Page 60 of Uprising

I’m a murderer now. I’m as bad as Darius and my father and all of them. And yet I know, if the circumstances repeated, I would do it again. I wouldn’t hesitate.

They’ve made me into this and I refuse to feel any shame, any guilt. I’m not a victim, I won’t be one. I will survive by any means possible and I will do everything necessary to ensure Lara survives.

Rose

I’m sat in his damned home office, with the doctor strapping my fingers up.

Turns out I did break bones. Three of them to be exact. And I’ve severely bruised the knuckles on both hands as well.

But I’d do it again.

Even now.

If one of the arseholes around me even thinks of saying something to Lara I swear to god I will start throwing punches again and I won’t stop until they either put a bullet in my head or they’re dead themselves.

And I think Darius can see it.

I think he can tell that this has gone too far.

He’s pacing, his eyes fixed on me, but his face shows that he’s trying to figure out next steps. Trying to make some sort of plan about what to do.

Good. I hope I’ve unnerved the bastard. He thinks I’m just some weak willed woman. He thinks that after all the abuse I’ve endured that I’ll simply shrink into myself, that I won’t react to it too.

I watch him with a curl of my lips. I’m enjoying his obvious discomfort. It’s nice to see the shoe on the other foot though I know it won’t last for long. That he will make me pay for this. He’ll have to assert his control over me.

The doctor finishes strapping the three fingers on my left hand, leaving only my index and thumb free and then he moves to my right, examining the middle and ring finger before he pulls out more supplies.

He mutters, like he’s never seen such damage on a girl before. Like Darius hasn’t hurt me worse than that.

I don’t reply. I keep my gaze on Darius. But with my now spare hand I reach out for Lara, keeping her close. Ensuring he sees it too.

He made his point back when he murdered that girl and right now, I’m making my point.

Someone walks in breaking this standoff between us. As I look I realise it’s Ty and I narrow my eyes. He’s here more and more these days. Lurking in the peripheries. I wonder how he’s fitting into all this. What new part my father’s given him.

His eyebrows raises when he sees my hands but I can tell he’s already heard what’s happened.

As if that tips the scales Darius steps towards me. I tense up, ready for this next round of fighting.

“You killed the tutor.” He says.

I smirk more. Maybe this is the part I have to play from now on. Maybe I need to become more deranged, more psychotic to deal with this. More fucked up.

“How is she going to study now?” He asks like that’s my primary concern.

“I don’t give a fuck about her studies.” I state. She’s six years old for Christ sake, I doubt it even matters considering the circumstances we’re in.

He snarls slamming his fist into a lamp sending it smashing to the floor. “So what, you think I’ll just let the brat run riot is that it?”

“You dare…” I begin pulling my hand free from the doctor. I’ll fucking have him for that comment.

He grabs my throat, even as my fist lands into the side of his head.

“Stop.” Ty says.

I don’t look at him. I don’t look at anyone except the monster who has me in his grasp.

“Mummy.” Lara whispers.