Kisses Of A Criminal

Rest Easy

Guess what I got for Christmas? A new laptop!!! That means updates everywhere! It just hasn't been a while because I've been with family for vacation, and surfing the entire web because I'm lazy. And sleeping. Now that school's been out, I'm sleeping through the afternoon. Haha, okay, here's the new chapter.  Listen to the song, it matches the sad scene you're about to read :( and it's one of my faves. No, seriously. You don't want to read this chapter without this song, it's not the same. "Lead Me Out Of The Dark" by Crown The Empire. Youtube is being screwy, so if it's not on the right like it should be, please listen to the song. enjoy!

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River's POV

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"River. River, look at me."

My mother. That's her voice. She's weak, she's barely here, yet her voice is as strong and smooth as it's always been.

Tears are burning my eyes. I'm staring at the dirty floor, unable to bear the sight of my mom, pale and lying in a blood soaked bed. Her death bed.  Gabe, my little brother, isn't here. When he turned one, Mom gave him to her distant friend to take care of him, so that he wouldn't have the life of me and her. He'll go to school, he'll grow up happy, he won't ever need to learn to kill or sell drugs or escape handcuffs, and now, if she doesn't make it, he won't remember his mother.

"We need a hospital! We need a phone! Mom!" I was yelling, grasping the side of the bed and searching wildly for a phone I knew wasn't there. Dad wouldn't leave us anything that we could use to get help.

Her cool finger lifted my chin. Finally I met her eyes, holding my breath to keep from crying out. At fifteen, I had already learned from Dad that boys aren't supposed to cry. At fifteen, I had already learned that we aren't supposed to care when death reaches someone. So when Dad made it happen to somebody, it's supposed to to be okay.

It was different now. I loved this person, I needed this person. Me and Mom both knew he didn't want her around anymore, but we avoided talking about it. Now it's too late; he finally striked, burying a knife into her stomach. 

She can't leave, though! Ever since I've been alive, she's been there. I don't know life without her. It would just stop, a standstill, without her. I can't move forward without Mother. It wouldn't be the same, without her. I wouldn't have the option of running away to a hotel with her for a night when Dad got especially angry. I won't be able to hug her anymore, as a reminder that love exists. No more homeschooling, no more her sneaking books under my bed so that I could read and escape for a while.

I'm afraid, now. It can't be too late for her, I need to get help. She needs to stay alive. 

I stared at her. Her hair was framing her face. I had her dark blue eyes, but her hair was lighter than mine, blond without a single streak of grey. She's always looked young. 

"Honey, listen to me, this is important."

I nodded, releasing my ragged breath.

"You need to escape. You need to find your own home, because this isn't a home for you. Okay, River?"

I closed my eyes, feeling tears run down my face.

"Gabriel is still with Dory, my friend. You have to contact them and get to them. If you can't, you have to get somewhere else. Out of this city. Away from Bill and the others."

We both knew we couldn't call police. If they got involved, I'd be sent to juvi until I'm old enough for jail. My hands were dirty, thanks to my father.