MY NEW NEIGHBOR

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

I got up from my bed and to my surprise, found my mother on the couch.  I wasn't expecting her home so soon.  "Hey, mom, how was your night out?  Did you have fun?"  All she did was giggle. 

Oh, god.

"Mom...?" I asked carefully.  "Are you drunk?"  She giggled again and I groaned.  "C'mon, let's get you some advil and sleep."

I helped her upstairs to her room and gave her an advil, tucked her in, and started for the door.  "Sammieeeeeee," she whined.  "Yeah?" I answered, turning around.  "I love you," she slurred. 

What's with people I know getting drunk lately.  At least she won't remember this... I hope.

I left her to sleep and went downstairs to watch some tv.  After a few hours, I decided to go back to sleep.

Being sick definitely demands sleep.

I don't know how long it was until I fell asleep, but I know that it wasn't long.  I guess I was really tired.

***

The voice sounded far away but right in front of me at the same time.  "Sam?  Help me.  Samantha?? Please.  I need you."

My eyes opened.  I guess it must have been a dream... a weird one at that. But then..,

"Sam? Please. Help me."  Wait, that was real?  What the hell?  Who is that?

"SAM!" the person screamed and then started crying, as if I'd failed them.  I jumped out of bed and went to my mom's room.  She was fast asleep.  I heard the sobs again. 

I went back to my room and looked out my window.  Lying in the grass below my window was a sobbing, bloody... Alex?

***

After cleaning him up in the bathroom, I helped him walk to my room.  "Alex, you gotta tell me this time... what happened.  Why did you cut yourself again?"

"Before I went to sleep, I fought with my mom.  She told me I was worthless and other shit I don't remember because I tuned out."

"I drank some liquor and tried to go to sleep.  I just wanted to be numb, you know?  I wanted the pain to go away.  It always hurts when she talks to me that way.  She also said that my dad would have hated the way I turned out.  She always brings up my dad, I guess to weaken me.  She has no idea how weak I really am."

"I had the dream again," he said, his head down.

"What dream?" I asked.  "It's okay, Alex.  You can tell me."

He started crying and leaned into me, almost falling.  "It's okay, I'm here, Alex.  I got you."  I pull him to the bed and sit him down.

He looked up at me and spoke, "The dream where my dad committed suicide and I found him..."