(Un)confidently Me

Chapter 9

When I woke up, my eyes were scratchy and aching. I slept horribly the previous night. 

I squinted and looked around. Rain was gently rattling against the window. I shivered and got up. June was still sleeping, but Tara was sitting on the couch. By the look of her red eyes, I didn't think that she slept either.

I sat down, thinking, until June woke up not too long later.

She lay in bed, but I knew she was awake. 

Al came into the room a little while after that, and the waft of blood lingered in the room after he told us that breakfast was ready. I tried not to inhale through my nose as I stepped into the hall. 

 I looked out the window with crooked blinds and saw that it was still raining. Almost by coincidence, Al stepped aside and shut the blinds a little too firmly. 

My stomach growled from not eating yesterday. I was too numb inside to feel the pain in my empty stomach. 

Al left as he did again, but anxiety flooded me as soon as the door shut. 

Would he capture another victim? If he did, would she not be as lucky at Tara?

I wandered up the hall and to the bedroom; Summer and Tara followed after me. We had nothing else to do. 

After a few hours of watching more movies, I heard something. My heart jumped into my throat when I realized Al must be home. 

The door slammed and I felt relief when I didn't hear anyone else with him. Then the sounds hit me. 

Screaming filled the house, then a whimper and some muffled noise. 

I bit my lip and felt my stomach churn again.

"You're going to pay...this...", I heard Al's voice. 

I couldn't stand it anymore. I whipped a blanket off me and soared down the hallway. 

A girl was cowered against the wall with a small gash running down her arm. 

My whole body felt numb, and I collapsed to my knees.

It was Julie.

Her blonde hair was slightly matted and she had the deepest look of terror across her face.

She tormented me, but that gave her no reason to die....

Al turned to me and snarled. "Upstairs. Now."

I backed up a few steps after returning to my feet and stumbling. I hid on the stairs where Al couldn't see me and watched.

"You... I don't even know what to say. You tormenting...scum..."

Julie started to cry and lean down farther. Al slipped a blade out of his pocket and raised it slightly. Julie was sobbing hysterically at this point. 

Tears slipped their way out of my own eyes, and I regained my senses. 

Without realizing what I was doing, I jumped forward and tackled Al. 

I didn't know what was going on, I was just throwing punches and screaming however I could.

Pain seared across my back, and across my arm. Al shoved me out of the way and raised his arm again.

I squeezed my eyes shut before hearing another ear-splitting scream. 

I opened my eyes again and saw Julie, lifeless but still sobbing. 

She twitched and cried out, spitting out blood meanwhile. 

There was no way she would live now. 

Julie looked up at me with her puffy eyes and mumbled something. 

"I-I'm sorry."

With one last breath, she shut her eyes and stopped moving. 

Tears streamed from my eyes and Al pulled the back of my shirt so I would stand upright. 

"She wasn't your friend anyways. Clean her disgusting body off my floor...", he said, shuddering. 

The cuts on my back stung and blood clung onto my shirt. 

I ignored Al and ran back upstairs. 

"J-june. Help.", I said, my voice trembling.

Tara looked at me in shock. 

June rose from the couch and followed me back down. She gasped in horror when she saw Julie's body in the pool of blood. Al looked over and spoke again.

"Clean it.", he said firmly. He tossed us a cloth bag before heading upstairs to the bathroom.

After everything was done, I ran upstairs and went straight to bed.

I felt regretful. 

Could I have saved her? 

.....

Should I have saved  her?