Turning To Stone

Chapter 1

Everybody says that they will be that person. The person who steps in when someone is in danger, who stands up for the weak. Yet here I am, listening to sickly crunch and crack of bone on bone contact. Groans and whimpering fall from the mouth of the girl on the dark carpet floor. Merciless kicks and punches come in waves from the tall burly man with the crooked blue cap who stood above her. I'm disoriented and confused, why is the man beating her, and why the hell can I not bring myself to help her? His slurred curse words send shooting pains into my head. Another crunch, another crack, another string of curse words that threatened to crack my skull in two. My vision fogs and I blink furiously to clear the tears that appear seemingly out of nowhere. When my vision clears I feel myself become dizzy and suddenly I am lying on the floor, and I realize I'm staring into the eyes of a man that I should trust. I inhale sharply as I take each punch and kick with minimal whimpering. My eyes fall to his balled fists and I notice their bloody, I was bleeding, he was covered in my blood, my father was covered in my blood and was continuing to remind me of the hierarchy in his household. Tears fall from eyes silently, I couldn't get away this time, and now I would pay for it, my eyes fog and I welcome the darkness that engulfs me.

five hours later

"Jesus Ronnie what the fuck happened to you?" Rose demands dabbing my bruised face tenderly. I stare into her mirror analyzing the work of my father. A large purple bruise covers my cheek and a laceration slices its way under my eye, but the real damage was internal. My organs where bruised and my mind was scarred beyond repair. I woke with intense pains covering my body. I immediately snuck my way into my room where I packed a small overnight bag planning on staying in my car for the night. My father had passed out on the couch after his violent episode of the night. I ended up driving to Rose's house where I stashed a medical kit in case of emergency. She applies pressure which jolts me from reliving my continuous nightmare.

"I fell," I retort pathetically. Her icy blue eyes flick to with a look dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah okay humpty dumpty," Rose says tossing an ice pack into my lap carelessly. Our laughter dies down for a moment and a small silence ensues, " Im not sure what else to say.  You don't deserve any of this," She continues looking down somberly. I give her my best smile, which fails miserably, but I don't attempt to sugar coat the pain in my eyes. Rose has been by my side for the better part of ten years, and has witnessed every episode my father has dolled out over the years, most all ending in broken bones and bruised organs. 

"Alright enough talking," I say laying back on her bed. She lets out a grateful laugh and pulls out her phone. My eyes begin to close from exhaustion before a high pitched scream has me flailing onto the floor. 

"What the hell Rose?" I yell from the floor angrily. She turns causing her fiery red hair to fly around her wildly. 

"Ronnie you will never believe what is happening!" She all but screams, shoving her phone in my face in excitement. I rip it from her hand and stare quizzically at the image. Four domineering figures sauntered down a darkened alley with black X's tattooed on their right hands. A sense of confusion is replaced with a sudden sense of remembrance. 

"The Stone brothers?" I say looking up.

"Yes ma'am their back in town and better than ever," she says sighing like a love sick school girl. I let out a laughs as she daydreams about the Stone brothers. 

"You do realize that with the Stone brothers back in town, that means that the entirety of the Copperhead Gang is back as well? You know a gang as in guns, drugs,  kill you if you get in my way gang?"  I say raising an eyebrow in amusement as I toss the phone lazily on the bed. 

"Yes, the Copperhead Gang with the Stone brothers as in tall, tatts, and tasty abs." She corrects with a lusty tone.  I smile at her refusing to disagree.

"Is my little Rosie in love?" I tease smiling. Her face drops she rolls her eyes sarcastically.

"You don't know them like I do," She says sighing happily. Its silent again as we both realize that these are the last few moments we have together for a while. 

"I am happy for you Rose." I say earnestly staring at the map plastered on her wall detailing every place she plans to visit in the next six months. I let out a strangled groan at the thought of being entirely alone in this god awful town.

"I feel terrible about leaving you Ron, I really do. You need to get out of this town more than I do." Rosie says sounding as though she was holding back tears. 

"Yeah well if you weren't such a selfish bitch maybe I would be going with you." I sigh with a mischievous smile. 

"Oh, go fall off a wall Humpty Dumpty ," she says throwing a pillow at my head aggressively.