"MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON, GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" Joseph Jackson screamed at his five year-old child, chasing him down the hallway of their two-bedroom house, a belt in hand.

"NO, JOE, DON'T! PLEASE! You're gonna kill him. YOU ARE GOING TO KILL HIM!" Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, yelled at her husband.

Joseph ignored his wife's screams and finally caught up to his son, grabbing him by the arm.

Michael screamed and cried. "JOSEPH PLEASE NO! I'LL BE GOOD, I'LL BE GOOD! I'M SORRY!"

But sometimes 'sorry' just doesn't work.

Joseph beat his child with the belt on his back until it was bright red, with bruises already staring to show.

When he was finished, poor little Michael collapsed on the floor, crying.

Katherine got on her knees, next to her son.

"No, my baby... It's ok... Mother's got you... I love you, baby..." She glared at her husband, tears streaming down her face.

"How could you?" She whispered.

"He was being a annoying little shit, and I just got home from a hard day's work. Do you know what it's like, working in the steel mill, Katie?"

"Nothing you say or do will ever justify this, Joseph. Get out, I don't want to look at you right now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mummy, what's for dinner?" Lilac asked her mother, Rachael.

Rachael smiled at her beautiful daughter. "Pasta, sweetheart."

Lilac started to smile, but then felt an excruciating pain on her back, over and over again, like someone was hitting her with a belt.

She screamed and fell to the floor, crying. "MAKE IT STOP! MUMMY, MAKE IT STOP!"

"OH MY GOD!" Rachael fell to her knees, and cupped her daughter's face. "MARK, COME QUICKLY!"

She started to cry too. Her husband came skidding to halt in front of his wife and daughter.

"What?! What's happened?"

"S-Something's happening t-to Lilac.... Oh God... Oh my God..."

Lilac continued screaming.

"Lilac. Lilac. Just breathe, breathe, babygirl. Where does it hurt?" Mark asked, more worried than he had ever been.

"MY BACK! DADDY STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

Rachael pulled up her daughter's shirt and found red welts on her back, along with bruises.

"What the-?! I-It looks like someone's h-hitting her..."

"Let's get to her to the hospital." Mark said, picking Lilac up gently.

But no doctor would ever be able to give  an explanation for that.

+

Yeah I know it's shit, but I have plans for this book and the chapters will get longer (and better).

Vote and let me know what you think in the comments!

Natalie ❤️