Page 19 of Almost Ravaged

Atty jumps to his feet and takes off toward my dad’s study.

Focus locked on the thick pool of blood, I inch closer toward my mother’s lifeless body. There’s a sheen to the puddle. A reflective quality. If I stood directly over it, could I see my own reflection?

A resoundingthudsnaps me back to the present.

Heart stuttering, I pivot. Then I take off like a shot, following the noises coming from down the hall.

Chapter nine

Tytus

Professor Davvies’s face is beaten beyond recognition.

He’s slumped on the floor between the built-in bookshelves and his desk chair.

A cough snags my attention. That’s when I discover the other man. The one on the floor at the opposite end of the desk.

A man I know.

A man I loathe.

My father, a man I haven’t seen for nearly a decade, lies on the floor, his body perfectly lit by a sunbeam of late afternoon light streaking in through the bay window.

“Allowance,” he utters.

I freeze, shock clogging my throat.

Mrs. Davvies is dead. Professor Davvies probably is, too.

But my dad… my fucking dad…

He’s very much alive.

“Atty!” I scream.

My dad’seyes fly open.

“Fuck. Get in here!”

Pushing off the desk, I smash my boot into the bastard’s face. The distinct crunch of his nose breaking is followed by a yelp. Thankfully, there’s no blood. A moment later, he stills.

Keeping one eye on him, I circle back around the desk to Professor Davvies’s lifeless body. Tears well in my eyes as I crouch low. I’m desperate to help. Desperate to apologize. Desperate to delete the last ten years of my life and take away the horror I’ve clearly brought upon this family.

“Oh god,” Atty cries.

“Not him, too. Oh god. Oh god.”

Silent tears roll down my cheeks.

I did this.

They’re dead because of me.

“Dad!”

Atty drops to his knees and lunges forward.

I capture his arm and tug hard, holding him back. “Don’t touch him.”