The Violet Hour

Chapter 6 - Monster

“Dad!!” I screamed as I watched his body fade into the blackness. I ran forward, trying to get away.

The laughter echoed behind me “Quit running from us Live. You’ll belong to us one day,” it threatened, then changed its tone to soothing, but still chilled me to the bone. “Please stop trying to fight me. You’re only hurting yourself.”

I quickly whipped around, not sure if I had heard right. The voice echoed in my head and into the dark.

“You really are something Live Caliban.”

I began to shake, and fell to the ground in fear. “Leave me alone!” I cried out just like I did every other night, and just like every other night…it failed to keep the voices away…failed to erase the images of my parent’s dead bodies, etched in my mind forever.

“No tricks, no running, no stupid protective walls…just you and me,” it pressed on.

I curled into a ball, “Please stop,” I cried.

Eli appeared at my side, and shook me until I looked up. He was surrounded by black so evil that I couldn’t help but shake. “Live what’s wrong?” he asked innocently.

“You have to get out of here!” I stood up and tried to push him forward. “Get out of here before it finds us both!” I was in hysterics trying to get him to move, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Before what finds us?” he was completely calm as I watched the darkness bend closer around him, and start to mix in with the edges of his body.

I looked on in horror. “I…I…” I couldn’t talk.

He smiled at me evilly. “No one believes you Live,” his face contorted into that of a demon, I watched as blood began to pour from his mouth. He began to walk towards me.

I backed away in sync with his steps. “Get away from me,” it came out sounding like a plea instead of a threat.

“Please stop trying to fight me Live,” he continued to walk forward.

I screamed and began to sprint in the opposite direction. “You can’t take me!!” I yelled to anybody who was listening.

He instantaneously appeared in my path. “Oh dear sweet Live,” he chuckled darkly, “I already have.”

The sounds of my screams woke me up, and chased the growl of Eli’s voice away. I couldn’t help but shake, as the last few images of my nightmare lingered in my mind.

Eli had never been a part of them before, and the look of his face…I shivered at the memory. He looked so evil…I had been on the ground shaking in terror before him…and he had laughed at me, laughed at my pain. I was shaking violently. Whether it be from fear or the chill that all my sweating had caused I didn’t know. I slowly got out of bed and walked across the hall to my bathroom, silently shutting the door behind me.

Once the door was closed I put my back against it and slowly sunk to the floor. I began to cry. I cried violent, destructive tears that shook my whole body and made me choke from lack of air. I quickly crawled over to the shower and turned the water on full blast, hoping the running water would disguise the sound of my running tears from Gale.

Once I had slightly calmed down I walked over to the dock where my iPod sat. I turned it on, hoping for some music to soothe me. I climbed in the shower to “Monster” by Skillet. I was able to muster up a laugh at the irony.

“My secret side I keep,

Hid under lock and key.