My Last Hope

24

Warnings:
-Clay's story (murder/abuse/addiction)

Clay's POV

I had a panic attack, but luckily George could calm me down. Two police officers stayed in my house and came back after I calmed down enough. I put my pacifier in my mouth and held my bears as I cuddled up with George. I was still sobbing softly, but I was so relieved my dad was finally gone.

'Clay, how are you?' one of the officers asked me. He smiled at me, it was a comforting and sweet smile.

'Sad, scared and relieved.'

'Do you think you'd be finally happy to declare against your father?'

I nodded slowly and took a deep breath as I took my pacifier out and pulled George closer as my extra comfort.

'It started when I was ten,' I whispered. 'My dad has always been an abusive man, but he didn't hit me or my mother. He mostly hit walls, screamed and threw stuff. Just a little bit before my tenth birthday, my mother and I figured out he had a second family. They live around three hours away from here.'

George ran his hand through my hair and rubbed my back.

'My mother figured it out and said something about it, causing them to argue for hours. I locked myself in the closet because I was so scared and could see them through a small gap. After they argued, my dad suddenly started choking her. I didn't have a phone and I had no idea what to do. I've always regretted that I sat there, watching how he killed her.'

'It's not your fault, Clay. You said you were ten, you would have been in danger if you helped,' an officer told me.

I nodded slowly and sighed.

'He choked her and she died. I was about to help her, but my dad heard me and then opened the closet. He told me since I was ten that he would kill me too if I told anything to anyone.'

I noticed I started to cry and sniffed softly as I tried to continue without breaking.

'I've always been so scared of him and then he started abusing me. He kicked and hit me, threatened me every single day. Before I went to the hospital, I got kicked down the stairs, forced to drink one and a half bottles of alcohol and he injected drugs into my veins after throwing an alcohol bottle at me.'

I had tears rolling down my cheeks as I looked at George. He gave me a very gentle and tight hug and I continued again.

'I miss my mother a lot, I was so traumatised by what happened and so scared every day that I started to use drugs and alcohol. When I was drunk one time I accidentally told my drugs dealer that my dad beats me up. He told me that if I wouldn't steal, he would tell my dad I said that and that I used drugs. I would be dead if he did, so I stole.'

'Clay,' George whispered as he had tears in his eyes. 'I love you, you're doing very well.'

I smiled shortly and sighed. 'Am I safe?'

'You are,' an officer answered me with a smile. 'Your dad is going to prison for the next few years. Probably more than thirty.'

'And I? I don't have a mother.'

'You'll have to go to foster families, unless there's someone who wants to take you into their place.'

'Me,' George immediately stated. 'My mother told me she wants to let Clay move into our house if his dad was actually abusive.'

I looked at him with a shy smile and sighed relieved. The officers asked a few more questions and then I looked at George when they left.

'Thank you so much for not leaving me after everything I've done. I know I shouldn't have stolen and used drugs in the first place, but I just wanted to calm down and-.'

'It's fine, Clay. I love you just as much as I did before. I'm just so sorry for whatever happened to you and I wish I could do anything to take the pain away from you.'

'I'm not alone anymore. Am I in the wrong for hiding murder?'

'You're not, you had no other choice.'

I smiled shortly and George glanced down at my face. 'Now we are alone here,' he started. 'Do you want to cuddle with me?'

I smiled shyly and felt my cheeks heat up as he laughed softly. 'You're cute,' he giggled.

'You're sweet,' I whispered shyly.

George smiled and leaned in, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as gently as he could. He pulled me closer after checking I wasn't in pain and let me rest my head on his chest after I found a position that didn't hurt me as much.

He was really careful with my broken ribs, back and bruises which made me smile softly. It made me happy when he actually cared for me unlike anyone else had ever done in my life.

We both ended up being too tired to talk much and George cuddled up with me. 'I love you.'

'I love you too,' I answered.

'Do you want me to call my mother so we can try to take you to my place?'

'Yes, please.'

'Can I tell you something now you're feeling a little bit better. Obviously I'm not saying you feel good now, I know you're in withdrawal, but-.'

'You can tell me.'

'My sibling is out of coma,' George said with a big smile on his face. 'They are waiting for a kidney transplant, but maybe my oldest sister will be a match for them.'

'I'm so happy for you,' I replied with a big smile.

'They will love you. They don't even know I'm together with you, but I'm so sure they will love you. Who wouldn't love you anyway.'

I giggled shyly and he grabbed his phone to call his mother after putting my pacifier back in my mouth and giving me my bears again. I just waited in silence to finally have peace at George's place.

1025 words