Ditched

To The Basement

I get shoved down the stairs, stumbling and falling, head over heels. "Careful." Mrs. Haggerty says, smiling maliciously.

"Hey!" Asher screams, getting in Mrs. Haggerty's face before sprinting down the stairs after me. "PJ! Are you okay?"
He says, helping me to my feet.

I nod. "I'm-I'm fine." I make my way over to the corner of the dark room. About fifteen feet wide and fifteen feet long, I feel like I'm trapped in a jail cell. There's no light AT ALL and I can't see a thing. I can't even make out Asher's face. A rat scurries across the floor and I shiver. Gross.

I shuffle my feet over to the far corner, running a hand along the wall to stay upright. I push my back against the wall and slide to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest.

Sobbing, I feel exhaustion taking over my body. I put my head on my knees, closing my eyes and gulping air into my lungs.

"PJ?" Asher asks from somewhere in front of me.

I nod until I realize he can't see me. "Yea?"

"Are you-are you okay?" He asks cautiously, his voice filled with hurt and terror.

I sniff. "Not really." Blindly, I reach out and grab his ankle, squeezing it tightly. I need to make sure he's actually here, staying with me. I can't be alone down here. "I just want to be out of here. I just want to be gone. I just want to be loved."

Asher's silent, probably not sure how to respond. He takes my hand and I sense him moving closer to me. He slumps to the floor next to me, so close out sides are touching. He slings and arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him. Resting my head in Asher's lap, I close my eyes, breathing in his familiar scent: sweat and cologne. He's probably the only thing that keeps me alive. The only thing that keeps me sane. I don't know what I'd do without him.

"Asher?"

"Hmm?" He strokes my hair, his touch sending tingles down my spine.

"Can you stay with me?"

"Huh?" He asks, the confusion evident in his voice.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but if you get adopted, can you either stay with me or take me with you?"

He chuckles, his chest bouncing against my ear. "Of course. I'll never leave you here to fend for yourself."

Even in the dark, I can sense him smiling. And I smile a little too. "Thank you, Ash."

He just rubs my back in response telling me to close my eyes. I see Mrs. Haggerty's face every time I squeeze my eyes shut, her yellow teeth and yellow hair glowing in the darkness of my mind. Her hands jab at me, but they hit Asher, his face red and bruised from the hits. My eyes pop open and I wrap my arms around Asher's stomach, tightly gripping him.

"What's wrong, PJ?"

"Scary thoughts." I respond.

"I'm sorry. She'll forever be implanted nastily in your brain."

I laugh. "Ash?"

"Yea?"

"Can you paint me a picture?"

Asher laughs. "Absolutely."