Knives and Nightmares

Chapter 12

"I-it's not what you think!!" Connor sputtered. That got him a glare from Charlie.

"Get. Out." He growled at Connor, who was shaking at Charlie's rage.

He obediently ran out of my room towards an awaiting, and smiling Annie. The door slammed shut the second Connor was out.

A tear escaped Charlie's face as be approached me moaning

"Melanie, Melanie. My beautiful Melanie. What has that bastard done to you?" He was talking about Connor.

I struggled to sit up, a stabbing feeling in my side made me fall down again.

"It wasn't him." I spat out "Annie" he looked at me confused

"my lovely Annie? Not her, never her" he lowered his gaze.

"what did she do to you? Why are you on her side? She just wants to hurt me.. She hurt me Charlie" the sincerity in my voice made him shudder and drop another stream of tears.

"How could I have been so blind? Oh god. She almost killed you-again" the two of us flinched at the memory, the truth in my brothers words.

I started twirling my long black hair as I wondered what Annie and Connor were doing outside, I would hear the occasional thud. I didn't want to know.

"Melanie, where did she hit you?" He asked braking the almost silence.

I pointed to my swelled neck, my bruised cheek, and my bleeding arm. My voice would have failed me. He looked at my arm, blood and scars. He stared for a while, enveloped in his own thaughts which I couldn't decipher due to the mask he wore, to hide himself. Next, he looked at my neck, the marks from Annie's tight grip and the gash of the knife made it almost purple he stroked it silently, as if he was absorbing my pain. It didn't work. He caressed my cheek gently, I flinched from his cool touch.

"Don't blame yourself" I said noticing he look in his eyes, sorrow, regret, pain.

He pulled back and balled up his fists, I knew what he needed. The blade. I rolled over sending a shock to my stomach, and pulled open the drawer on my bedside table, revealing my blades. I'm sometimes glad that my moms a drunk. She's never notice, look. Care. I drew out out blade, brand new, and held it. I made an effort to sit up.

"Use this, you need it." I said harshly.

He looked at me with eyes that screamed no, but hands that said yes. He took the blade. And stood up to leave

"no Charlie, you have to do it here. In front of me" he didn't want my to watch, I knew that. But he needed it so badly, he needed release.

He slowly pulled off his shirt, not wanting to make the white stained red, gave me a fearful look, and pressed the blade to his stomach. I watched the blade slice through his skin, soft as butter. I shuddered. His hands were shaky from the audience, and make a jagged line. He looked at me with horror. I closed my eyes silently and counted to ten. One two.. He needs this three four.. How many times will this happen.. Five six.. I wonder how he's feeling.. Seven eight.. I can't resist this much longer... Nine- I frantically reached into the drawer and produced a blade of my own. He looked at me with a solem glare. I ignored his gaze and set the blade along my healing left arm. Slowly, I slid the blade I'm a straight line starting close to my elbow. Not deep enough to draw blood.

Blood, I looked at Charlie who's chest was streaked in red, he was shaking uncontrollably, I set aside my blade, myself quivering. I went over to Charlie.

" I'm sorry Mel, I shouldn't have showed you this.. It might hurt you. Mel, I had to. I really did. I couldn't take it, I can't. Mel, it's my fault she hurt you again. All my fault, please forgive me" his deep voice was shaky and hurt

"don't blame yourself" I held him in a tight embrace, his cuts rubbing against the fabric of my dress, streaking it dark purple. I didn't mind.

I grabbed a cloth and cleaned his wounds, then I slipped on a sweater hiding what I've done as Charlie put his shirt back on. Charlie opened the my door. I almost fell over. Annie had Connor pinned again, his face bloody and bruised, probably unconcious due to the blood polling around his head. But, she didn't care, all she cared about was getting what she wanted. Me hurt. She won. Connor always unconcious, and unaware of Annie madly attacking him, smothering him with her kisses.

"We'll, two timing bitch. We're done" Charlie announced.

Annie spun around and saw him.

" babe, it's not what you think!" She said.

"oh, okay. Well, I really don't care Annie. Get out" his voice getting louder with every second

" but- I love you?" Her voice more of a question then a statement.

I staggered forward, my legs barely able to move, if hurt.

" Annie, I'm done with you hurting me, go away just leave me alone! I'm done annie, you can't hurt me. You've almost killed me, more then once! You can't succeed." I assured her,

I can't believe how easy it was to lie. Annie got up,

"I will get you" she assured us as she walked down the stairs and left.

Charlie and I shared a gaze, then we looked at Connor.

"what do we do with him?" I asked

"how much do you think he weighs?" Charlie asked not really answering my question.

Connors build was pretty good, he was strong, skinny, and extremely attractive when he sleeps.

"one sixty maybe" I answered.

Charlie groaned and lifted Connor onto his back and carried him to my bedroom and threw him on the bed, literally.

"well Mel, this might be enjoyable."

Before I could ask, Charlie left the room. I strode over to Connor and caressed his bruises and bleeding face. I pressed my cheek against his chest and exhaled after hearing the steady thump Thump of his heart. It soothed me, braught me to a different world, a perfect one, one were everything is okay, perfect. Where mine and Charlie's pain Is gone, where our scars aren't real, where Liz can see her perfect body, where Annie doesn't want to ruin everybody.

Charlie walked in and ruined my perfect fantasy world. He was holding a bucket and grinning, I wasn't sure what he was about to do, but I backed up towards the door cautiously. Inside the bucket, there was freezing water, before I could protest, Charlie dumped the water on Connor hocking him awake.

"Ahhh! What's going on?!" Connor demanded bolting upright, his shirt becoming skin tight against his stomach.

Wow I said to myself. Charlie caught my gaze and began snickering. Connor looked around confused. I began to laugh, really laugh. I almost forgot what it felt like, my stomach began to hurt I didn't care, Connors face, completely priceless, if only I had a picture, to cherish forever. The light on my ever so often rainy days...