DARK DESIRES 2

The whole family ate dinner silently that morning with Eden excluded.

"Where is Eden?" Juliet whispered to Clement who was sitting beside her.

"I don't know, he's sleeping" ... Clement replied grumpily.

"Is he alright?" Tracy whispered to him

"I don't know, go check on him yourselves.." He grumbled.

"What's the matter with you all?" Grace asked, looking at the children.

"Nothing mom, we were just asking about Eden," Juliet replied

"What is your business with him?" She asked

"Um.. He's not here for breakfast so I was worried.. Don't know if he is alright.." Juliet replied.

"Maybe we could go check on him!" Tracy voiced.

"You will do no such thing! Now eat and go to your rooms now!" Grace slammed and they all nodded fearfully before turning to their meals.

He laid on the bed with his body aching so hard. He couldn't get the memories of last night off his head. He had cried out his eyes till morning without Clement noticing. The verbal abuses he received from Derrick was nothing compared to this one, he reasoned.

The door opened and Juliet rushed in with Tracy and the nanny.

"Eden!" They both cried, jumping on the bed to meet him. They tried to touch him but he flinched.

"Are you ok Eden?" The nanny asked curiously

"I'm...I'm.. Hmm…" He mumbled

"Eden are you alright... " Juliet asked trying to touch him

"Ouch!" He screamed again

"Look at bite marks all over your skin.." Tracy remarked on sighting the bite marks on his bare chest.

"Did you fight with someone? Your lips are swollen.." The nanny said

"No... I'm.. I'm.. Fine." He cried with a tear escaping from his eyes.

"Eden, what's the matter with you? Talk to me.." Juliet pleaded ardently.

Just then, the door opened, showing Grace at the doorpost.

"What are you all doing here?" She asked menacingly.

"Um.. They requested to see Eden…" The nanny stammered and a slap landed on her face.

"How dare you disobey my orders!" Grace yelled as she stood in front of the nanny angrily.

"Mom, it wasn't her fault…" Juliet cried

"Now both of you, get out now!" She screamed and the girls ran out in fear.

"Don't try to disobey me again, else you're gonna be fired!" Grace threatened.

"Yes ma'am…" The nanny quivered and rushed out of the room. Grace turned to Eden on the bed. He got up and shifted backwards to the wall. She smirked before walking out.

He couldn't help but lay on his bed sobbing all through that morning.

***

The other night, He was sleeping peacefully on the bed close to Clement when he felt a hand on his shoulders. He flinched as he woke up jerkily. He couldn't see properly as the room was dim.

"Hush...." She motioned to him and took his hands.

"No.. Ma..am..!!!" He cried but she sealed her palm on his lips. He cried with fear as his whole body trembled.

"Up... " She whispered to him and he got up slowly from the bed. The noise woke Clement who had been fast asleep. He yawned and turned to see Eden standing up from the bed with someone holding his hands.

"Eden?" Clement called, rubbing his palms against his eyes.

"Oh.. Son, you're awake. .." Grace fumbled.

"Mom?" Clement called in surprise

"Yes dear, shouldn't you be sleeping?" She asked

"Where are you taking Eden?" He asked

"Oh.. He forgot to eat his dinner before going to bed, and your dad says, no skipping dinners" She lied and Clement went back to sleep again.

Eden followed her slowly to her room and she shut the door gently as soon as they entered the room.

"Hush.. No alarms," she whispered to him as she laid him on the bed. He began to cry as she began to undress him again.

"Ma'am please don't.. He cried, placing his hands to shield his thighs. She flung his hand away and smirked.

"Stop acting like a little boy. I know you're not a child anymore... You taste better than your father.." She remarked as she smacked her lips.

He shut his eyes as she laid on him unclad to satisfy her dark desires one more time.

***

"Did mom really take Eden out of the room last night?" Juliet asked with surprise as she stared at Clement the next morning.

"Yeah.. She says he skipped dinner.." Clement replied while writing on his books. He had just related to his sisters what he saw last night and they were getting worried about Eden always staying up in his room to cry all day.

"We all ate dinner together last night.." Tracy chipped in.

"Yeah.. Tracy's right... I need to speak with Eden" Juliet said, trying to walk away when she bumped into her mother.

"Where to?" She asked

"Um.. Eden," he's been in his room all day, I want to check on him.." She replied

"I've told you to stay away from him, haven't I?" She thundered.

"But mommy.. He's our brother" Tracy snapped.

"Clement and Paulo are the only brothers you've got so get that into your head!" She slammed. "Now to your rooms!" She ordered.

**

He was lying on his bed, sobbing silently when the door opened and the nanny walked in with his food. He had refused to touch his food all morning.

"Eden, are you ok?" She asked, dropping his food on a stool. He didn't reply.

"Eden," she called, walking towards him on the bed. He turned to look at her with swollen red eyes.

"What! What's the matter with you Eden?" She panicked.

"She.... She.." He stammered. The door opened at once and Grace walked in.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, looking at the nanny angrily.

"Um ma'am I'm trying to make him eat..". She replied.

"Take the food away, his father is home now. Eden, your dad wants to see you," she said to him. He nodded in fear and stood up slowly from the bed.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked, looking at the nanny.

"Sorry ma'am," the nanny said and walked out immediately.

"Now that your father is back, I want you to be a good boy. Wipe your tears and act like nothing is happening ok? Beause if you dare spill a word to him, I'll kill you and dump your body in the sea" She threatened and he nodded in fear.

"Eden," Emilio called as he saw his son walking down the stairs slowly. He had just arrived from a business trip. The other kids surrounded him while he cuddled Paulo in his arms.

"Hey son, are you ok? You look emaciated," Emilio remarked as Eden walked closer to him. He kept silent, staring at everyone.

"Dad, Eden is not fine. He cries everyday and Clement...." Juliet tried to speak

"Julie!!" Grace exclaimed, cutting Juliet short.

"What is it, honey?" Emilio asked, turning to Grace.

"Um, nothing, it's fine.  Um, they have assignments to do.. Now all of you, upstairs," she ordered to the children.

"Except Eden, I need to talk to my son," Emilio said, looking at Eden who looked so pale and unhealthy. Grace swallowed hard and she turned to Eden as the other kids left. She gave him a menacing look and he flinched.

"What is wrong with you son?" Emilio asked, pulling him closer.

Eden kept silent as he stared at his father and down to Grace who still had the menacing look on her face.

"Grace, is he ok?" Emilio asked, turning to face her.

"He's standing right in front of you, so let him speak..," Grace voiced.

"Eden, tell me, what's wrong with you?" Emilio asked again and a tear escaped from the boy's eyes.

"Eden!! Talk to me!" Emilio persisted anxiously.

"Honey, he's fine. He's just having a hard time away from his mom, he cries all night calling her name.." Grace lied.

"Is that true?" Emilio asked, turning back to his son.

Eden remained silent and continued to sob. He saw Grace's eyes piercing him from behind and he nodded at once.

"Oh ... You have to forget your mother.She doesn't care about you, ok?" Emilio said, wiping the tears off his face. "Come on, go upstairs and play with your siblings" He comforted.

He nodded and hurried out immediately.

**

He laid on his bed sobbing silently. He could have just spilled out everything to his dad, what if he doesn't believe him? He asked himself. He thought of running away but he had nowhere to go, he didn't know his way to grandma's house nor Mrs Sergio. The pains were getting too much for him to bear, well now that his father is back, she would stop coming for him he reasoned.

Just then, the door opened and Grace walked in with Clement beside him.

"Eden, pack your things because from now henceforth, you will be sleeping alone in your own room.." She ordered.

"But... I'm... I'm..ok here..." He protested

"Clement is no longer comfortable with you here, there is a bigger room prepared for you.." She said, forcing a smile on her lips.

He knew what she was up to. Fear gripped him at the thought of sleeping alone. He had so many nightmares already.

"Be fast Eden," she smirked and he stood up at once and began packing his clothes.