Photo of Levi Sterling

Marian was livid as she strutted into Stone's Private Academy. She could not believe the school had called her in a middle of a meeting to inform her that her son was in the principal's office.

She thought the boy had more sense to steer clear from any bad company but obviously she thought wrong.

"Mrs. Sterling!" Marian stared at the lanky man making his way toward her, "nice to meet you madam, I'm Roy the vice principal, shall we go to the headmaster's office?"

"That is what I am here for" she glared at the man as she kept her strides even, when she reached the principal's office , she did not bother knocking as she threw the door open watching as her son flinched. Good. He'd be getting a lesson in discipline when they arrived home.

"Mrs. Sterling" Principal Monte stammered as he rose from his place and came around the table to shake Marian's hand.

"Mr. Monte, pleasure seeing you, however I do apologize for the circumstances" she smiled.

"Yes, as well as I" Monte stated.

"What has my son done?"

"He hit a girl, and caused her to lose a tooth."

Marian was quite surprised to hear that, was he rebelling? Simeon nor Vivienne did no such thing, have I been too lenient with him? "Levi! Explain yourself" Marian snapped.

The boy flinched "it was an accident, I was picking up a book and I had no idea she was behind me, when I turned she got hit, I apologized!" Levi rushed out, he hated his pig headed principal and his lap dog of a vice principal.

Levi hadn't meant to hit the girl and he even accompanied her to the nurse's office where he comforted her as she cried. He apologized multiple times and the little girl even said it was an accident but then Principal Monte came and said he had to call her mother, no amount of pleading he did changed the man's mind.

Levi sighed heavily; he knew this wasn't at all good. The crazed look in the beast eyes told him he was going to be punished whether it was an accident or not.

"Was the girl's parents called Mr. Monte?" Marian asked.

"Yes, they left shortly after the child explained everything, they were not that upset."

"I see then that's good. If you don't mind I'll be taking my son home now."

The blood rushed from Levi's face, I knew it.

"Go right ahead."

Mother and son left, with every step Levi took out of his school the more he wanted to evaporate into thin air. On the ride to his home he wanted to open the door and bail out, having to sit next to the monster he could feel the air around her change into something sinister and every atom in his body was screaming danger.

Young Levi was petrified, he hoped Vivienne would be home shortly, lately he didn't know if he'd wake up from these 'punishments' this monster dishing out. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to anymore.

The car soon came to a stop in front of the familial home.

Marian got out, with Levi trailing behind, as soon as they stepped into the house she turned and back handed him, making him fall to the floor.

"Putting your hand on a girl, have I taught you nothing?" she hissed venomously.

"I didn't hit her! It was the book and it was an accident!" Levi snapped surprising both of them. That surprise was soon overcome by fear when Marian glared down at the boy.

"Well aren't you a brazen little thing" she cackled before her faced morphed into a more sinister expression "you're finally growing a spine...but it's years too early before you can think about talking back to me" Marian drug Levi through the foyer, into the dining room and entered the kitchen. The boy was screaming and thrashing but she still dragged him none the less, she opened the door that always remained closed, it led down to the basement, her little torture chamber.

She took his collar and threw him down the flight of concrete steps as his cries echoed off the walls. She slammed the door shut and locked it as she turned her back and walked away.

.

.

.

As the car pulled up in front of her house Vivienne sighed heavily, she had reentered hell. Hopefully the monster was not inside. "Thank you Hudson" she said to her driver as he held the door open for her.

"You're welcome Ms. Sterling."

Vivienne entered the house that she grew up in, the more her feet moved the more heavy they felt, like a ball and chain were attached to them. She looked around seeing her brother's bag on the foyer table. Her mood brightened as she raced up the stairs.

Levi's school must have finished early again.

She had no idea how wrong she had been. Knocking on his door and called out to him, when she heard no reply she figured he was asleep. Turning she went into her own room, stripping out of her school uniform and getting into the shower. Her mind wandered to her younger brother as she lathered her skin, in the pit of her gut anxiety swirled switch made her afraid.

If his school was out early then he would have told me beforehand.

Realizing her mistake, Vivienne washed the soap from her eyes and turned the shower off. She raced out of the bathroom and threw on clothes; wrenching her bedroom door open her feet pounded on the ground as she sped from her room.

How long was he home?

How long has he been down there?

What was she doing to him?

What was the reason for it?

Tears threatened to blind her as she almost tumbled down the stairs. She should have known; there was no way that Levi would get himself into trouble purposely.

She turned the knob on the door that led down to their doom and didn't think twice as she ran down the steps in a hurry. She could hear the monster shouting and the sound of something being hit, when they came into view terror filled her body.

"Levi!"

He could vaguely hear his name being called as the monster was above him with a hard covered book hitting him repeatedly with it. He could faintly see the outline of a blue dress that belonged to his sister.

He could tell as she covered his body with hers taking the hits for him as she whispered soothing words into his ear. But his consciousness was going and before long he could no longer hold on as darkness consumed him.