The Time We Have Left

Chapter 4: Matthew Pt. 2

(Previous Chapter: Child, where are you doing?" My foster mother said to me. I turned to her and her entire face was bloodied, I turned away immediately. It's only hallucinations, I told myself. "I'm going for a walk." I said, avoiding looking at her, "Look at me when I talk to you!" She demanded. I forced myself to look at her, but couldn't pull myself to. It became more graphic the more I saw her. I looked down, not being able to. She slapped me, "Look at me when I talk to you." She demanded, again. I felt my cheek throb in pain.

I forced myself to look at her again, and saw the face of Hope, bloodied. I turned away and walked out of the house immediately, my heart pounding against my chest. It's just my imagination, I told myself. "Aidan!" She yelled from the house, but I didn't turn back to her. I only kept walking. I needed to be away from people. I walked over to the playground I used to go to and sat on the swing I usually sat at and closed my eyes. Are these the side effects?)

Chapter 4: Matthew Pt. 2

            I rubbed the side of my face that my foster mother slapped and sighed. Maybe I should call Hope.

I saw 2 shadows approach me. I looked up and saw 2 familiar-looking faces, but I couldn't actually put my finger on who the two boys were. They seemed around my age.

"Are you happy now?!" One of them yelled, grabbing me by my collar. There were tears on his face, and his face was flushed red with anger and emotion. "You told us he'd die when he was 18- he got in a fight and LOST," he sniffed, "a-and now he's GONE!" The boy yelled. What was he talking about? Wait... were these the boys Hope "saved" me from so long ago?

The other boy punched me in the face, catching me off guard. "That was our brother you killed!" He yelled emotionally, and began to kick me while I was down. I shielded my head from their blows but didn't fight back. Why did I feel like I had done something wrong, when I had done nothing?

The crying one grabbed me off the ground by my collar. I was numb. "How much time do you have, DeadHeart?!" He yelled in my face, I could feel the hot air from his breath on my face.

The other one punched me in the face before I could say anything. They took turns holding me down and beating me up. I felt like my stomach was caving in and I got a serious migraine. I was sore all over and I started to bleed.

But I deserved this, I thought.

"Hey!" A girl yelled, catching everyone's attention. We turned around and saw Hope. "Stop or I'm calling the police!" Hope threatened, pulling out her phone. I could hardly see three digits on her bright screen already dialed and ready to call from where she stood. They let go of me. "I'm going to kill you," one of them whispered in my ear as they both walked away.

Hope sat by me. "Are you okay?" She asked. I stood up. Was I okay? I was bleeding and felt like every bone in my body was broken. But worst of all, I wanted to sleep and never wake up. Why did I see the things I see? I wanted it gone.

"Aidan? Do you need go to the hospital?" Hope asked, concern in her tone. I shook my head and wiped away the blood from my face. "I'm fine," I said. But I didn't feel fine.

She seemed even more worried. "Are you sure...?" She asked.

"I'm seeing things." I said. Hope stood up by me and creased her forehead. "Other than what you already see...?" She asked. I nodded. "I've been hallucinating." I said. She didn't say anything. I sighed, "It's really intense...I'm afraid to look at anything. I dont want to see these things." I said, avoiding to look at her.

"Well, what exactly do you see?" She asked. "Graphic images...brutal. Mostly...of you." I said, awkwardly. I could tell this made her extremely uncomfortable. "Heh, that's nice." She said sarcastically.