Post by Parnell LeBlanc on Feb 19, 2017 12:04:52 GMT -5
Parnell had been to the Crowe Manor a few times, never really of his own volition. Maddie insisted on going to the parties, and had always been invited. At the time, Parnell simply thought that she was an accessory of Jude, an add-on because of his affiliation with Bubba. He went to the parties to keep a stern eye on Maddie, and consorted with Francine as much as he needed to. She had been a good woman, and reminded him of his own mother when she chose to smile and speak soft words from her sweet lips. Those memories of them all in the house sipping Riesling, or down by the pool with their feet in the water, seemed far-off and sepia-colored now. Frayed at the edges. But they all were that way now, bumped and bruised.
Being in the driveway felt surreal. Brad went to close the gate behind them, and Parnell exited the vehicle and immediately moved towards the back of the truck. He unlatched the back of the truck and Maddie helped Bryce out. Parnell watched her move, worried she would slip, and helped Avery out when she scooted to the end of the truck. He knew how frightened she was, how angry, and he felt that bitter anger settle deep in the pits of his stomach. He gave her hand a squeeze when her feet hit the mud, though he let it go and stuck close to his girls as they ventured inside.
The interior of the house was the same as it ever was, though instead of lavish food and drink set out, the counters and tabletops were barren and hollow. The entire house was, as if it was a mere skeleton of the past, with all of the juicy insides scraped out. There was still something stifling in the air, something haunting, though Parnell couldn't place his finger on it. But there had always been something about this house, even in the few times that Parnell had been inside.
The occasional Crowe dotted the foyer, the kitchen, and the couch. But there was no Jude in sight. Parnell looked around in search of him, beginning to worry, but they all spoke as if he was there. That was reassuring at the very least, that he was presumed alive. He stood inside, his massive form making a puddle beneath his feet, though he wanted to be anywhere but as Brad spoke. He barked orders to get Jude so that they could leave, though he offered for Avery to stay. Called her sweet legs, all while ordering for his sister to get fed to the wolves.
Kill him. Parnell wanted to kill him, with his own shotgun that lay on the counter.
"She isn't staying here, and neither are we." Parnell stood his ground, his low voice carrying over the furious applause of rain on the roof. "We get Jude and we get out. That was the plan."
"Parnell..." Maddie's voice started, quiet, but it didn't continue on. She didn't know what to say to convince him, and Parnell knew that. He wasn't going to back down on this, not easily.
"We get Jude and we get out, Maddie. That was the plan." Parnell took the hand towel as it was offered to him, though as Bryce skipped over Avery, his brows furrowed and sent a drop of water racing down his cheek. He shook his head as Avery spouted off about if he had a problem, and he didn't bother dampening the towel with his own wetness. He gave it to Avery instead, and that frown never left his face. He had the utmost respect for women, and it disgusted him to see one left to stay cold and wet, regardless of the circumstances.
Bubba came into the living room with a pile of clothes, and Parnell's heart almost dropped at the sight of him. He had expected to see Jude in tow, the two of them usually inseparable, like each other's shadows. "Where is Jude?"
Randi trickled in next, and the melting pot of emotion in the room swelled. She handed out full towels, and Parnell took advantage of his own once Avery and Maddie were taken care of. Both girls started to dry off, and once Parnell was sufficiently dry, he offered his towel to his sister. "Maddie, put your hair up. Get it off of your neck."
In his concern for his sister, he hadn't realized that Avery's simple start had turned into a frantic crescendo. As she raced to justify herself, something that he felt she shouldn't have had to do, she got more and more invested in her pain, until she finally explained exactly what her problem with Brad was. As she spoke, he helped her dry her shoulders off, and by the time that she finally spoke out the bitter words of her experience, he held her lightly by the shoulders, his hands offering the occasional squeeze. He had her back, he always would. Especially about something like this. He wanted her to know that no one was going to hurt her like that, not ever again.
Everything was happening all at once. Brad was bellyaching from the kitchen, Bubba was talking to Bryce about Beau. Avery was defending herself, throwing Brad to the flames, and Randi was desperately trying to find out more information about Beau. Maddie was sticking close to Bryce, talking to him in inaudible murmurs, and Bryce finally announced that there were dry clothes upstairs. He summoned Maddie to follow him, advising her brother not to fight him on this unless he wanted her to freeze to death.
Parnell felt his blood run cold. He had sacrificed his own well-being for the sake of their own on numerous occasions, more than he could count. Though, he wouldn't have counted even if he had wanted to. He did what he did to keep his girls alive, and was proud to. There had been many a night where he skipped a meal so that they could feel more sated, had given up his blankets so they could sleep more soundly. Many a night where he laid awake in fear of their lives, plotting every scenario that he could keep them alive. He had killed for them both, and would kill for them again. Hearing Bryce discount him, as if his protests were a detriment to his sister's well-being, was both sickening and infuriating.
He had no idea. He had no fucking idea. But he was about to find out.
"Maddie, hold on a second." Parnell's voice was stern, and as it carried over all of the interweaving commotion, it stopped her in her tracks. She stopped in her movement towards the stairs, though she was out of the action mostly at that point. "We need to be smart about this. We have no idea what's up there. We haven't seen Francine or Jude yet. We need to play this smart and stick together."
"Bryce is right--"
"I'm not saying he's wrong," Parnell said. Though his voice was serious, his words were sound, and both siblings knew it. "You need warm, dry clothes. We all do. But this is not our new home. We are not staying. We are getting Jude, and we are getting out of here. Do you understand?"
Maddie apparently took offense to that, because her lip curled and she spat out an adamant, "I'm not a little girl, Parnell."
"You're not a little girl, but you will always be my little sister." The sheer audacity of her statement was almost comical in the situation. It was as if they were in their living room all those years ago, Maddie trying to protest her brother as he policed what she was wearing. But the unknown advantage was that Parnell had always protected Maddie as if they world was ending. The only difference now was that it actually was. "Be smart about this. Think. It isn't wise to go upstairs--"
"What, with Bryce?" Maddie pursed her lips. "He protected me, Parnell--"
"--I've protected you since the day you were born--"
"--oh, so you think that I owe you my life--"
"--I'm trying to save your life!" Parnell bellowed, and it shut his sister down. "You heard what Avery said. You know what Brad can do. And you're going to leave her down here, leave me down here? For what? A second alone upstairs?" Parnell was beginning to see exactly what the problem was, and he was not a fan. "I am your blood. And I'm trying to keep you safe. We stay close, we stick together. Always. That's how we have survived so far. We get Jude, and we go. That was the plan. And we are sticking to it." He took a step towards the stairs, though he never let his hand leave Avery's shoulder. It was as if he was afraid that Brad would snatch her away if he wasn't too careful. "You really want our blood on your hands, over some guy who waltzed back in after three years? Because I don't want yours on mine. Think this through. Be smart."
Maddie's lips were pursed tight, and tears were lining her eyes. Though, Parnell couldn't tell if it was out of sorrow or fury. But he was about to find out.
Being in the driveway felt surreal. Brad went to close the gate behind them, and Parnell exited the vehicle and immediately moved towards the back of the truck. He unlatched the back of the truck and Maddie helped Bryce out. Parnell watched her move, worried she would slip, and helped Avery out when she scooted to the end of the truck. He knew how frightened she was, how angry, and he felt that bitter anger settle deep in the pits of his stomach. He gave her hand a squeeze when her feet hit the mud, though he let it go and stuck close to his girls as they ventured inside.
The interior of the house was the same as it ever was, though instead of lavish food and drink set out, the counters and tabletops were barren and hollow. The entire house was, as if it was a mere skeleton of the past, with all of the juicy insides scraped out. There was still something stifling in the air, something haunting, though Parnell couldn't place his finger on it. But there had always been something about this house, even in the few times that Parnell had been inside.
The occasional Crowe dotted the foyer, the kitchen, and the couch. But there was no Jude in sight. Parnell looked around in search of him, beginning to worry, but they all spoke as if he was there. That was reassuring at the very least, that he was presumed alive. He stood inside, his massive form making a puddle beneath his feet, though he wanted to be anywhere but as Brad spoke. He barked orders to get Jude so that they could leave, though he offered for Avery to stay. Called her sweet legs, all while ordering for his sister to get fed to the wolves.
Kill him. Parnell wanted to kill him, with his own shotgun that lay on the counter.
"She isn't staying here, and neither are we." Parnell stood his ground, his low voice carrying over the furious applause of rain on the roof. "We get Jude and we get out. That was the plan."
"Parnell..." Maddie's voice started, quiet, but it didn't continue on. She didn't know what to say to convince him, and Parnell knew that. He wasn't going to back down on this, not easily.
"We get Jude and we get out, Maddie. That was the plan." Parnell took the hand towel as it was offered to him, though as Bryce skipped over Avery, his brows furrowed and sent a drop of water racing down his cheek. He shook his head as Avery spouted off about if he had a problem, and he didn't bother dampening the towel with his own wetness. He gave it to Avery instead, and that frown never left his face. He had the utmost respect for women, and it disgusted him to see one left to stay cold and wet, regardless of the circumstances.
Bubba came into the living room with a pile of clothes, and Parnell's heart almost dropped at the sight of him. He had expected to see Jude in tow, the two of them usually inseparable, like each other's shadows. "Where is Jude?"
Randi trickled in next, and the melting pot of emotion in the room swelled. She handed out full towels, and Parnell took advantage of his own once Avery and Maddie were taken care of. Both girls started to dry off, and once Parnell was sufficiently dry, he offered his towel to his sister. "Maddie, put your hair up. Get it off of your neck."
In his concern for his sister, he hadn't realized that Avery's simple start had turned into a frantic crescendo. As she raced to justify herself, something that he felt she shouldn't have had to do, she got more and more invested in her pain, until she finally explained exactly what her problem with Brad was. As she spoke, he helped her dry her shoulders off, and by the time that she finally spoke out the bitter words of her experience, he held her lightly by the shoulders, his hands offering the occasional squeeze. He had her back, he always would. Especially about something like this. He wanted her to know that no one was going to hurt her like that, not ever again.
Everything was happening all at once. Brad was bellyaching from the kitchen, Bubba was talking to Bryce about Beau. Avery was defending herself, throwing Brad to the flames, and Randi was desperately trying to find out more information about Beau. Maddie was sticking close to Bryce, talking to him in inaudible murmurs, and Bryce finally announced that there were dry clothes upstairs. He summoned Maddie to follow him, advising her brother not to fight him on this unless he wanted her to freeze to death.
Parnell felt his blood run cold. He had sacrificed his own well-being for the sake of their own on numerous occasions, more than he could count. Though, he wouldn't have counted even if he had wanted to. He did what he did to keep his girls alive, and was proud to. There had been many a night where he skipped a meal so that they could feel more sated, had given up his blankets so they could sleep more soundly. Many a night where he laid awake in fear of their lives, plotting every scenario that he could keep them alive. He had killed for them both, and would kill for them again. Hearing Bryce discount him, as if his protests were a detriment to his sister's well-being, was both sickening and infuriating.
He had no idea. He had no fucking idea. But he was about to find out.
"Maddie, hold on a second." Parnell's voice was stern, and as it carried over all of the interweaving commotion, it stopped her in her tracks. She stopped in her movement towards the stairs, though she was out of the action mostly at that point. "We need to be smart about this. We have no idea what's up there. We haven't seen Francine or Jude yet. We need to play this smart and stick together."
"Bryce is right--"
"I'm not saying he's wrong," Parnell said. Though his voice was serious, his words were sound, and both siblings knew it. "You need warm, dry clothes. We all do. But this is not our new home. We are not staying. We are getting Jude, and we are getting out of here. Do you understand?"
Maddie apparently took offense to that, because her lip curled and she spat out an adamant, "I'm not a little girl, Parnell."
"You're not a little girl, but you will always be my little sister." The sheer audacity of her statement was almost comical in the situation. It was as if they were in their living room all those years ago, Maddie trying to protest her brother as he policed what she was wearing. But the unknown advantage was that Parnell had always protected Maddie as if they world was ending. The only difference now was that it actually was. "Be smart about this. Think. It isn't wise to go upstairs--"
"What, with Bryce?" Maddie pursed her lips. "He protected me, Parnell--"
"--I've protected you since the day you were born--"
"--oh, so you think that I owe you my life--"
"--I'm trying to save your life!" Parnell bellowed, and it shut his sister down. "You heard what Avery said. You know what Brad can do. And you're going to leave her down here, leave me down here? For what? A second alone upstairs?" Parnell was beginning to see exactly what the problem was, and he was not a fan. "I am your blood. And I'm trying to keep you safe. We stay close, we stick together. Always. That's how we have survived so far. We get Jude, and we go. That was the plan. And we are sticking to it." He took a step towards the stairs, though he never let his hand leave Avery's shoulder. It was as if he was afraid that Brad would snatch her away if he wasn't too careful. "You really want our blood on your hands, over some guy who waltzed back in after three years? Because I don't want yours on mine. Think this through. Be smart."
Maddie's lips were pursed tight, and tears were lining her eyes. Though, Parnell couldn't tell if it was out of sorrow or fury. But he was about to find out.