Falling Apart

Leave Me To My Hate

He grabbed his legs and brought them to his chest as another sob rocked through his body as he brought the bottle to his lips for the last time. He laid back as he felt himself get calmer and slowly began to take what he believed to be his last breath. Peace fell over his body as he felt himself slump over his hair falling over into his face.

It's just a walk Chris was trying to convince himself to leave the house. It had been almost a week since he had gone anywhere but school, though his attendance had been spotty, he knew he had to leave at some point. The darkness crept in when least expected. Chris sighed and put on a beanie and pullover-style sweater over his head, and then hauled himself out of the room. The dishes were beginning to pile up and clothing was strewn all over the floor. 

Chris took his first steps outside and squinted at how bright it was, a good thing he brought sunglasses he thought. Chris normally only wore them when he didn't put his eyebrows on. he began walking down to one of the few places he found peace anymore.  Chris started walking toward the main strip in his town, even with the hoodie hiding his arms, he still drew quite a few stares with his neck and hands covered in ink. Chris exhaled deeply before continuing to walk down the residential street. Chris continued walking until the crumbling buildings of downtown were gradually visible. He only noticed the figure because a woman, fearful of Chris, crossed the street to avoid him. Chris followed the woman's gaze into the alley, where he noticed someone rolled up to lie on the ground.  

Chris quickly jogged across the street much to the horror of the woman who had tried to avoid him. He managed to get to the small figure in what seemed to be a matter of seconds. As he haphazardly made his way over to the small ball on the ground he thought to call out. 

"Hello" Chris spoke quietly as he arrived in the small shape that laid at his feet. He realized this figure was clutching a bottle, and the label had been torn off it, but he could tell by its look that this was not something that was meant to be consumed. Chris sprung into action. He kneeled next to what he was now confident was a boy about his age, and felt for a pulse. Chris heaved a sigh of relief when he felt one. Chris without much thought picked up the young boy and carried him back to his apartment.

He studied the young man in his arms as he walked, his hair had been dyed black just like his own, the boy's face was blotchy and red as though he had been crying in the alley all day. Chris's arms were now getting sore, and as Chris readjusted the small figure in his arms the man's shirt rose above the young man's stomach, much to Chris's horror, he noticed bruises littering the body.

 He picked up the pace when he noticed the man stirring in his arms. Chris soon saw the familiar door that he was used to. Chris began running through the trash in the living room and placed the man down on the couch in a few steps. Chris stood up and ran to the kitchen, knowing from his own experience how important it would be to call poison control first and foremost. Chris scrambled around his kitchen looking for a bottle that looked like the one he found in the alley. When he found it, he got poison control on the phone and they advised him to monitor closely for the next 24 hours, but hospitalization should not be necessary. 

Chris then grabbed a bag out of the freezer and put on the bruises that he had noticed earlier. Chris turned on a movie and waited, hoping that the younger man would soon be awake so maybe Chris could take him home if he had one.

"This.. is God." Rings out over the speaker of his T.V when Chris notices the man in the corner of his eye start to stir. The man slowly rolls off the cushion of the couch, a loud groan echoed through the room. 

 Chris quickly knelt next to the man who upon seeing he was not in the alley began to loudly interrogate Chris.

"Where am I? Who are you? How did I get out of the alley? Why aren't I dead?" The young man panicked.

"One thing at a time, who are you" Chris questioned?

"Ricky, my name is Ricky. Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here? What did you do to me? Why am I alive?"

"Well Ricky, you are lucky I found you. My name is Chris, you are at my house and I brought you here after finding you passed out in that godforsaken alley. All I did was carry you here and called poison control, and put ice on your stomach. You are alive I am assuming by dumb luck who knows what would have happened if I didn't see you."

Ricky paused for a moment to process, as he hardly remembers anything beyond grabbing the bottle. Ricky stood up instantly only to find himself on his arse not long after. 

Chris attempted to stifle his laughter as he watched Ricky fall back.

"Where are you going, I should take you home. Your parents are probably looking for you. Do you want to call them?"

Ricky's face contorted visibly, "No, don't worry about it. I will walk home myself"

Chris stood up quickly and stared at Ricky, something was off. "I am not letting you walk anywhere, it been a few hours now and you have only just woken up. You are in no state to be walking, Let me drive you."

Ricky heaved a sigh as he felt no other way out other than to tell the giant standing in front of him. "I don't have anywhere for you to drive me. That alley was my house. I was hoping I wouldn't wake up"

Chris stepped back unsure of what to say, they sat in what seemed to be an uncomfortable silence.