Midnight Butterfly

eight.

It's been three days. Or is it six days? I can't even tell anymore. All I know is that for the past three times I've woken up to find Carly alive one day and gone the next it's been getting worse. I was high every minute now. Every time I fell asleep I had night terrors. Whether it was of Carly or that butterfly. And every time I failed to stay up I would close my eyes and instantly open the and be in the next day. I was so exhausted. I stopped caring about everything, even myself.

I was spread out on my bed with the door open. My box was in plain sight and I was high off my mind. Carly walked across the hallway. She looked back and saw me like that and quickly ran into my room and closed the door.

"Max." She tapped my face.

All I could do is blink. I guess that provided her with enough comfort to toss my box under the bed and place a cover over me.

She sighed. "Max you can't keep doing this, I can't keep covering for you.'

"I don't care." I flipped over so my back faced her.

I shut my eyes and when I opened them again I heard yelling in my room.

"Get up!" Charlie grabbed me by the shirt.

I was forced to stand up and face him. Carly was standing in the doorway.

"What is this? I thought you said you were clean."

I rubbed my eyes ignoring him.

"Max answer me."

"What, are you dad now?" I chuckled.

He sighed furiously. "Carly told me. We're worried about you."

"Worried about me?" I slurred. "You don't think of anyone but yourself. And you." I pointed at Carly. "You traitor."

"Where's the stash?"

"No."

"Stop acting like a child and give me your stash."

"I said no."

He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. "Tell me where it is or I'll flush you down the toilet along with it."

"No." I pushed him off me.

"Charlie stop." Carly said.

"Yeah Charlie stop." I repeated.

He pushed me back and I fell on the ground. I got up slowly and punched him right across the face. That really angered him. Carly had a look of terror in her eyes because she knew what would come next. He tackled me against my desk and started punching me in the stomach.

"Stop it!" Carly yelled.

I pushed him off me and slammed him across the room against the wall. I kicked him a few times in the leg until he fell on his knees. He punched me knee and I fell to the ground. He kicked me in the ribs a few times before grabbing me by my shirt and punching me in the face repeatedly.

"Charlie!" Carly ran behind him trying to grab his arms.

He was stronger and he kept on punching until all I could taste was my own blood.

"That's all you got?" I was breathing hard. "Dad taught me how to take a beating like a man."

He punched me harder.

"Max." Carly cried behind him.

My eyes were swollen, my nose bleeding. I'm pretty sure I had lost a tooth too. His knuckles were just as bloody and cracked as my face.