Dark Realms by Kristen Middleton Read Free Book Online Page A

in his Mustang and I
glanced back to see him talking on his cell phone once again.
    “Oh, Lord,” I said, leaning my head back
against the headrest. “He must be talking to Deanna for the tenth
time. She just won’t get over the fact that we’re really
moving.”
    Mom tightened her hands on the steering
wheel and glanced at me. “I’m sorry about this. I’m just so sorry…
about everything.”
    I groaned. “Mom, for crying out loud, it’s
not your fault. I can’t even believe you’re feeling guilty about
it. I mean, nobody had any idea that he could be so violent.”
    It had been less than three months since my
father had brutally attacked my mother. They’d been separated for
the last couple of years because of his sporadic temper tantrums,
along with his inability to stop screwing other women. When my
mother had finally gotten up the nerve to leave him, surprisingly,
he’d actually been pretty civil about it. Then, when he’d found out
she’d moved on emotionally and started dating again, he’d went off
in a jealous rage, striking back at her viciously. We were all
still stunned about the horrifying ordeal.
    “I just wish they could locate him,” she
said, staring straight ahead. “He’s… crazy.”
    I nodded. I was so ashamed, that any
thoughts of him made me physically ill. It was still really hard to
believe that my own father was capable of being so violent,
especially since he’d been a cop and responsible for keeping people
safe. After the attack, he’d disappeared, and my poor mother had
spent several nights in the hospital recovering. When she finally
came home, she wasn’t able to sleep at night without drugs,
terrified that he’d show up and beat her again. Then, just
recently, she’d been given a gift; a way out. Her employer offered
her an accounting job in Montana and that’s where all three of us
were now headed; to start a new life.
    “I think it’s good that Nathan’s getting
away from Deanna anyway,” I said, staring in dismay at my short,
stubbly nails. Not that they’d been perfect before, but all of the
packing and cleaning had taken its toll. “She’s so whiny and
annoying.”
    Mom smiled wryly. “Now, Nikki, you haven’t
liked any of Nathan’s girlfriends.”
    “ It’s not my fault he
attracts the psycho ones.”
    She burst out laughing and I smiled,
enjoying a sound that was finally finding its way back into our
lives again.
    “ God, you’re awful,” she
said, shaking her head in amusement.
    I snorted. “Oh, come on. You know I’m
right.”
    She grabbed her Ray-Bans from the center
column and plopped them onto her nose. “Yeah, he’s a little too
young to be tied down to just one girl. So if you ask me, this move
will be healthy for the both of them.”
    “Oh, I’m sure Deanna will find someone else
by next week anyway.” I made a face. “She’s so freaken needy.”
    “You really don’t like her, do you?”
    I shrugged.
    Deep down, I knew I wasn’t being totally
fair, because the truth was, I was a little jealous. My brother and
I had always been very close, especially living in such a
dysfunctional family environment. My earliest memories were of my
parents screaming and fighting, especially during the holidays. So,
we’d weathered the storms together. In fact, for all of our lives,
we’d been best friends; sharing and doing everything together. That
is, until the tenth grade, when he’d discovered boobs, I mean
girls. Of course I’d discovered boys as well; I’d discovered that
most of them in my school were crude, boring, or just plain
boobs.
    “So, mom,” I said, changing a subject in
which, I had to admit, left me feeling a little guilty. “What were
you saying about this place we’re renting?”
    She grinned. “I guess it’s just beautiful.
It’s a cabin on Shore Lake that’s been on the market for some time.
The owners are related to Ernie, and because of our circumstances;
they’re letting us stay there relatively