Blade

Chapter 8: Tormented

Blade

She clawed desperately at his hand, pleading for release, but he only tightened his grip around her throat.

I reach for the pill bottle in the drawer of my bedside table. My hands tremble as I twist the cap open, and a white, uncoated pill drops into my palm, making my chest tighten with silent agony.

The smile on his lips was pure evil. Even the once-familiar coal-black eyes I used to love were now soulless, void of any emotion. That gentle smile was gone, replaced by something wicked, something that always sent a shiver of fear through me.

I toss the pill into my mouth and stare into the darkness of my room as it forces its way down my throat, each swallow scraping against me. Every inch of my body locks into a painful rhythm, the edges of my consciousness tearing apart to accommodate the torment consuming me.

He pulled a knife from the waistband of his shorts and traced the sharp tip along her cheek, drawing out tiny beads of blood. He taunted her with menacing words, completely unfazed by the fear etched across her face.

My heart rate spikes, and the blood coursing through my veins feels like icy needles, stabbing at my chest as if trying to rip out my bruised heart and strangle my constricted lungs. The pain that follows feels almost like a relief compared to the constant, throbbing ache I'm forced to endure.

The knife sank slowly into her chest, blood gushing as if a dam had burst. Her skin tore with every stab. Even though it hurt, she didn't stop him; she couldn't. Pain paralyzed her, and he showed no mercy. The agony that tore through me when her almost lifeless eyes met mine, love still swimming in them, shattered my soul. Her bloody heart landed at my feet, a cruel taunt, and that final act broke the last thread holding me together.

I sit at the foot of my bed, tightening my grip on the bottle of beer in my trembling hands. Sweat drips down my body, making my hair stick to my forehead. Every muscle aches from lack of sleep.

Why would I sleep anyway? Those awful memories keep haunting me in my dreams, stealing the rest I desperately need. Nights like this, my eyes stay wide open, not from fear. I don't get afraid anymore. I just don't want to relive those moments-her dying in front of me while I stood there helpless. I couldn't stop him. I couldn't do anything. Sometimes I think he might come for me next, but I know that's impossible. I made sure of it.

I pull the cap off the bottle and take a sip of beer, blowing out a breath as the burning liquid slides down my throat and churns my stomach. As usual, I ignore it.

My heart bleeds and screams inside my chest, making my ribcage feel like it's cracking with every echo of anguish. Every move I make hurts. Every word I say hurts. The things I hear hurt. The world around me spins, and everywhere I look is nothing but a blur. It hurts like hell. I don't know what to do to make it stop, and that's the way it has been for years.

I take another sip of the beer and squeeze my eyes shut as the liquid feels like hot coals burning through me.

Would life have been the same if she were still alive? Would I still be the same person if she were here? Would I have lived a different life with her by my side?

Would I have known what pain truly felt like or if darkness even existed? Would I still be seen as the devil everyone claims I am even though, deep down, I secretly embrace it?

I can't even come up with a suitable answer to those questions, and every time my mind lingers on them, it feels like a weight pressing down on me.

My lips curl into a sardonic smile as I take a swig of beer.