on her cheek.

My father is drunk. Again. And so he went for Ru.

My beloved little brother. The only light in my life. The sweetest, most innocent creature on the planet.

Ru shrieks. “Lulu!” he wails. “Lulu, help me!” I look at him, then at my father. My father smiles at me. I snarl and dive for him. I’m not heavy, but I’m still able to push him away from Ru. He snarls and pushes me into Ru’s mother. Althea grabs me. I shove her away and run to Ru.

“Leave him alone!” I cry. My father smiles at me again.

“This is how I teach you a lesson,” he purrs, his voice slurred. “I just have to hurt your darling Ru. That should teach you” I pale. He shoves me away again. Ru looks at me with tears streaming down his face. I reach out for him. My father kicks me, and I groan in pain.

“Leave him alone,” I whisper. “Sir, leave him alone. I promise I’ll do better next time.” My father just shakes his head.

“It’s not enough. You always promise you’ll do better. And you never do. So now, I’ll make you suffer.” I start to cry.

“Daddy, stop!” Ru cries. “Daddy, Lulu knows! It’s hurting him!” I wince. My father looks at him. His face softens for a moment. I hold my breath. Then his face hardens and he flings a kick at innocent, defenseless Ru.

Ru’s cry of pain will haunt me for the rest of my life. I can do nothing but watch, helpless, as my father kicks Ru.

Over.

And over.

And over.

Until Ru doesn’t cry anymore.

Until Ru stops breathing.

My father stops, looks at the body in front of him. I rush forward. I shake Ru.

“Ru! Ru! Ru, wake up!”

There’s no response.