Broken (Edited edition)

Nightmare

That night, Mark and Thomas are watching Who's Line while I help Nona cook dinner.  It's Chicken and Dumplings, Mark's favorite dish of all time.  He didn't get to eat it before he had to go to the hospital, so she made it again for him tonight.  I chop up carrots and celery, and have to stand on a kitchen chair to do so."  Good, very good chop Lyca."  Nona says, and takes the tray of veggies from me.  She scraps them into the pot, then sets in front of me the tray.  She places on top of it several biscuits, and asks me to cut them into cubes.  I cut them as she wants them, and she says that she has the rest covered.  I decide to help her a little bit more, and grab some spoons for when she has to taste the food.  After that, I clean up my area of food pieces and juice.  I try to put the knife in the sink, and cut the edge of my finger in the process."  Ahh, fuuuuccck!"  I say softly, and Nona hears the knife drop from my hand.  I grab the towel from the sink, and wrap it around my finger to get pressure on it."  Mark!  I cut my finger!"  I shout, and I hear someone stumble to their feet.  He comes into the kitchen, and checks out the cut."  Yeah, that's a bad one.  Mom, can you go get a medkit?"  He asks, and Nona takes one out from underneath the sink.  Mark puts a bit more pressure on the wound, then wraps a Band-Aid on it to cover it.

"There, all better?"  He asks, and I nod.  Nona picks up the knife, and sets it down in the sink.  Mark picks me up in his arms, and checks out my wound again."  I think it was just a flesh wound, you don't need stitches."  He says, and walks over to the couch.  He sets me down, and sits down next to me.  It's already seven at night, and I'm really tired for some reason.  I feel all dizzy, and lean against Mark.  I shut my eyes, and the dizziness stops."  You okay?"  He asks, and I groan softly."  You tired?"  He asks, and I nod into his shoulder.  He chuckles, and picks me up."  I'm going to put Lyca to bed."  He says, and Nona sighs."  Okay, sweet dreams."  She whispers, and I feel her hand on my shoulder.  I press my cheek against his shoulder, and fall asleep quickly.

I hear screaming, and a loud THUD as something hits the floor.  I get up to investigate, and a shadow comes from the hallway.  As I get closer, the walls start to disappear.  As I get closer to the hall, I see the gigantic shadow creature.  It's...Todd."  YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME!"  He bellowed, and start to stomp towards me.  I start running the other direction, which has turned into a dark, dusty ground.  The sky is covered with clouds, and the clouds look almost yellow.  Todd chases after me, and his laughter makes the ground shake under my feet.  I start screaming for help, but no one comes.  Suddenly, a blade appears in my hand, and I'm not in control of my actions.  I skid to a halt, and chuck the blade into Todd's chest.  Pools of Blood spray across the dusty plains, and cover me from head to toe  I'm dripping in Todd's blood, and watch his huge body drop.  The huge shakes of him falling create a huge dust wave.  The dust starts to turn into a huge body figure, just like Todd.  It's running towards me, and I start running away as well."  Help, someone help me!"  I start screaming as I run, and look for someone  There's no one ot help me.  No one is here."  Mark!"  I scream, and the dust surrounds me.  It starts to suffocate me, and I feel as if  I'm drowning.

When I wake up, I cover my mouth as I start screaming in agony.  I'm scared, I'm shaking, and I'm covered in sweat.  Tears stream down my face, and I can't stop my hands from shaking as they clutch onto my face.  I look at the clock, and see it's only 10:30 at night.  I've been asleep for maybe four hours, and it felt so much longer.  It felt like days of running, days of crying for help.  I stumble to my feet, whip the tears off my face, and leave the bedroom.  I hear the TV on, and the lights are off.  I'm guessing Nona went to bed, and Thomas did as well.  I walk out into the living room, and see Mark staring a his laptop as he edits some videos he brought for the vacation.  I watch him for a moment, then walk over to him."  Lyca?  Hey sweetie, what are you doing up?"  I don't answer his question, I take his laptop and set it on the coffee table.  I crawl up onto the couch, and move his hands out of my way.  I crawl into his lap, and pull his arms around me."  Wha....oh you had a nightmare didn't you?"  He asks, and I nod.

"Tell me about it."  He says, and I sigh before trying to explain.  I explain how we were in Danny's apartment, then how I hear him scream, then a giant version of Todd appear.  I tell him about the dusty plains we were running on, and how I killed him with a giant blade.    I also tell him the terrifying dust storm, and how I felt like I was choking.  How I was calling for help, and no one was around to help.  How scared I was, how I thought I was alone.  I start shaking again, and he hushes me softly.  He rubs my back softly as I tell him, and he just smiles softly down at me."  You must remember that it is only a dream, it cannot hurt you in anyway.  It's just a dream."  He says, and presses his lips against my cheek.  I look up at him, and he rubs his thumb against my cheek."  If you have a bad dream, I will protect you.  I promise."  He says, and feel him squeeze me a bit."  Okay."  I say, and he pulls his laptop onto my lap so he can continue working on his editing.  I watch the TV show that he's watching for a little bit, then start watching him edit.

"Do you think I could go for Prison for killing Todd?"  I ask Mark, and he stops typing."  What?  Why would you think you?"  He asks, and I shrug as I tug on the end of my T-shirt."  Because of the girls of the bookstore, and what the news lady said."  I say, and he just shakes his head."  The only person's opinion that matters...is yours.  So, if people treat you like that, then just don't listen to them.  They don't know you, you don't need that type of nonsense.  They are just...stupid."  Mark grins at his word choice, and starts to laugh."  That was so stupid!"  He says, and laughs even louder.  I then notice his medication on the table, and roll my eyes."  You're on pain killers aren't you?"  I ask, and he starts smiling again."  Yeeeaaaah."  He says, and I start laughing with him."  I think it's time for you to go to bed."  I tell him, and he groans."  But...I don't wanna."  He whines, and I help him to his feet."  But.. you need to.  Tomorrow's another day to go through."  I tell him, and he smiles."  Okay, I am kind of tired to be honest."  He says, and I grin again."  Okay, then let's get into bed shall we?"  I help him walk into his room, pull the blankets back, and he falls onto the bed.  I pull the blankets over him again, then turn the fan on before going to clean up the living room.

I turn off the TV, and turn on the lamp to see a bit better around the room.  I fold the blanket, and drape it on the back of the couch.   I put away the movies, and clean up the glasses and plates around the coffee table.  I look at his laptop, and see a picture of us as his desktop wallpaper.  I smile a bit, and save all his editing work before shutting down his laptop.  I pull out his laptop charger from the plug in, then bring the laptop and charger into his bedroom.  He's sound asleep, snoring peacefully as he dreams.  I kiss the top of his forehead, and go to get some food in my stomach.  I hear a loud growl come from my stomach as I walk toward the kitchen, and I pray for a moment that nobody heard it.  I go into the kitchen, and open the fridge to reveal a small bowl of chicken and dumplings with my name on it.  Literally, there's a sticky note on the side of the bowl with my name on it.  There's even directions on how long to heat it up for in the microwave.  I heat it up, then sit at the counter with a glass of milk, listening to the soft piano on Mark's phone.  He was sleeping when I took it, so there was a fight for it.

As I eat, I hear someone yawn in the hallway and them go into the bathroom.  After a few minutes in there, the person comes out."  Mark?  Are you still up?"  I hear, and Thomas comes out of the hallway."  No, he went to bed."  I tell him, and he sees me at the counter."  Lyca?  What are you doing awake?  I thought you were going to be asleep for the rest of the night?"  He asks, and I shrug."  I had a bad dream, and came out here to Mark.  He's pills started to kick in when we finished speaking.  So I took him to his bed, and he's sleeping now."  I tell him, and he sits down next to me with a glass of water.  He's wearing his boxers, and a gray T-shirt."  Is something wrong?"  He asks, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear."  My dream was about my brother."  I tell him, and finish the bowl of food."  What was he like...if I may ask?  Mark has never told us about him.  Whenever we asked about him, he would go quiet and say he had to go.  That he was busy.  Then would hang up."  I feel my lips tremble, and cover my mouth quickly so Thomas doesn't see.

"My brother was about twenty, so he was ten years older than me.  He learned from my parents that beating was the way to go, but... decided to use those lessons on me.  He was violent, dangerous, and a drunk.  He didn't believe in fragile bodies, or even stopping the beatings.  I became his little punching bag, and now....now I'm just a scared child in and out.  But, he was just a terrible person, and I'm glad he's gone."  I shut my eyes, and take in a deep breathe."  Listen, if you want you can look him up, but I don't want to talk about him."  I set my plates in the sink, and pat Thomas on the shoulder."  Good night."  I tell him, and kiss his cheek.  I walk down the hall, and snuggle into bed next to Mark.