His Slave

ASTER

The sudden scream of agony made me jolt up. I looked up from the toys I was playing with. My small eyes went wide, the moment my mother rushed inside the room and locked the door behind her.

“ Aster Baby. ” She called out to me, her eyes wide in horror and her breaths coming out in pants.

Then, another ear – piercing scream rang in the whole house. I was just ten years old and I was scared shitless.

“ What’s happening Mommy? ” I inquired, my breath caught up in my throat due to the paralyzing fear.

Another male scream and it didn’t take me long to recognize the voice this time.

“ Da – Daddy? Is he hurt? ” I asked innocently and ran to the locked door.

“ Shhh…Baby. Don’t speak. ” My Mom grabbed me from behind and turned me around to face her.

“ What’s wrong? ” I gulped, seeing her teary eyes and rosy cheeks.

“ Nothing is wrong okay? Can you go under the bed? Don’t come out no matter what. Do you understand, Aster? ” My Mom’s hold on my upper arms was strong, but it didn’t hurt me. What hurt me was the fear in her eyes.

My father’s agonizing scream rang in the room again and I jumped up, my heart beginning to beat out of rhythm.

What’s happening?

“ Do you understand, baby? ” My Mom left my arms and cupped my cheeks instead.

Tears began spilling out of her eyes as she caressed my cheeks. I had such a bad feeling about all of this, but Mom was crying. She rarely cried. She was the strongest woman I knew and she never cried in front of me.

“ Is Daddy okay… ” I questioned, my bottom lip quivering.

“ Everything – Everything is going to be fine. ” She assured me, but it didn’t sound so convincing.

Suddenly a loud thump sounded from outside and my wide eyes glanced at the door behind us. My Mom grabbed my face and turned my head back, not letting me look at the door.

“ Get under the bed. Don’t make any noise, sweetie. ” She whispered in a hushed tone and walked me toward the bed.

I got down on my knees before crawling under the bed and laying on my stomach.

“ Mo – ” I was about call out to her, because I was too afraid to stay like this when the door to our room was knocked down with a loud noise.