Burning Through The Dark

Val sank into her bed, tossing her bag into the corner of her bedroom. The last golden rays of sunlight peeked through the parted curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. The long day was finally over, and for a moment, she relished the silence—a fleeting sense of peace. A soft sigh escaped her lips as her bright eyes wandered around the space. But the quiet was suffocating. Too quie for comfort.

She rolled off the bed, landing lightly on her feet, and waltzed over to her stereo. On her toes, her slender fingers danced over the buttons before cranking the volume up as loud as she could handle. Music filled the space, drowning out everything else, including the sound of knocking at her door.

Outside, Aiden stood impatiently, arms crossed. When his knocking went unanswered, he called out, “Alright, Rockstar—guess I’m coming in.” He smirked as he pushed open the door.

She didn’t hear him, of course. She was sprawled across the bed, arms over her head, completely lost in thought. Hayden sighed, stepping closer before calling her name again. “Val? … Valora!”

Nothing.

“Valora Rose Lockhart!” he snapped his fingers in front of her face. Finally, she blinked, her mind snapping back to reality.

“Huh?” she murmured, eyes unfocused.

Aiden shook his head his emrald eyes still on her, reaching over to switch off the music. “Are you deaf, little one?” he teased, kneeling beside the bed. But his playful tone quickly faded. “You know you can’t be blasting music like that… Dad will be home soon.” His voice was gentle, but the worry in his eyes was unmistakable. “We can’t ever guess when he’ll show up—you know he just pops in when he wants.”

She pouted, climbing off the bed to stand in front of him. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. Her crimson hair tumbled over her face, hiding the unease in her expression.

Aiden easily towered over her. His aroms wrapped around her giving her a subg embrace as his hand rested on the baxk of her head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I wasn’t thinking… I just needed to let off some steam, I—”

A door slammed from the other side of the house, the sound shattering the fragile moment between them.

“Where the fuck are Clara and Ivy?” A voice boomed through the walls, rattling the floor beneath them.

Val’s stomach twisted, her grip on her brother tightening. He let out a deep sigh before gently peeling her arms away. “They should be home soon,” he called out, his voice measured. “Their buses were late—there was an assembly after school.” He said in a way to show he was standing his ground.

Val cast her gaze downward, letting her hair fall like a curtain over her face. Then, with a sudden realization she quickly jolt, she rushed to the bathroom, silently closing the door behind her. Her delicate hands gripped the faucet, twisting the knob until hot water streamed out. She reached for a washcloth, gripping it tightly before pressing it against her skin.

The mirror reflected what she tried so hard to conceal. Beneath the carefully applied makeup, dark bruises marred her pale skin—a cruel contrast, like coal against fresh snow. She sighed, watching the water swirl as it carried away the mask she had painted on for school. She couldn’t afford another meeting with the counselors. Not again.

Downstairs, the muffled shouting continued. She turned off the water, steeling herself before stepping out of the bathroom.

“Valora!” her father barked.

“Y-yes?” she called back timidly, lingering at the top of the stairs her head peaking from the corner, before forcing herself to move.

By the time she reached the bottom, Markus was already scowling in her direction. “Dinner? Where is it? It should’ve been ready.”

“Sorry… I just got home,” she murmured, voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes flicked around the room. Her brother was gone.

“Your brother went to get those little twats since they aren’t home,” Markus scoffed before sinking into his chair, already dismissing her.

Without hesitation, she headed to the kitchen, setting to work on dinner while Aiden picked up their sisters.

Outside, the old black Cadillac idled at the curb as he waited. Leaning back in his seat, he turned on the radio, tapping his fingers against the wheel in rhythm with the music. The bus pulled up moments later, unloading a dozen students. When he spotted his sisters, he flicked the headlights and rolled down the window.

“Hey, I’m picking you guys up,” he called. “He’s in a sour mood—we gotta get home fast.”

Without protest, the girls climbed into the back seat, buckling in. The ride home was quiet except for murmurs about school, tests, and trivial things that momentarily distracted them from the reality waiting for them.

When they arrived, the house was eerily silent.

Markus was passed out in his chair, his grizzly snores the only sign of life. A monsoon of saliva dribbled from his mouth onto the armrest, his unconscious state a temporary reprieve.

The siblings tiptoed around him passing by like ghost leaving their presences unknown.

Once everyone was inside, Val unloaded her backpack and immediately buried herself in homework. She was falling behind. Between school, work, and the weight of everything at home, there was never enough time. She took on as many shifts as she could, anything to scrape together what little independence she had left.

Meanwhile, Aiden checked in on their sisters, making sure they had eaten and started in their own before grabbing his keys.

A soft knock at Val’s door pulled her from her deep thoughts.

“Come in,” she said, her voice muffled by the textbooks she was hunched over.

He stepped stepped in, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m heading out,” he said gently. “You know how to reach me if you need anything.”

She looked up at him, exhaustion etched into her features. “Goodnight.”

He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head before slipping out the door, disappearing into the night.