Page 49 of Pain and Possession

I smile back shyly, gesturing to my attire, "Sorry it wasn't under better circumstances." We both chuckle before I get out thanking her again. Hoping it doesn't come back to bite me in the ass.

"See ya, Olive!" She calls from the open passenger side window as she pulls from the curb, nearly sideswiping a taxi who honks in protest.

Goodbye Charlotte.

Chapter eleven

Screams & Saviors

Thesoundofshoutingjerks me from where I must've dozed off, draped unceremoniously across my bed. My neck catches painfully as I sit up a little too fast. It aches as I roll it, glancing down at my phone which is still clenched tightly in my palm. It's just now 7am.

Fuck that I'm going back to bed.

At least I changed out of his clothes before I passed out, I can see the edge of his discarded t-shirt sticking out of my overflowing trash can. I groan as more shouting comes from the hall, Blake's parents no doubt.

Poor kid.

An acute bitterness swarms me, lancing me like a blade. How many times have intervention services been to that apartment? The cops? Nobody has saved him; nobody has done anything for Blake. Not in any proper sense.

Including me.

I've given him a safe haven, at least tried to. A place to escape the chaos when things get bad, even I've been absent lately. I know his mom loves him, but she loves his stepdad more. The drugs and company he supplies. A chill runs down my spine at the thought of his dirty long nails and permanently greasy hair. The way he always smells like the machine shop he deals out of. This can't be all that life is. You endure the bullshit. The abuse, torment and then what? Then you die? No, Blake doesn't deserve that, Noè didn't deserve that.

I didn't… I don’t.

I clench the hem on my pajamas shorts tightly as anger mixes with the bitterness that I suppose isn't new at all. It's always been here; I've always beenher. That sad, lonely, ugly girl that was bitter to her fucking core. So disgustingly bitter I hoped the whole world would die just because I hated what I saw in the mirror. I squeeze my eyes shut tighter and I can see her, her bleeding bottom as she stares up at me from the shower floor, instead of nausea this time, I feel anger. An anger so searing I have no doubt it will leave another permanent mark on my soul. I'm on my feet and heading towards the front door of my apartment before I make the conscious decision to. The cuts on my inner thighs burn as they brush together with each step, raw from my walk earlier this morning. I don't care. All my emotions and lack of sleep carry me forward. A thin line of sweat already gracing my forehead from the muggy apartment. The sound of Blake's cry injects my veins with something else, an overwhelming need to take Blake from here. To keep him safe. Something strangely maternal.

He's never really hit Blake before; I swear to God if that's changed… I don't bother knocking as my hand hits their door, throwing it open so hard the handle knocks loudly against the wall behind it. Marie's shocked expression quickly turns to shame as she looks away from me, back to Blake's small body huddled against their dirty sofa.

Blake…

"Hey, get the fuck out!" Tom bellows as he takes a step in front of them as if I'm the one they need to be protected from.

"Fuck you Tom, Blake come here." My eyes never leave his reddened tear-soaked face. As soon as he tries to stand Tom shoves him down behind him, earning more angry wails from his mother as she crawls across the floor towards him, pulling him into her arms. Her bloodied lip smearing against the yellow of his shirt. For a moment Blake looks like that scared, bleeding girl and a red film bleeds across my vision.

"You need to learn how to mind your own business ya nosey little bitch and get the fuck out of my house before I remove you myself." That should scare me, it doesn't. A frustrated scream leaves my throat as I run towards Tom knocking into him with all of my weight. I shove hard catching him off balance and causing him to stumble back towards the hall, he doesn’t get a second to correct himself before it’s followed up with my fist knocking into his crooked yellowed teeth. For a second he’s Mr. Carter so I punch him again before his palm catches my throat shoving me so hard I nearly fall to the ground.

I spin my breath ragged as I grip Blake's arm, jerking him from his mom and pulling him towards the door. My heart clenches as Marie stands taller than I've ever seen her. She attempts to make a barrier between us and Tom, buying us time as her husband screams mumbled profanity towards me and her. Blake's cries fill the room along with more yelling between his parents.

"It's okay Blake." I try to comfort him as we hit the hall, a brief struggle from behind us, then the sound of a body hitting the floor makes the lie in my words even more apparent. Marie cries out, "Run!” My pulse hiccups at the sound of Tom's heavy footsteps advancing.

Almost there.

"Take your hands off my fucking boy!" The words only barely have time to sink in before a large hand grips my shoulder tightly jerking me backwards onto the floor. I scramble to my feet as Tom grabs the back of Blake's neck tightly, his panicked eyes finding mine.

No.

I take off towards them again, my heart pumping with adrenaline. As soon as I'm in arms reach a slap rings out as the back of his hand connects with my face a ring on his finger striking my eye directly. I can't help the scream that leaves my throat. Fuck this hurts.

"Don't hurt her! We don't want you here anymore! We hate you, both of us do! I hate you! I hate you!" Blake's voice cuts through the pain as I clutch my burning watery eye.

“Let him go!” I slap at Tom, clawing, kicking and punching so hard I almost miss the sound of footsteps booming up the carpeted stairs. The change in atmosphere is palatable distracting me as another powerful hit lands in the middle of my chest. It knocks the air from my lungs sending me to my ass. Those footsteps reach me a moment later. A familiar warm set of hands are on me in an instant, with them brings both panic and relief, "Are you okay?" I nod, trying and failing to open my eye as another burst of pain burns through it.

Fuck.

I'm only vaguely aware of Tom pulling Blake away from me as I try to catch my breath. "I'm going to fucking kill you.” Noè's words sound more like a growl than anything I've heard before. It’s more than a threat its a vow clinging to the thin air. My heart begins to beat faster, so fast I'm sure it will stop altogether. A new sense of urgency hits Tom, one he didn't possess before as he rushes towards the apartment. Noè kisses the back of my head lightly before he stands slowly turning his deadly attention towards the man. I once again gently attempt to open my eye, this time forcing it to stay that way despite the pain.

"Hey man she barged into my house and fucked around in my business." Tom says, pushing Blake inside where he runs to his mom.

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