• v. 1
    "And you think you can live without me?!" He stepped forward his movements uncontrolled. "As if you could live without me!!" He yelled putting the space between us closer. My surroundings made sure that escape was not a possibility. . He was standing in front of the safest escape, the front door. The only other escape was through our room’s glass door, that opened to a small “backyard". I could easily jump over the fence that surrounded it. Jumping over the fence with Betzie in my arms would be harder. Leaving Betzie was not an option. Hunched over the dark shadow behind him looked at me, it’s eyes out of focus. "Emily I own you now. I am the only person you can see, your not allowed to leave. Ever… you belong to me. And there's not a ********’ thing you can do about it" A laugh left his lips. As if to enforce his words he pulled my hair, forcing me to look at him. A face I once grew to care for, left empty, scarred, and worthless. Tears spilled as strands of my hair were teared from my scalp. I would not give in to him. Everything was in dead silence except for his breathing and my stuttering heartbeat. And the night outside our door was eerie, there was no sunlight to guide me to safety. Not a soul in sight, and not a creature in hearing distance. The darkness seeped into my clothes, eating my warmth, turning my skin to ice. The darkness wanted more, it whispered, and giggled. "do you hear me?!!!" he screamed, his eyes blood shot. The shadow smiled caressing his face, glowing from his desire to do something. To own. Greed. I had to get away. He stepped towards me, shakily. I cringed away from him, "leave me alone" i whispered. Even drunk he heard my faint words. How he hated that I wasn’t begging on my knees."What did you say?!!" he kicked me hard. The shadow crawled in sharp motions, a mass of broken hands reaching. Before, I knew it I felt the undead ground under me. I felt the air escape through my lips. He heard no response from me and kicked me again. I gasped in pain, he hit something hard. I fell down holding my stomach, a sharp pain quickly enveloped me. It became nothing. My brain was sending a panic signal. Something broke. It screamed through my entire body. It became me, as it swam underneath me. Even then I could feel it, licking it’s lips, waiting for the kill. His kicks continued and he slapped me. I will never beg him for mercy, not now… not ever. I bit my tongue, no sign of pain will escape my lips. It didn’t matter that it hurt, I had to stay quiet for her. She had to be kept safe. Safe from him. My cheek burned me where his hand had touched me. His sharp intakes of breath scared me. The shadow scared me, it’s hold, Eveything scared me. I crawled away from him, as he tried to take in air. It was hungry, not strong enough to devour, his breath was appetizing though. It beckoned me to get closer, I felt warmth return as it no longer held me in it’s grasp. The warmth that I longed for was not going to stay. His dark shadow hid everything from me. I screamed as he kicked my face and a warm fluid flowed to my lips. I was more scared of him than it. It was a joyous dream compared to him. "Maybe you don't understand. Maybe you'll understand once i get your little daughter over here to watch mommy. She'll learn a little lesson or two. Maybe mommy will learn then" The darkness held no sympathy for me, it did little to hide the drunk grin on his face. "Oh betzie come say hello to your daddy, he just came from work". He already knew Betzie and Betzie already knew him. Betzie, my daughter. The only thing that kept me here, it was worth it, I would do anything for her. I loved her too much. She already understood what her father did even at a young age. She understood enough that she kept away from him."Now now, are you going to play hide and seek with me like mommy did. Well, that's not so fun. I already had fun with mommy. Do you want me to have more fun with mommy?" He snickered knowing she was listening. She understood enough that she wanted to save me. Keep away betzie, keep away. Please."Do you want me to keep hurting mommy? Don't you want to make it easier for mommy? Come out Come out wherever you are" He walked away from me searching through the corridors of the house. I did my best to hide the fear in my voice, nothing was wrong, everything was going to be fine…"Betzie don't come out. I'll be fine. Don't listen to him." He walked quickly to me and screamed into my face. A vein bulged from his neck, his bitter breath filled my lungs."Shut up stupid b***h". I felt a heavy pressure on my shoulders. I had no time to run. He threw me across the room with all the force he could manage. I soared through the air like a doll and too quickly fell down hard. I screamed as i slammed into the living room mirror and its pieces stabbed me. I was not a doll, dolls could not bleed or feel pain. I writhed, my arm screeching, my eyes turned inward and outward’s too quickly, I could not see. Only blood and it. "Betzie i see you". I did not have to see his face, I could hear in his voice, how much fun he was having. It laughed insanely, it’s voice cracking. "Run Betzie Run!!" I screamed, tears falling down my cheeks. I have to save her, I have to… "Don't come back. RUN BETZIEE!"
    Hell had fallen to me, it had kissed me. I felt it's cold laughter ring in my ears. i heard the angel's cry. And i could do nothing. I screamed as the shattered remains of the mirror went deeper and a soft cry escaped the frail body on top of me.
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    I shot up from bed, sweat clinged to my body, plastering my hair to my neck. It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real. But, it felt too real. I looked around my room. A small bed with old sheets surrounded by white walls and a window. A beat up teddy sitting on a rocking chair, a small table with a lamp, and a closet. It was different. It was my new room. Yellow blankets covered me and a small lump. Uncovering the lump, a small Betzie layed next to me breathing in and out softly. She looked so innocent curled up in a ball. I gently wound a strand of her hair behind her ear. A halo of brown wavy hair framed her peaceful face. In the morning it would become a tangled mess but, she wouldn’t mind. She would giggle and her bright blue eyes would sparkle. “Look Mommy!” she would point at her uncombed hair, “I look funny hehe”. She wouldn’t stop there, she would make sure all our neighbors saw her award winning hair. But, I was always afraid, of people including our neighbors. Where they like him? Because of him, I never stopped thinking about the dangers lurking in my little world. A habit of keeping Betzie away from strangers grew, because I knew one truth. There was no one you could trust from the outside. I shivered, the dream may have not been real. But, it was the past. My past that threathened to consume my life. It was the past that i was running away from. The past that always managed to find me.