I stared down at her one last time before walking away from the best thing that had ever happened to me.
I could see her, but I couldn't get to her. Her big brown eyes were staring into me. Begging me for help. Help I couldn't give her.
I fought the blackness weighing me down and reached out for her. It was useless. Nothing I did was getting me any closer to her.
He lifted his arm and landed another hit against her angelic white skin. Skin that didn't deserve what was happening to it. It should have never been tainted.
I struggled against my restraints as she cried out for me. Every hit she took was like a blow to the heart inside me. Each one tearing at my soul a little more and more as I watched this asshole beat my baby sister.
"Tell me where the fuck they hid it," he roared with his chest rising and falling rapidly with the rage fueling him.
Kara whimpered and pulled herself tighter into fetal position. I opened my mouth to tell him that we had no clue where our worthless parents hid the drugs, but the words didn't come out. I knew that I said the words. I relived the memory every single day, but the only sound I could hear now was my sister's screaming.
I looked at her and took her in. She looked so fragile. So young. So beautiful. There was nothing in the world I wouldn't have given to have taken her spot. Nothing I wouldn't have given to save her. He raised his tattoo-covered fist and slammed it into her perfect face one last time. I knocked over the chair I was in struggling to get to her. The only thing I accomplished was falling on the ground.
I was so close to my sister now that I could smell the flowery scent that her hair always smelled like, but it was mixed with the smell of copper. I stared into her beautiful face and begged her to open her eyes and look at me. He told me to shut up but I didn't listen. I screamed at her to wake up. To look at me.
I looked over at Blake who was tied up to a chair with a rag tied around his mouth. The panic in his eyes killed me.
"Please. Please, look at me," I screamed at Kara again.
Her eyes didn't open but somehow she looked peaceful. It was the last image I saw before my vision was blocked by his fist and everything went black.
I sat up in bed breathing heavily. I tried to loosen my fists from the sweat-covered sheets they were clenching. Taking slow deliberate breaths, I focused on calming myself down. I focused on blocking out the memory that had bombarded me during my sleep.
I tried to focus on something that made me happy, but there was only one thing that popped into my mind. Those blue eyes and blonde hair weren't going to make me feel any less haunted.
Waking up at six in the morning for work was never going to be my idea of a good time. I loved my job. I did, but I didn't love waking up for it. Dragging myself out of bed, I walked like a zombie to the shower and stood under the spray until I could finally find the energy to move my arms.
Once I got ready, I locked up my apartment and headed out. I have worked at the Ruff Times Veterinarian Clinic for five years now. It had become my home away from home.
"Good morning, blondie," Brenda called out when I walked in the door. Brenda was loud and larger than life. She had flame red curls on top of her head that were exactly the same every day. They also matched her red lips. Every day I got the same greeting from her, and every day I gave the same one back.
"What's shakin', bacon?"
Brenda smiled at me then hiked her thumb over her shoulder. "Sarah called in again, and we're going to have a full house today. The doc is going to need your help."
I groaned and not because I would be helping in the clinic today. I loved working in the clinic. I just knew that Sarah wasn't going to last much longer, and I was going to have to start the hiring process all over again.
I sat my purse down in my office and glanced at all the work that was waiting for me on my desk. As the Office Manager, I stayed busy. I didn't have time to work in the clinic. Sometimes I barely had time for a lunch break.
Walking into the back, I grabbed a spare pair of scrubs and changed into them. Looking at myself in the mirror, it reminded me of when I first started here as a vet tech. I was so young and naïve.
I walked into Dr. Smith's office and stood at the door.
"How can I help you today, sir? Your wish is my command."
Kevin looked up from the paperwork and smiled at me. "Cut the crap, Erica. You weren't that sweet even on your first day."
"I so was." I plopped down in the seat across from him.
"What happened to Sarah?"
"Not sure. Brenda said that she called in again this morning so you lucked out and got me."
"Well good. Our first patient is a bull dog with severe diarrhea." He smirked.
"Are you shitting me?" If there was one thing I didn't do well, it was poop.
"I shit you not." Kevin laughed as he stood up and led the way into the first exam room.
By the time five pm rolled around, I had changed scrubs twice and felt like I was going to fall over. I climbed into my car and leaned my head against the steering wheel for a few moments.
My peace and quiet was shortly interrupted by the sound of "Girls just want to have fun" muffled within my purse. I dug around in my purse until I finally found my phone. Kat's face lit up the screen.
"Hello," I answered.
"What are you doing this weekend?"
"Well hello to you to," I grumbled.
"I don't have time for hellos right now. I'm too excited. So I repeat. What are you doing this weekend?"
I contemplated my answer just to piss her off. I had no plans, and she probably already knew that.
"Hello? Today," she growled.
"I don't have any plans. Why? What's up?"
"We're going camping!" Her squeal was so loud that I had to pull the phone away from my ear.
"Okay."
"Okay? I love camping. Are you not excited?"
"That depends. Who all is going?" I asked hesitantly.
"All the guys. It's going to be so much fun."
"So Gabe will be there?" It had been three weeks since I had even laid eyes on him. I didn't think going camping together was such a great idea.
"Yes. Gabe will be there, but you will barely notice. We're going to have so much fun together. I haven't seen you in so long."
She was right of course. I had been avoiding hanging out with all of them to avoid seeing Gabe. I was trying to get over him and being around him didn't help that situation out at all. I felt guilty that I hadn't been the best friend lately.
"Okay. I'll go."
"Yay! Okay. I got to go pack."
"We're not leaving until Friday, right? It's Wednesday."
"I know, but I'm so excited!"
The rest of the week flew by and Friday was there before I knew it. Maybe Kat wasn't crazy to start packing on Wednesday.
I arrived at Blake and Kat's house around three pm on Friday. Johnny, Cash, Gabe, and Blake were all loading the back of the truck when I pulled up. I parked my car next to Johnny's truck and headed their way.
"Hey, guys. Where's Kat?" They all looked up at me, but I didn't dare glance at Gabe.
"Hey. She's inside making sure she packed everything." Blake rolled his eyes, but there was a small smile on his face.
I started walking toward the house but paused.
"Hey, Johnny."
"Yea?" He turned toward me.
I threw my keys at him, which he caught, and smiled sweetly.
"All of my stuff is in the trunk if you'll load it up for me."
Johnny laughed, shook his head, and headed for my car.
I walked in the front door and found Kat packing up food in the kitchen.
"You about ready?"
"Yes. I'll be ready in just a minute. I just need to finish packing up the brownies I made."
"You're such a little Betty Homemaker. I love it," I said as I snatched a brownie off the plate. She attempted to smack my hand but I was too fast.
"Those are for the trip. I already told Blake he couldn't have any. He'll kill me if he knows you ate one."
"He won't know. It will be gone before he ever sees it." I popped the whole brownie into my mouth for proof.
I helped Kat pack up the rest of her things then we headed out the door and locked up. The guys were all loaded and ready so we all jumped in the truck to head out. I sat in the back between Johnny and Cash, and Kat sat in the front between Blake and Gabe.
As we started down the road, I said, "Hey, Blake. Do you have any napkins in the truck?"
"No. Why?"
"I just have leftover brownie on my hands and face I wanted to clean off."
Blake's attention turned to Kat, but she was too busy glaring at me in the rearview mirror.
I tried to hold my laugh in, but there was no chance.
Kat was right. This camping trip was going to be so much fun.
I don't know why I thought coming on this camping trip was a good idea. Everything was going fine until we got to the campsite and figured out the tent arrangements. We had four tents and six people.