Heart Burns

Chapter 16

"Hey, Brea, you up yet?"
Breath with potato chip artificial flavoring crawls up my nose and shits in my sense of smell.
"Get your gross breath out of my breathing air."
Two voices laugh in the same way, one wise, one harsh with immaturity.
"Yeah, I'd say she's awake now. You better move before she takes a swing at you," a very nurturing vocalization rings out, and the presence near me leaves quickly.
My cheek is pressed against soft fabric and my neck is turned in the worst possible position. I try to shift my body into something more comfortable when a cool hand stops me, ice meeting my fire skin.
"Brea, try not to move right away. Your back just went under some serious stitching, so you're going to be pretty sore." My eyes are crusty of dried up tears, and I can't feel any emotions. I am dull, a body suit on a stranger's couch. 

A pair of hands shove themselves into my personal bubble, pulling me into a chest, the heartbeat fast, thumbing into my skull. I groan, and a quiet voice hushes me. "It's okay. I just gotta put you on something more comfortable than the couch." His voice is sweet when he's mot sarcastic or screaming about some jock. I mumble into his soft shirt, and he sighs. "Just shut up you moron." I'm too worn out to respond with a witty comment, and he can tell. A slam on the door and the doorbell going crazy causes Jonah to jump, almost dropping me. "Hello?" Her voice is sweet like candy, a mother figure I never had. "Where is she?" I hear her gasp and heavy footsteps clomping into the farmhouse. "Oh shit," Jonah whispers, and starts to walk faster, turning corners and climbing stairs. I hold onto his shoulders so I don't fall. "Brea!" His voice is behind us, and Jonah stops, and i feel the goosebumps on his arms rise and he holds me closer, and i'm not sure if it was for my safety or for his comfort. "Hey! You get your skinny ass down here." Adam barks, and Jonah turns slowly and stays on the staircase. "Are you fucking deaf? Bring her to me!" Jonah clears his throat, but his response still comes out squeaky. "I am not letting you anywhere near her." The bottom stairs creak with weight, and i manage to crack my eyes into slits to see Adam in a ripped wife beater, his face red, veins popping in his neck. "I swear to God, kid, if you don't bring her here right now, i will smash your head into the wall." "Excuse me!" I can see her small frame behind him, hands on her hips. "This is my house, and you will not threaten my boy in my house!" She reaches up and slams him across the cheek. It was a loud hit, but I can tell he was only amused. "Look, lady-" "My name is Anna." Her voice is crisp like Autumn air. "Anna, I am here to collect Brea. I'm here to bring her home." "Collect? She's not a fax. She will stay in this house and I will fix her up. She needs to heal, and the right place to do that is here. You may stay if you please, but if you put me or my son in any danger, i will be the one slamming your head into the wall. Jonah, bring her up into my room, and place her on her stomach so she doesn't disturb the stitches." She pushes past Adam and wipes the sweat off my forehead. "You are in good hands, sweetie." My heart drops at her touch, and a tear slips from my slit eyes. She kisses my forehead and brushes the tear off my face. Jonah turns and continues up the stairs; I can feel Adam close behind. Clouds greet me with open arms and a cool glass of water. The blankets feel soft against my bare front, instead of the stiff horse blanket downstairs. "Look man, I can't have you breathing down  my back while I'm helping her. You want to be of help? Go sit in the corner and shut up." Jonah starts to put cold wash clothes on my shoulders. He chuckles and mutters, "I  always wanted to order around a hunk of a man."