The Ghost of Alexx Marie

Chapter Two

×× Alexx's Point of View ××

I hear my door opening. I curl up on the ground, hoping it isn't my dad. The foot steps are too light to belong to him, though.

×× Brooke's Point of View ××

I walk towards Alexx's room, ready to tell her all about my week. But as I get closer, I hear her crying.

Her room is dark when I walk in. I don't turn on the light though, because I don't want to startle her.

I see her lying on the ground. I walk over, careful not to scare her.

"Alexx? Alexx, can you hear me? It's Brooke."

She sniffles in response, and moves around in the dark, probably trying to get up.

"No Alexx. Stay put."

×× Alexx's Point of View ××

Brooke walks in. Anyone else would have turned the lights on and yelled at me. She slowly comes over to me, telling me to stay where I am.

"I'm going to turn the light on, okay?"

She took my quiet sobs as an answer, and turned on my desktop lamp.

"Okay Alexx, grab my hands. I'm going to help you up."

She oulls me up to my feet. I end up sitting on the bean bag thing that's been in my closet for years, considering the lack of space I have.

Brooke tells me that she'll be right back, and that she's getting things to bandage my back.

×× Brooke's Point of View ××

I turn on Alexx's light. Usually, I'm able to stop this from happening completely, but I know the drill from the times I'm not able to. And it happens much too often. But still, I move slowly, and make sure she knows what's happening.

I leave for a few minutes to get things to clean her back, after helping her sit up. I come back to her room with rubbing alcohol, a towel, a bottle of water, and medical grade white bandages. Did I mention I'm studying to become a nurse?

I'll spare you the gorey details, but I cleaned her wounds, bandaged her back, and helped her change.

"Alexx. I need you to stay calm, okay? What happened?"

She takes a deep breath, and trembles a little.

"Th-this morning, Mom- she told me not to come home," she begins.

"And, well, Kammie begged me to go to the mall with her."

If Alexx hadn't been shaking before, she definitely is shaking now.

"We lost track of the time, and I came home late. He- he asked me where I was. When I told him, he... he accused me of sleeping around. He laughed when I asked where you were, and he started belting me."

She started sobbing again, some point throughout her story. I feel bad for putting her through that experience, again, but I need to know.

"How does your back feel?"

"Bad. Brooke, I shouldn't have gone!"

"No. You shouldn't have had to deal with making the decision. You're fourteen. You should be allowed to leave the house."

I make sure Alexx is okay, and that she's trying to sleep (even though it's early), and I leave, telling her that I'll be back. I walk around quietly, looking for Dad.

I find out biological father asleep on the couch. I walk right up to him, and slap him.

"What the fuck was that for? Oh... It's you..."

At first he seems mad, but then he laughs..

"You son of a bitch!" I yell at him. He just laughs again.

"Why the fuck did you hurt Alexx?"

"She was home late," he states simply.

"She's fourteen!" I tell the monster. "She's old enough to have a social life!"

"She was a God damned mistake, Brooklyn. Nobody wanted her."

"But I do. I want her." I tell him evenly, and walk back to Alexx.