My Witch of an Aunt (Emily's Original)

Chapter 7

We spend the next hour or so making a stupid teddy bear fly when I get a text on my phone:

A: Hey, the storm is gone!

S: Cool is everyone safe?

Hello?

A: Guys this isn't funny answer us.

S: GUYS, PLEASE ANSWER

A: Oh shit.

I start to panic. "What's wrong?" Lexi says putting a hand on my shoulder. Lexi reads the text messages over my shoulder, "Ah, here let's go check on Max then we'll check on Bre." Lexi puts out her hand and I grab on. I feel a spinning sensation as I feel my feet leave the ground.

Next thing I know I'm in a room I don't recognize. I look around. We're in one big room and there are two doors on the wall we're facing. Max walks out of one room and before he even realizes I'm there I pull him into a hug. Max nearly jumps out of his skin as he hugs me back, "Sally how did you-? Oh." I guess he saw Lexi. I step back. "You didn't answer the texts! I know it's stupid but I thought you got hurt!" I'm half laughing. I look back at Lexi, she looks concerned. I follow her gaze and see a bloody knife in his right hand. I jump back, "Max what is that!!??" Max looks down and his eyes widen. He tries to hide the knife behind his back, "I-It's nothing!" I grab the knife out of his hand and toss it across the room, "Let me see your arm," Max hesitates as I grab his hand and pull up the sleeve of his blue sweatshirt. There are horizontal cuts along his forearm up to his elbow. I look at Max and he looks away. "Max." He doesn't look at me. "Max, why?" He again doesn't look at me and stays silent. I move into his line of sight, "Max?" This time he meets my gaze, "I-I" I look back at the cuts. They're not that deep. But they are deep enough were a band-aid won't cut it. "Hey Lexi," I turn around and Lexi's looking at the ground. "Yeah?" She says as she looks up, her face full of concern. "Will you go get some medical supplies for these?" Lexi wordlessly nods and disappears.

I look back at Max. He pulls his hand back and rolls down his sleeves. I look back at Max, eyes tearing up, "Why?" I whisper barely audible. Max sighs, "I-I know I shouldn't. I-It's just- I" Max lowers his head, "It's the only way I can relieve stress. Nothing else works. I wait until my mom and dad leave for work and then I hide in my room or down here. I-" I embrace Max tightly, crying now. "I'm sorry," he whispers as he rests his chin on mine. "Promise me," I whisper, "Promise me you'll try to stop." Max doesn't answer. "Please? If not for yourself then for me. Please." Max puts one hand around my waist and uses the other to brush my hair, "Ok, for you." He whispers, "I promise."

Lexi teleports back with a first-aid kit in her hand. Max leads us into the door on the left. There's a couch to the right and a tv to the left. I sit next to Max on the couch and Lexi hands me the first-aid kit. I roll up Max's sleeve and get out the antibiotic ointment, gauze, and medical tape. When I add the antibiotic ointment Max flinches and pulls his arm back a little. I pull his arm back as I continue treating the wounds. "Where did you learn to do this?" Lexi asks as I finish wrapping his wrist. "My mom," I add a piece of medical tape to keep it in place, "She used to be a doctor but now she's a psychiatrist." I think back to the last few days, how my mom has gone off the rails and has grown more distant than usual. I sigh and lean back on the couch. "We should be heading back. My mom will notice we're gone." I stand up as Lexi walks out of the room. "Well, bye," I say as I step forward but Max grabs my hand. "Sally," I turn around and look into his eyes. He pulls me into a hug, "I-I'm sorry Sally. Thanks, I love you." I hug him back as he runs one hand through my hair. "I love you too." Max lifts my chin and kisses my softly on the lips, "You better go home." I nod as I turn around and walk out of the room. Lexi, after sending me a suggesting glance, takes my hand and we teleport away.