Fracture

Part 21

                 

Crying. I was crying, stifling sobs and suffocating on salty tears. I crawled protectively to my mother as James raised his hand again.

            "Okay! Okay! Please. I choose you. I fucking choose you." I threw myself over my mother, praying that he would stop. The silence was deafening before two very strong hands lifted me from my mother and spun me around, standing my feet firmly on the ground.

            "I had to do it. He killed my mother. He was always dead, Sarah." I jerked back before holding my head into my hands, clutching the cusp of my conscious as I faded in and out.

            "The dreams, my dreams. It was him- he killed Lex." I tried to speak through the sobs, barely audible.

            "That was all legit. All of it." I could hear the faint echo of familiar voices outside the cabin, praying Josiah had gotten help. When they walked in, James raised his pistol to the door, grabbing my mother by her hair and forcing her to stand, the gun pressed against her temple.

            "Dad- nice to see you- please, come in." Josiah walked in second, stopping at the door. "Move any closer, uncle, and I'll put a bullet in her brain." My eyes widened in shock, fear creeping through my throat. Bile rose as I dry-heaved, falling to my knees.

            "Where's your brother?" Jack's voice was cool, collecting no disdain or discomfort.

            "You mean plan B?" A sneer formed over James' lips as he pulled my mother with him. "Why don't you follow me, love?" He said, gesturing to me as he placed a sloppy, wet kiss on my forehead. "Shall we tell them the good news? Lex is free and you are mine." The ferocity in his voice sent a spine-chilling shudder through my body as I stumbled back into the wall, my hands clutching for any semblance of solid ground. Stars danced on either side of my vision and I forced myself to blink them away. I knew a seizure was coming, stress usually made them worse, but I had to keep going. Keep moving.