Brave

Behind Closed Doors

|Hunter's P O V|
I open my eyes to see a white tile ceiling, I recognize the distinct smell of this place immediately, I'm in the hospital.
I instantly remember what had happened, now it feels like a dream.
I remember being beat, I remember the pills, the blood, everything.
How I ended up in the hospital I'm still unsure of. I mean my mom was at work until midnight, and unless my dad came back for me, I can't see how I possibly survived.
I don't cry at this point, I've calmed down. I just accept what's happening, I lay down in my hospital bed and wait for someone to come in.
"Thank you." I hear a familiar voice say, a door closing behind her.
I hear footsteps approach, but I don't sit up. I wait for her to come to me.
"You're awake." she says softly.
I recognize the voice, it's Michelle.
"I'm so glad you're alive." she says, firmly grabbing my hand.
"How?" I manage to ask, my voice raspy and weak.
"I was lucky enough to find you just in time. A few more minutes and, well, you could be dead." Michelle says, I can hear her voice tremble.
"You saved me?"
Michelle's grip on my hand tightens, "Yes." she says, a tear falls on my hand.
I feel my eyes start to water,
"Eldon." I whisper.
"What?" she asks, not hearing what I whispered.
"Eldon, I want to talk to him."
Michelle takes out her phone,
"Here, I'll call him." she says slightly disappointed, finding Eldon in her contacts.
She puts her phone on speaker,
"Hey Eldon..." she says,
"Hi." Eldon replies, lacking any emotion.
"Are you okay?" she asks, looking right at me but talking to Eldon.
"No." he states coldly.
"Do you wanna talk to Hunter?" she asks, and we hear muffled sobs from the other end of the phone.
"He's alive? Is he okay?" Eldon asks, his voice shaking.
Michelle hands me the phone and signals for me to talk,
"Eldon..." I say, trying to figure out, well, what to say to him.
"Hunter, seriously, how could you do this to me, and to your family, and to your friends?" Eldon asks, I sigh,
"I'm sorry, it's just having razors and pills literally thrown at you really pushes you to, you know? I feel better now, I'm still sad, but I'm better." I admit, holding back my tears.
Michelle gives me an odd look,
"What do you mean by literally thrown at you, Hunter?" she asks suspiciously.
"Yeah..." Eldon adds.
I bite my lip, what do I have to lose?
I'll just tell them, after all this suffering I finally realize, even though he's my dad, he deserves to be locked up. I can't ever love that man any more. I can't let myself get thrown around by him like a defenceless rag doll. I know I'm putting myself in danger by telling, risking everything, but I really don't care anymore.
"My dad, it's my dad. He's been beating me really bad, for a long while now," I clear my throat, "...and he gave me the stuff to kill myself with, he hates me for being... you know... gay." I confess,
choking on my tears. It feels good to finally say those words out loud. It feels good finally voicing the hell I've been going through.
Michelle is getting emotional as well, her eyes glossed over with tears.
"I'm so sorry you had to live with... I'm just, so sorry. I'm at a loss for words. That's awful." Eldon says, Michelle is staring at the wall, not speaking for several moments.
"Your dad, I can't believe it." she starts, "I've known him almost my whole life, and, he's a real monster."
Michelle heads to step outside, "I need a minute." she says before leaving.
Moments later Eldon speaks,
"Hunter, I love you, you know that? I know things were hard but, you still really really hurt me." Eldon pauses,
"I've got to go to dance, so, bye."
"Eldon I lov-"
He hangs up, I place Michelle's phone on the side table.
I sigh, I let my true love down.
I really hurt him, and I need to win him back, now that I'm starting to become okay, even if it's just the meds I'm on, I think I can get through this.
Michelle finally walks back in the room, quietly, her head still hanging low.
"Michelle..." I say, almost in a whisper.
She looks up at me, "What?"
"Thank you for saving me."

After several days at the hospital and at therapy, I'm back home.
I'm laying on the couch, doing my homework when I hear a loud knock at the door. My mom rushes to open it, a police officer standing in the doorway.
"How may I help you?" she asks, clearly intimidated.
"I am here to inform you that we have arrested your husband on accounts of child abuse, illegal drug usage, attempted murder and domestic violence. His court date is in a few months. It's most likely he'll be locked up for at least fifteen to thirty years with possibility of parole." the officer explains, my mom nods silently,
"Thank you, ma'am, we'll keep in touch." he says politely, heading back to his car. My mom shuts the door, evidently shocked yet oddly pleased at the news.
"Well, I guess we're finally away from your father." she whispers, small tears rolling down her face.
I walk up to my mom and give her a big hug...
We're finally, after all this time, free.