Unexpected Savior

Zoe's POV

I wandered a little bit, contemplating my life and everything else. I felt like was being pushed to the brink of insanity. This person didn't understand what it entailed to survive when you are dirt poor.

Sure the part my mother took was not the most ideal but... she had three mouths to feed. She never showed affection towards us like she had when I was growing up. But I couldn't blame her, her job took all she had. She would come home exhausted and bruised. Her customers were monsters.

I couldn't imagine; a depraved man letting out all his demented lust and violence on a woman beneath him. Sadly that was what my mother had signed up for.

I couldn't completely see her as innocent or wise. She threw her life away for a bastard at nineteen. He had been twice her age. She ran away with him just to be used as an object for sex. She ran away again but she was already in deep. She was penniless but no matter how broke a woman was she could always pay in other ways. Luckily or unluckily, that was just how the world worked. She married again; another useless man, of course, Todd. His parents named him right, his name rhymed with turd. Which was what he was; a pile of shit.

I saw the house in a distance. I would never call it a home because it wasn't. It was not my home. It was Todd's house.

I let out an exasperated sigh and walked there. I was met with the choking odour of my elder sister's perfume.

Regina was dressed up in a very scandalous outfit; a crop top with shorts that bearly covered her ass. She was going to the club. I shoved passed her without a word. She had already adopted this lifestyle of drinking, smoking and sex. I was used to it. I made my way to the kitchen where I knew my younger brother would be. I got there to meet his writing ferociously on his notebook.

He liked to copy me. He already promised to get scholarships as I did. He was walking towards that. I smiled and caressed his red hair.

We all looked different since we were from different men. Despite the stark difference between us physically. I loved Andrew more than anything. Blood didn't matter; he was my brother.

"So how was school today?" I asked him.

Before he could respond I heard a commotion from outside. I ran there, and Andrew followed me. As I opened the door to be met with Todd forcing himself on Regina.

He was drunk; I could smell it from where I was. I turned to my brother. "Inside now!" He didn't have to see this rubbish. He looked at me and then briefly at the two on the floor on the lawn before obeying.

I closed the door behind him and sighed before approaching the bundle. I pulled Todd roughly by the collar, his drunken ass couldn't even stand up. He grunted like an animal. Regina also stood and without a thank you and ran probably to her godforsaken club.

As I pulled Todd up and punched him. I heard someone call from behind.

"I would love to let you pummel me like that baby girl." I turned to see a shaggy looking man towering over me. He had a beer bottle in his right hand and seemed a bit tipsy.

"Fuck off!" It seemed that Todd's call to the wild had been received by his pathetic kind.

"That's no way to speak to your uncle, missy." He smiled revealing a set of tobacco-stained teeth. He was revolting. I hissed and walked towards the house. The man pulled me back.

His grip was tight as he pressed against me. He was drunk but still dangerous.

He pulled me closer. His breath fanned across my ear. I tried to struggle.

"Let go, asshole." My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it too. I felt sick. I wanted to vomit.

"You' s nothin but a dirty little whore! Your daddy will be happy." He rambled.

The next thing I remember he hit my face hard. Blood spurted out from under my nose. I cradled my stinging jaw.

"Just stay still, it won't take long." He was roughly tearing at my uniform while I was still incapacitated. He finally managed to rip it open. My skirt came off easily. He was about to lower his pants. He was too strong as I struggled against his tall frame.

"Get off my sister!" It was Andrew. He had a bat and swung it at my assailant. Unfortunately, he caught it and taking it, whacked my brother across the face.

"Andrew!" I yelled my vision still blurry. He was on the ground and not moving.

The man then turned to me with a sick smirk on his face. "It's your turn, sweetheart."

By this time, it was dusk, and I was well aware of my degenerate neighbors. Even if I cried for aid, no one would come. They'd almost certainly join him on his mission.

Despite my cloudy vision, I searched the area for something I could use to defend myself. Todd was knocked out cold on the floor. There was no sign of my sister. I couldn't help them since there was nothing I could do. He sprang at me and pinned me to the ground, despite my best efforts. His breath smelled like a combination of cheap vodka and onions. He gave me a forceful kiss as I heard a clink; he was unbuckling his belt. My eyes welled up with tears. As I awaited the inevitable conclusion to this.

I shut my eyes tight praying that it would be over soon when I felt the weight on top of me being lifted.

"Hey man, what are you doing?" I heard the man say.

My opened my eyes slowly to see Louis giving the man a beating of a lifetime. I went straight to my brother who was still unconscious. I shook him trying my best to wake him. There were still tears in my eyes as I put my ear to his chest.

I still hear Louis beating up the drunkard in the background. When the man got back on his feet he threw some punches at Louis before running away. Louis stopped hitting him and ran over to me looking down at my brother with an expression I couldn't read.

"God, Andrew please wake up." I could help but cry out shaking him the best I could.

Louis said nothing as I heard him tear up what sounded like packet. He put what ever he had in his hand to my brothers nose.

"Smelling salt?!" I realized.

He still gave no answer. There was no response from my brother and I was starting to lose hope. I suddenly heard him gasp. Relief washed over me as I held him close not letting him go.

"If you keep squeezing him like that he'll faint again." I heard Louis grumble as he stood behind me.

The tears fell freely. I didn't care that Louis was there. I let go of my still disoriented brother and gave him an inspection.

"I am okay." He smiled at me before he yelled in pain.

I examined his bruised jaw and took him inside leaving Louis outside. After I had treated my brother's wound with alcohol and a clean cloth. I gave him an ice pack. I didn't say anything because of what he had seen. I left him in the house and to thank Louis.

I was met with a surprise outside; He was gone. He had vanished the same way he had appeared.

I saw the packet of smelling salt he had left behind and walked down the creaking stairs to retrieve it. I picked it up and despite my still shaken condition, I smiled. I went back inside to take care of my brother.

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The next day was a Thursday, and I made my way to school, dropping my brother off before heading to my own class. As I reached the gate, I paused and inhaled deeply, putting my nervousness to the back of my mind.

I planned to thank Louis for saving me but then avoid him like a plague afterward. To be honest, I didn't want to see him at all. That would give me enough of an excuse not to have to talk to him.

School was relatively uneventful, but for some reason, I felt like I was being watched. I hoped my intuition was wrong. He was not in our grade anyway, being two grades higher, so I had an advantage, but morally, a disadvantage.

We had a test after recess, and when we were done, the teacher called me.

"Zoe, take the scripts to my office."

"Yes, ma'am." I took the script and made my way to her office. She followed me, and once I finished my task, I turned on my heels to go back to class.

Around the corner, I was pulled by someone.