Simon Says Die by Erika Strauss

Author:Erika Strauss [Strauss, Erika]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: psychological thriller, domestic thriller, Mystery, Dark Noir, Sociopaths, Framed for Murder
ISBN: 4158303540
Published: 2023-01-26T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

MAX

When I walk into the kitchen for my morning bowl of cereal, I can feel Uncle Robert’s glare burning a hole through the back of my head. He has only been home for two days, and I already hate it. Him being here changes everything. Plus, I’m not allowed to be alone with Aunt Mari and I’m really starting to miss our one-on-one time. My uncle has made it clear that he doesn’t like me being here either. The way that he looks at me makes me feel uncomfortable, like he would kill me if he got the chance. It makes me kind of happy that the caseworker lady came over, the threat of her showing up unannounced saves my life in a way.

Phoenix is already eating his breakfast, wincing every time he shovels a spoonful of mini wheats into his mouth. His face looks better than it did when he first came home from school. The bruises that were black and purple are slowly becoming a green and yellow pukish color. I don’t know what he did to his face, but by the looks that Aunt Mari and Uncle Robert have been giving me, they obviously think that I did it. With every dirty look, I feel the urge to tell them the truth. Something like, “Yes, I was the one beating the crap out of your whiny crybaby son. But I didn’t do it this time.” At this point, would it really matter if I were the one who did it? I’m starting not to care what they think about me. I heard what Uncle Robert said about me to that Janet lady, and Aunt Mari didn’t even try to defend me. She just sat there and let him say those awful things. I’m not messed up in the head, or the next school shooter. Why would she let him say those things? Doesn’t she love me anymore?

Last night, I tried to ask Phoenix what happened to his face, but since the caseworker left, he hasn’t said a word to anybody. He just nods or shakes his head when asked a question. Whatever or whoever did that to him really shook him up. Not having to hear his annoying, high-pitched voice is nice, but now nobody is talking to me. The only voices that I hear are when Aunt Mari is talking on the phone, or when she and Robert are talking to each other in bed at night. I overheard her talking to one of her friends on the phone the other day, telling her about Janet’s visit and how my mom might have been right about me all along. She used the same words as Uncle Robert did: mentally disturbed. I looked those words up in the dictionary, and I don’t like their meaning. She has definitely turned her back on me, and that was something that I thought Aunt Mari would never do. She should know better.

Sitting down at the table with my bowl of cereal, I open my comic book to the page where I left off last night.

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