Beautiful

Chapter 3

                        "ESMA"
"Take one more step towards her and I'll kill you!" I heard Yusuf cry out distantly, but I wasn't paying attention.
In fact, my attention seemed to be elsewhere.
My eyes were fixed hungrily on the hooded figure; like a predator about to bounce on its prey. I watched the guy's every move, and noted how his cold grey eyes glinted with everlasting malice. It was feeding on my vulnerability, and I could very well feel it.
I took a deep breath and tried to control everything. I tried to control the anger bubbling up inside me, but my clenched fists gave me away.
Everything rushed back like a tsunami. Pictures of my uncle verbally assaulting me sprung back in my mind and I took a deep shaky breath. You're worthless, Esma, worthless! If it wasn't for you, your mother would still be alive! You killed her! You killed Latifa!
I couldn't stop the voices this time. I couldn't lock them away, regardless of how much I tried. They kept coming back, engulfing me in a wretched ball of fury and anger.
"I didn't kill her!" I screamed finally, and pounced on the hooded figure. I aimed lifeless punches at his stomach, at his chin, and at his chest. But I was for too small, and it was within seconds that I felt the pain.
The pain.
I gasped as I felt a warm liquid trickle  down my arm.
Blood.
Then came more of the pain, but this time much more numbing and heartless. At this exact moment, I wanted to just close my eyes and sleep. I could hear distant screams and it seemed that hell had arrived on Earth, but I couldn't care less in all honesty. All I could think was: I didn't kill her.
Everything before me was slowly losing focus and becoming hazy. I could see Yusuf's broad figure in front of me, shaking me and begging me to do something, but I didn't know what. I could see the words rippling out of his mouth, but I couldn't hear them. I frowned and tried to focus on his face- he was injured. I held my hand up and gently touched the deep slash on his eyebrow.
In my hastiness to cure everybody's problems, I forgot to cure my own...