Forgive us

Asher's POV

Today is Macey's 16 birthday and nothing has been planned for her. No one to sing her happy birthday, no gifts have been brought. I usually slip my sister some extra cash on her birthday so she can celebrate herself but it doesn't change the fact that none of our family ever recognises her birthday. Usually, we have a cake and special dinner for birthdays, Macey hasn't been included since mum died. I get up out of bed knowing a Macey is expected to have our breakfast ready. I am up earlier so I can help her set the table so she can get to school before our father wakes up. He is usually extra cruel on her birthdays and Christmas.

When I got downstairs Macey wasn't there and there was no food prepared. Shit, she has slept in and is going to cop it worse from dad now. I quickly head up to her room to get her up so she can start breakfast only to find her not in her room. "Macey?" I call out to her. "Macey this isn't funny" I call louder only to have Tyler come into the room. "What the fuck are you doing? Macey is downstairs getting our breakfast organised" Tyler said. "She isn't there, there was no food cooked," I tell him. "What? Dad will kill her, you know what day it is today" Tyler replied worried for his sister. "Macey" Tyler called loud walking into the hallway. "What do you want with that little bitch?" Diesel said walking out of his room. "She is missing," I tell him and he looks horrified "What?" Diesel asked. "She is gone when did you see her last?" I ask him. "Last night when I, umm yeh last night she hurt herself" Diesel mumbled.

We all search the house looking for Macey in the hopes of finding her before our father wakes up. Peter stumbles out of his room. "What's with the noise?" He asks. "Macey is missing," Diesel tells his father. "Good that bitch is a waste of space" Peter spat out. I glared at my father and headed back to Macey's room to see if Macey had just left early for school. I headed to the cupboard and all her clothes were gone. I headed to her bed and saw the ripped-up photos along with a note addressed to the people who made her life hell. "No no no no. She is gone. Macey is gone" I scream out. Tyler came rushing into the room followed by Diesel slowly walking in. "Good" called Peter.

"She left a note," I tell my brothers. "What does it say?" Tyler asked. "Let's go downstairs and read it with Dad" I said picking up the letter and looking at the photos of our family all ripped up on the bed. I shake my head at the sight, we used to be a happy family, Macey used to be a happy kid but now, god what have I done? Where the hell is my sister?

Everyone headed downstairs to see Peter sitting at the table drinking a coffee. "So where is the bitch?" Peter asked his sons. "We haven't opened the letter yet" I replied before sitting down at the table. "What was the ripped stuff on her bed?" Tyler asked. "It was family photos of us kids before mum died" I replied before continuing "And photos of Macey with dad" I mumbled and began opening the letter.

I began reading the letter out loud causing each brother to shrink into his seat the more that was read. I had no idea that his sister was physically abused by our family. After reading what their father did I got up and punched him in the face splitting his lip. "You fucken hit her? How could you? She knows every little thing you did to her, every injury you caused" I bit out.

Diesel looked anywhere but his father and his brothers. Diesel was worried about what was said about him. I continued and hung my head in shame when I got to the part about what I had done to my sister and the broken promise. "I should have protected her. I promised never to leave her and I did" I sobbed. I buried my head in my hands ashamed of myself for not helping my baby sister.

Tyler took the letter and continued to read it including how he hit his sister when he was drunk and every last thing that Diesel had done and got covered up by his girlfriend. I stood up when the letter was finished and went to my room packing a bag. I couldn't stay with these people, they brought out the worst in each other. They brought out the worst in me. As I headed back downstairs my father and brothers tried to stop me but I honestly wanted nothing to do with them.

"Asher, where are you going?" Peter asked his son. "I'm not staying here. You all put your fucken hands on her. Macey was a kid and we all let her down. You all physically hurt her and I can't be anywhere near you. She deserves better, mum deserved better" I whispered the last part. I let Mum down but more importantly, I let my sister down.

Third person POV

"She got what she deserved" Diesel replied. Asher lashed out punching him in the head and knocking him out cold. "That's for Macey, you got what you deserved" Asher spat. "You are just as much to blame as we are" Tyler screamed. "I fucken know, I never once put my hands on my sister but I did hurt her. I pretended not to see what was right in front of me. I will never be able to make up for what I did but I am a better man than any of you here" Asher screamed. "Really? you watched on while we hurt her and made her do all your cleaning just like we did" Tyler yelled.

Asher swung hitting Tyler in the nose "Don't judge what I did until you look in the mirror and are happy with what you did" Asher replied storming out. He was going to look for Macey, he owed her an apology and he would help her get settled away from them all. She deserved to be happy after the years of abuse she had suffered at the hands of her so-called family.

Asher was ashamed of himself for not realising sooner how hard she had it. He was ashamed he had joined his father and brothers in hurting her. He was just as bad as them and had hit them wishing he could hurt himself for the damage he had caused. Asher knew his mum would be disgusted with them all.