Just Another Generation

Ch 4

Ch 4 Just Another Generation

ANGIE's POV:

"Ow."

"Shh," Ryan said dabbing a wet washcloth against my face. "It's okay. It's just bruising up, that's it."

My eyes widened. "Is it a big bruise?"

Ryan hesitated.

I shut my eyes in frustration. "Crap. I don't want to go home like this. My family will start asking questions and I really don't wanna answer to them right now. Especially, not today."

Ryan bit his lip. "Could you... Could you at least tell me who did this to you?"

I shook my head. "No, I can't."

He nodded understandably and continued to dab the cut.

I flinched.

He lowered the cloth and I was able to see all the blood that had seeped onto it.

I gulped. I couldn't believe that my dad, using a stupid alcohol bottle in a stupid dream, could injure me this badly in real life.

Ryan glanced at my cheek and sighed. "It'll be alright," he said looking up into my eyes.

"Okay, Doctor. Thanks for treating it."

"Does it still really hurt?"

I nodded. "Lots."

He put up a finger signaling to wait here. He stood up and walked out of his bedroom.

He came back will a small pill bottle.

"What's that," I asked.

He held it up so I could see the name.

"Clonidine? What's does it do? I've never heard of it?"

"Well," he said as if he prepared to answer it. "It's a pain reliever, the best kind."

I laughed. "Yeah, I need one of those!"

He took the cap off and poured one in my hand.

I plopped it in my mouth and swallowed it whole.

"Oh, and another thing," Ryan said, "It also helps you fall asleep."

My eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"You won't tell me how you got that cut and I have my own theories. I was always taught to test my theories and you know that!"

I grumbled, "I don't want to go back there."

"Go back where?"

I looked up at him. "I don't want to go back to my father."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What does your father have to do with your dreams?"

I sighed, laid down on Ryan's bed and closed my eyes. "I'll tell you when I wake up."

"Now, you're just being difficult," was the last thing I heard him say before drifting off.

Damn, that stuff works like a charm.

**************

When I opened my eyes, I was still laying on the floor of my dad's kitchen.

My dad was standing over me.

My eyes widened and I backed away from him. "Please don't hurt me!"

His eyes were dark. "Who are you," he asked. "And why do you keep haunting me?"

I shrugged. "I'm your daughter. And I'm not trying to haunt you. I just always come here when I sleep."

He looked me over. "My daughter... Is dead!"

My mouth flew open. He thought I was dead?

I just decided to play along for the sake of his sanity.

"Yes, and what about your wife? Your son?"

He looked down. "They're all dead. I killed them."

I gulped. "You did?"

He nodded.

"If you could get them back, if they could come back to your life and come to see you, would you let them in?"

"I love them," he said. "And I miss them, but I'm too dangerous. If they came back, I wouldn't them in. I wouldn't want to hurt them again."

I bit my lip. "You wouldn't try to change for them?"

He shrugged. "I'm already dying. I'm too weak to change."

I didn't say anything.

He leaned down to me even more. "Now, tell me. Why do you care?"

I ignored his question.

I grabbed the platform of the counter behind me and stood up.

My father stood up too.

"Answer me, Demon," he yelled at me.

I backed up. "I just do, okay?"

He kicked me in the knee and I fell to the ground. "That's not a straight answer!"

"I told you, I'm your daughter! I care about you!"

He yelled, "Liar," and this time kicked me in the face.

My eyes closed as I felt him kick me in various different places, and pain seeped through my lungs.

"Angie, wake up!"

Oh right, this is just a dream.

~~~~~~~~~

"Wake up, Angie, wake up!"

My eyes opened and immediately, tears began to pour down my face stinging my cut.

Ryan was leaning over me. He looked frightened.

"Are you alright?"

I shook my head.

"Alright, now you need to tell me what's going on. I watched you sleep and all of a sudden, a mark mysteriously appeared on your face, then I heard a crack in your leg and in your spine and you whimpered so loudly it sounded like someone was beating you up."

I bit my lip.

"So, now I know that this is happening in your sleep, but how? And who is doing this to you?"

I choked out, "My father."

His lips parted in shock and he held my cheeks. I felt more blood come out of the cut and some even from a cut on my other cheek that I just got.

Ryan pulled me in for a tight hug. "You scared the frick out of me!"

I buried my head in his chest and cried.

He just found out my deepest and darkest secret. He probably thought I was crazy.

I pulled away from our hug. "Now you know... I'm a monster."

He shook his head. "No, you're just special... But I don't want you to fall asleep anymore. I don't want you to get hurt again."