Flood

Chapter 8

I bury my head in the wheel "I don't want to do this" I said. Opal grabs her things and gets out of the car. I sigh as I look in that direction as I get out of the car, With things in hand I lock the door. I walk toward the door and grab the door. I see Mom rush out and pin me to the wall. "Why'd you make her cry," she asked.

I didn't reply "ANSWER ME" She commanded. "I...." I stuttered and she pressed her arm on my neck. She pressed harder "Are you going to apologize?" she said. I gasp my throat and I feel heavy in my head. "N.....NO!!!!" I barked. I see my sister pulling my mom off me as I grab my neck, pull down, and gasp feeling like a flood of air rushing through my rattling lungs. I see Opal run off the porch and toward the next house as I attempt to fight back.

I scream, my lungs rattling as if I felt like a maraca. She puts her arm on my neck again and places her arm on my head. I thrash around the blood rushing through me. "You always were a troubled kid, you always had so many issues," Mom said I screamed again as I saw Opal return with a neighbor. I look over at her as the short dark male pulls out a mic.

Mom lets go of my body as my vision goes dark. I wake up in a stale-smelling room with a doctor checking my IV drip as I sit up. "Where's my sister? Where is Mom," I asked. Everyone was quiet. A social worker walked in as she sat down with me "Your sister has been put into another home with your family you're aunt, but you're so close to eighteen we thought staying with a friend might be best luckily we found someone willing to take you in someone named Jessica" I smile.

Jessica was the one who truly loved me, Jessica was the one who was always there for me and I was staying with her. I nod as she smiles. "Get some rest, Jasper, We'll take you to your friend's house in the morning," she said. I turn on the TV. and watch the people talk after a while. I see a woman with brown curly hair and my sister walks into the room.

I hug them both as I rub my itching neck. I signed "You saved my life," I said, "I thought I was an asshole," I said Opal tapped her toes. "You are but I couldn't stand there and watch this time, I found our one of our neighbors was a cop and had a walkie on his person so I ran to his house" Opal replied "Why didn't you just tell him sooner" I signed "Why didn't you" She signed back.

"I was scared," I said "I was too, for you." She said, "Did Mom ever hurt you?" I asked "Yes, just not in the way you think" she replied "I always was the most loved child" She chuckled. I smiled and held her hand "It's because you got your big brother" I replied. Opal looked down "I hope you are not mad," she said. I shook my head no. "Good" Opal replied "I'm extra mad" I teased. She laughs, and I smile. "I love you" I signed "I love you too" Opal replied.

My aunt comes in and suggests we hug, we look at each other then embrace as we chuckle. I and Opal watch T.V. together a nurse comes in with soft cool food as I begin to eat. A doctor comes in with an ice pack for my neck and applies it. I feel the sting of my bruises as they tingle under the cold pack. Later throughout the night, the doctor hands me hot chicken broth and I drink it slowly.

"Does that feel okay on your throat?" A nurse asked if it felt like it was raw but I didn't mind the warm liquid as it was something different on my stomach. "It's sore," I said as the nurse took notes. "Tomorrow we'll try scrambled eggs and oatmeal for breakfast," the nurse said I nod. "Ok" I replied, "If the cooking staff is nice they might put cheese in your eggs," she said. Opal chuckled as the nurse left.

Opal and my aunt stand up and leave as someone walks into the room. I sit up as I see her blond hair and tan skin. "Jessica" I croaked, Jessica teared up "Jasper" she cried running up to me and hugging me. "Jessica, it's OK," I said. She kept hugging me as I wrapped my arms around her. She presses tight on my body and I tap her on the shoulder. "Gentle," I said

"Ok," she said, letting you sit by my feet. I go to hold her hand and she smiles. She placed her hand on my lap. I look up at her as I sit up and lean over on her. Jessica starts talking but I can't see what she's saying from the corner of my eye. I smile and put my ear to her back to feel her vibrations. Jessica lays my head in her lap as she plays with my hair. She touches my neck and sighs.

"You could have told me this was happening," she said "I didn't want to lose you," I said, "Damn it Jasper I didn't want to lose you either" cried out. I looked away "I know, I knew," I said "I'm sorry" Jessica started to cry. "Did you though? '' she asked in concern. I didn't know I was just trying to stay alive. "I don't know, I had to protect myself, My sister's mom could go after her if I was gone," I replied.

Jessica said nothing. She caressed her cheek and then looked away. I sit up and look at her as I brush her hair away. "I'm ok sweetheart it's all over '' I said. She kisses my head. "Ok," she said. While I spend in her embrace as the T.V. plays. Soon my body falls asleep in her arms as strokes my hair and hums a song. Late at night, I feel my body get tucked in by her warm hands. I look up at the time mid-night. I smiled as I watched her walk out the door.

"I love you to the moon and back" I mumbled before rolling over and falling back asleep. The next morning I wake up with my breakfast in hand and an ice pack on my neck. I eat comfortably as a man walks in. He had blond hair with pale skin as he walked and sat down. "Hello Jasper, I just wanted to meet you in person," He said "My daughter loves you very much and I wanted to meet you myself," he said.

"Ok sir," I said "You're a good man," He said "I can already tell," He said I didn't even feel like a man. "I bet you feel weak right now but that doesn't make you less of a man," He said "You can feel however you want to feel your feelings matter," He said that was the first time someone said that to me. "Thank you, sir, that means a lot to me" I replied. He pats me on the back and says "I'll get the discharge paper, We're going to have a guy's day just us" He said. "Thank you" I croaked as he walked away.

I stood up and put on my shirt as I fixed my hair in the mirror. The nurse walked in. "Did breakfast feel alright." he asked "Yeah I replied honestly "Remember to ice the wound and chew solids well." She said "Thank you" I replied "I'll give you a skin cream for the pain, take that twice a day as needed," he said "Yes sir" I replied. "Also avoid strenuous exercise for the weekend" I nod as I see the marks of my mother's bracelet engraved on my neck.

I felt a thrust. I turned around and looked at the nurse. "Could I get a glass of water?" I asked he nodded as he went away. I went to the bathroom in the room and slashed water on my face. I take the towel and rise it off as I sit on the toilet and do my business. A knock on the door I feel Jessica's father shake the door. "I'm in here," I said, I wiped as I felt the thin paper reach me. I flush and go to the sink. I begin to wash my hands with the foaming soap and sigh as I wipe my hands.

I walk out as the nurse hands me a small water and I take a drink. Another doctor walks in as she places her hand on my arm and pulls out my IV placing a gawes on it. I stand up and gain my balance as I follow the man out the doors into his minivan. He stopped at my mom's house. He looked at me as he said "Get your things ok" he said I nodded as I grabbed some clothes and my school books. I grab my toothbrush deodorant and my razor. I come out with one bag and drag it on the porch. I looked up at the house one last time. I feel the flood waters creek toward my feet. I look at the porch and see nothing. I wade into it. When I get into the car it stops. I smile and look at the house as we drive away. It is all over.