The Immortal's Gamble

Chapter 6 Safe Hands

'I'm fine.' Showing him a small smile despite everything that has happened today, I stood up and dusted myself. I looked at the two boys without numbers. Soon, when school starts I wonder if we will be able to talk like this.

'I got to go. School is starting on Monday, lots to pack and do.' I grimaced and they laughed, 'But thank you for the day out, minus the body and all...' I trailed off, a shiver running down my spine as the boy's face turned solemn.

'Well, see you in school then.' Arden nodded and exited the room. I turned to Alex, 'what's up with him?' I raised my thumb and pointed in the direction he went.

'Don't worry about him. See you around alright.' He smiled and offered me a fist bump before walking me down the stairs.

By the time I reached my house, barely five minutes have passed. There were lights in the house, someone was home. Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and entered the house, giving a small shout that I was home and tried my best to run up the stairs. But still, I was caught by my mother.

'Where were you?' She growled lowly, I was a little too late in running away and she grabbed at my hair bringing my face close to hers. We were so close I could smell the alcohol off her breath, her eyes bloodshot meaning she has been drinking for a while.

I was treading on thin ice.

'I was out.' I replied softly trying not agitate her.

'Out where? Being a slut?' She threw me against the wall with unusual strength It felt as though she was working out recently. But I saw my chance as she threw me near the wall, I started to inch towards the stairs.

'No, I was out with friends.' Two more steps.

'Since when did you have friends?' She sneered and started advancing towards me, her steps unstable. 'You are a demon child! You see numbers that are not there. You have friends? You ruined me, you ruined your father. You drove him away.' She stopped, and was now wailing.

'No matter how many times I say it, I didn't drive dad away, and I am not a demon child.' I tried to tell her calmly.

I didn't chase dad away.

I didn't.

The bannister hit my back and in my mind, I fist pumped the air. 'I am your child, and I will always be your little girl.' I stated, her head snapped up, eyes wild with fury.

And that was my cue to run.

'HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH THINGS. YOU DROVE CAMERON AWAY.'

I was running up the stairs. My heavy breathing was all I heard over the incoherent shouting.

'GET BACK HERE!' She screamed wildly, her voice no longer sounding like hers. 

Just one more step. My hands reached out pushing my door away.

The rush of blood filled my ears, my heart beating into overdrive. 

In the safety of my room, I slammed the door and pushed the lock. With a click, there was nothing but a moment of silence. My heart was trying to calm down but what followed after were sounds of kicking and slamming.

For hours it continued, the kicking and pounding never stopped. Littered in between were shoutings of, 'demon child', 'you drove him away', 'you shouldn't have been born'.

But it didn't do anything but fuel my fear that the door would give way and she would come in and have her way with me. It made me lean against the door hoping it's enough to prevent the door from breaking. The words she screamed and shouted didn't have an effect on me, hearing such words for years made me immune to it. But I couldn't risk getting hit. Especially with school was starting soon, I just can't.

Just as it started, it stopped abruptly. I collapsed to the floor, sliding out my phone I summoned all my strength left to tap the home button.

11:30pm.

It's been three hours long. I rubbed my face tiredly, thank goodness it was a Thursday, meaning mum would go over to Dave's place once work ends and over the weekend.

And school starts Monday. Sighing, I dragged my feet to bed, I can't risk going out of my room right now.

"Why?" I whispered.

Why do I deserve this? I have done nothing. I only see numbers of people's death and even so, I have done nothing. I didn't drive dad away. I didn't...

Uncontrollable thoughts turned to tears and hiccups. I couldn't force it down. Broken sobs wrecked my body as they escaped from my mouth. I have done nothing wrong. All she did was drink and waste away with the drugs.

She wasn't always like this. She used to bake cookies with me and cakes for my birthday parties. She would buy me toys.

It was all Dale's fault.

Random thoughts started invading my mind, some thoughts not even mine. My head felt as though it was being pulled apart and cramped back together again. I was being overloaded. I knew it, it was similar to the feeling I had in the backroom of Level One.

But this was different.

The sides of my vision started to black out and my hands were clenched into fists. Just as I was about to let out a scream a hand slid over my eyes. My heart was pounding even more erratically now.

Thoughts turned to numbers and faces. My body was not mine to control as I tried to stop the convulsions from wrecking my body. I couldn't stop it. My vision was blurring

"Listen to me, Laura, calm down." I tried opening my mouth, wanting to scream but nothing came out. I wanted to push the hand away. But a sense of calm came over me and I lay stock still.

My body was calm now but my mind was still a torrential downpour of thoughts, numbers and faces.

"Now I want you to follow what I say. Breathe in and out." The man repeated and unconsciously I followed. I could feel the retreating blackness and thoughts quieten down. 

"I'm sorry honey. But you won't remember any of this.' Remorse filled his voice. With the hand still covering my eyes, I felt something on my forehead and any conscious thought of mine faded to black.

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Hohoho, who do you think was that? :3