As Mysteries Begin To Unravel (Paused)

Chapter 2

"Stop! Don't hurt her!" She thrusts herself into the man's body, causing him to stumble, but only a little. "Mommy!"

A loud smack and a slide is audible. She is on the ground, a bright red mark on her cheek.

"Mommy!"

I wake up, shivers down my spine. "It's just a dream Julie it's okay." I assure myself, trying to calm my pounding heart.

"Julie?" I turn around to see Tony laying by my side, a small smirk on his face. "Yes Tony?"

"Why are you awake?" Tony's smirk is gone and he looks at me with daggers in his eyes, as if I was supposed to be sound asleep.

"I always wake up at this time." I stare at him, not breaking eye contact. He turns around and mumbles something and closes his eyes.

I sigh and climb out of bed. Time for breakfast.

I stretched and yawned. I went down the stairs and rubbed my groggy eyes. I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face. It had no effect on the sleep infected in my body.

"Maybe I should just.. Sleep..." I shuffle over to the couch and yawn. Who gives a crap if Tony gets mad that I didn't make breakfast? I'm tired.. I don't know what happens as I lay on the couch, but darkness takes over.

*

*

"Julie? Julie.." "What?" I open my eyes and see a silhouette of a man over my body. "Tony?" I yawn as the silhouette gets closer. I lean in to give him a hug when I feel a harsh slap.

My eyes widen as I realize why this was happening. I didn't make breakfast.

"Julie, you know the woman of the house makes breakfast. Don't you now?" He smiles at me.

I nod my head, afraid to disagree.

"You know bad girls get punishments right? And right now, you are a bad girl. Say it Julie."

"I am a bad girl."

"Good. Now the bad girl gets her punishment."

He forces me up off the couch and pushes me roughly against the wall. My head smacks against it before the rest of my body and there is black on the edges of my vision.

He smirks at me before punching me in the face. He punches me again. And again. And again. My vision starts to fade and right before I black out he lets go of me and I collapse to the floor.

"Breakfast is important to me Julie. Never, ever forget that."

*

*

I wake up and look around, wincing as pain began to flood into my body. I gently touch my face and I could almost feel the bruises.

I get up and shuffle to the bathroom, taking baby step by baby step. I trudge in and lock the door behind me.

I stare into the mirror and my reflection stares back at me. My black eyes weren't as bright as usual, and my hair had blotches of blood in it. My face looked like a truck had smashed into it, and my shirt had little blood stains all over it; even a hole! I don't even know how that got there...

I stared at my face in surprise, my jaw slightly hanging open.

I eventually shut my jaw and shuffled downstairs to make lunch.

You probably think I'm crazy right? My boyfriend just beat me, and yet I'm still with him. You don't understand. Tony loves me! He is abusive, but he's just not loved enough. I'm going to give him that love.