"Silence is a loud cry for help no one can hear"- Hometown NP
Lyra
I crawled across the wooden floor, splinters wedged beneath my bloody fingernails, my eyes fixed on the phone on the dinner table. A few feet away, my foster father laughed.
"Lyraaaaaaaa", he called, dragging my name out mockingly. I heard the belt crack against the wall, loud and sudden, and my body flinched before my mind could even process the sound. "I know you like it when you're punished, Lyraaa", he said with false sweetness lacing his tone.
I just had to reach the phone before it was too late. Just reach it. I repeated it in my head like a mantra until my bruised hands finally closed around the phone and I dialed 311.
A man picked up. "Sir", I said softly, but the undertone of my voice betrayed my urgency and fright. "Please, you have to help me. I'm 9 years old. My name is Lyra Wren. My foster father is abusing me. Please". There was a pause on the line. I waited one minute. Then two. Until a lazy, breathy chuckle escaped the man. "You're a girl, ain't ya?" he said, his thick Texas accent penetrating my soul. My heart dropped. "Listen", he said dismissively. "You girls are all whores anyway. Make that slutty nature of yours useful and get yourself out of whatever mess you're in." The line went dead.
For two whole seconds, the world seemed to revolve around only me. It was quiet- too quiet then a belt met my skin, and my vision went blurry, stars dotting across my eyes as I screamed. I screamed again and again, even as each whip was more brutal than the last. I screamed, but no one would help me. No one would even dare to try. No one ever would. As each whip met my skin. I vowed.
I will grow up.
I would haunt this man.
I would torture him until he begs for his death.
I would never forget his voice.
I will make sure none of them ever see the light of day again.
Even as the belt cracked my skin.
Even as I slowly faded in and out of consciousness.
I vowed.
I woke up drenched in my sweat as I brutally recalled that memory that haunted me. Great. Fell asleep on my work desk and dreamt of my past. What a wonderful night. I stood up and looked around my dark dorm room. Blackstone would never have anticipated that it would be a girl who would wreak havoc on their precious school. I grinned. I found the bathroom stalls and quickly showered. As I stepped into my room, clutching my towel tight, I looked at the moonlit sky and smiled. I quickly picked out my skin-tight bodysuit that allowed my flexibility and a wide range of daggers and poisons, and slipped it on. It fit like a second skin. I pulled my hood up and filled my belt buckle with different daggers. I filled my miniature duffel bag with mini cameras and microphones and set off in the night.
I moved like I was made for this. I blended seamlessly into the night. A creature crafted for this very purpose. I had two things to do: To install these security cameras and microphones. Two, to haunt Mr. Kael Rylan. I quickly installed the microphones and cameras. One in the dorm hallways, one on Rowan's door, one in the underground passages, one in the training room, boys' hallway, one in the courtyard, one in the entrance, one in the staff room, and finally, one in the chamber. Looks like a secret court, though. I ran through the courtyard of Blackstone as quickly as possible and went over the gates without alerting any alarms. I've gotten better. I praise myself since no one would do it for me. I sighed and continued my run.
Immediately, I reached Blackstone Woods, and I smirked as I sighted my first victim: Kael Rylan.