CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
(part five)

Wednesday — 4:45 P.M.

“How did you know about the window?” Alex whispered to Sandy.

“That’s how I got in when he wasn’t here.” Sandy looked around the basement. “As a kid, you know.”

She cocked her head to the side and listened to the footsteps above.

“They’re in the living room,” Sandy whispered.

Sandy slipped off her shoes then went to the bottom of the basement stairs. Turning to the others, she said, “The fourth step creaks and the second one from the top makes a loud noise. The door scrapes when it’s open more than three-fourths.

“How…?” Seth started.

“I used to hide from him,” Sandy said. “A lot.”

Seth’s face shifted one darker shade of grim. Leading the way, Sandy crept up to the main level of the house. At the top of the stairs, she pointed to the right down the hall. Sliding across the red oak floors in her socks, she made a soundless journey to the living room.

From the doorway, her eyes took in the destruction. The room had been torn apart. Paper floated in the air. Drawers hung open. Cabinet doors hung broken on their hinges. The couch and chairs had been ripped apart. A glance toward the bedrooms told her the same destruction was happening throughout the house.

Aden held the shoulder of her father’s shirt in one hand. He dug through the bureau in front of him with the other hand. Her father taunted Aden with a cruel laugh. Her father’s work shirt was soaked with blood from his face.

“Aden,” she said.

Aden’s head jerked in her direction. Her father made a noise and Aden punched him in the face. Taking a step into the living room, she squashed her urge to yelp. Her father’s face was a mass of swelling bruises and blood. His nose was broken. His dentures either fell out or were forced out. And still he jeered and laughed at Aden.

“Shut up!” Aden yelled at her father.

“Aden.”

“Sandy, he says he has photos of Noelle! Doing…horrible…!” Aden shook her father and screamed, “SHE’S JUST A LITTLE GIRL YOU SICK FUCK!!”

“Oh Sandy, I’m glad you’re here. This guy wants to get in on our action,” Her father laughed.

“Shut up!” Sandy said to her father.

“Oooh is this the boyfriend!? You’re mother’s told me all about him,” her father said. “Listen fella, I already got all the good years out of her. But your daughter, she’s…”

“DO NOT SPEAK!” Aden yelled into her father’s face.

Sandy slipped into the room.

Denver Cereal continue tomorrow….