Bound

Chapter 31: Death

Emily

It's because of you! You did this! This is your fault!" The words are echoes. The walls are black, but they move with the whispers, with the echoes.

"I'm dreaming. Please tell me this is a dream. She's coming home. She'll be home. Mom, come back. Mommy, please come home!"

Is that me speaking? The words are muffled as they float through my eardrums.

I can feel it, my knees. My sore, sore knees. It doesn't matter. I was told she wouldn't be coming home. I didn't react. I thought it was some sick joke. That's something dad would joke about. But really, I knew. After what happened in the middle of the night, I knew. But even after he told me, it didn't sink in.

How could this happen?

He left. Of course, dad left. He doesn't love me-she was the only person who really loved me. Where did he go? Doesn't he care?

And the moment he walked back out the front door-the moment I was alone-I fell. Every muscle in my body dissolved completely and I fell to my knees, hard. I can still feel the hard wood on my knees and how cold it was when I tumbled over, held the floor, and sobbed. I sobbed so hard I thought I'd quit breathing, but I never could stop breathing. I prayed to God that I would. Just as I prayed for her to come home. But she didn't. And I'd have to go on, breathing without her. That was the sick joke.

"It's all your fault! I hate you!"

"Please don't hurt her, we're sorry!"
"Mommy, don't go with him! Don't go!"
"It's okay, baby. Mom will be home soon. Go back to bed."
"Motherfucker, leave her alone!"

There's a crash. The bed shakes when Blake jumps up. I can feel him looking around in the dark.

"What the fuck was that?" he asks with a hurried voice. I don't respond. I'm not sure.

"Emily?" He nudges me. "You're sweating baby, are you okay?" He grabs me and I feel the slip of his hand against my wet forehead.

"I was having a bad dream," I breathe out and roll over sleepily.

"I think you threw something," he finally says.

I look around in the dark and feel for my phone. "My phone."

He chuckles groggily, "Why'd you throw your phone?"

"I dunno?" And we fall back asleep.

The darkness invades. I toss and turn restlessly. I know I'm dreaming again, but my body feels too drained to wake itself.

Please let me wake up, I don't want to relive this nightmare.

"It's all your fault! I hate you!"

His golden eyes stare back at me, and he doesn't move. He lets out a whisper, "I know, I'm sorry."

"I'm leaving," I choke out.

"You can't leave!" he shouts, and it echoes under the schools' stairs where we're standing. His hand is gripping firmly around my wrist.

I don't reply. I have nothing more to say to him. I only jerk away from his grip lightly-with the last bit of strength I feel I have.

"You're all I have, Emily. Please don't leave me all alone."

"You're safe now, Chris. Don't you get it? Because of you, my mother is dead. He killed her and it's your fault! She's not coming back, and neither is he. Are you fucking happy now?"