Silently Screaming

Chapter Nineteen

Josh POV

Screaming. I wake up to the sound of someone screaming. Before getting up to see who is making the noise, I catch a glimpse of my alarm clock. 3:50 a.m. Nothing good happens this early in the morning. Sitting up, I realize the screaming has been subdued to someone whimpering helplessly, and as soon as I can see in the dark fully, I realize all the commotion is coming from Camber. 

Jumping to my feet, I rush to wake her up from her night terrors, like she saved me from mine. Not caring about her freaking out from touch, I grab her by her shoulders, and shake her, until her eyes finally fly open, her breathing heavy. Releasing her immediately, I fall back on my heels, breathing a sigh of relief. As long as she's awake, she isn't being tortured. 

"That was intense." Her beautiful whisper meets my ears, and I feel sympathy for the poor girl. Having my own nightmares, I know what she's going through. 

"You know, when I talked to you about my dreams, it helped a lot for me. Maybe it'll help you." I suggest, and take a seat expectantly next to her on the bed. I'd do anything to get into that pretty little head of hers. 

I'd do anything to help her. 

"Maybe, but only if you really want to know." In a rare moment, she looks me in the eye, and my heart melts a little, looking into those mesmerizing blue orbs. What she does to me, it's amazing, and I want her to feel the same way about me. 

"I do want to know, Camber." Smiling at her, she takes a deep breath, probably gathering her strength to do it. Then she opens her mouth, and the words just come from her heart, I can tell. 

---------------------------- 

"Born on the nineteenth day of February , was Camber Marie Leewood. My parents were beyond excited. I was their first born, the child they had always wanted, so to say.  

Growing up with them, was like the all american dream. Sure, my parents weren't the richest, and had to work for what they wanted, but we were happy. 

My mother's parents had died in a car crash before I was born, and my dad was disowned from his parents for marrying 'someone like my mothe', whatever that means, so it was pretty much just us. No family to lean on, the three of us against the world. 

I didn't go to a pre-school, so I was a pretty sheltered kid. I had one main friend, her name was Ivori Lankston. Our fathers worked together as accountants. Even though we were family friends, there was a little tension between our parents when my dad got promoted over Ivori's dad, who had been there longer. 

Anyways, my parents were madly in love, which is unusual for high school sweethearts. We lived in Deltona, Florida, right in Orange County* not five minutes from where my parents lived as children. They sheltered me from all the evil in the world; all I was allowed to watch on TV was PBS and Tom & Jerry. 

So, when it happened, I had no idea what was going on, but now that I'm older, I do, and I can never forget that day, it's engraved in a piece of my brain. 

It had started out like any other summer day, it was Saturday, because my dad didn't go to work that day.  

I was five. 

There was a knock on the door, I had been watching the New York episode of Tom & Jerry. My father had gotten up to answer it, and shortly he was out of sight. I didn't pay any attention to it, at the time. 

Until I heard the scream. 

It all happened in slow motion. 

My mom had walked from the kitchen to where the commotion was coming from, and when she saw the scene, she gasped.  

"No, please don't. Please don' do this. Please." My mom's whimpering scared me, and curious myself, I got up from the couch, and walked over to where I could see her back. 

The scene before my little girl eyes, scarred me forever. 

My dad lay there, in a pool of blood, a knife of some sort sticking out of his chest. His eyes were wide open, his mouth in the shape of an 'O'; he was in a look of pure agony. His skin was paler than it was supposed to be, and at the time I didn't know he was bleeding out. 

Suddenly, something grabbed my mother, and I looked up, to see who had done it. Hovering above me, was three men, all wearing masks. 

The only thing you could see, were their eyes. 

Their cold, heartless, eyes. 

They looked dead on the inside, like my dad was dead for real. 

"You guys take the mother, I'll get the girl." The man in the front grunted. He was obviously the leader. 

"NO! Don't you touch her!"My mother, cries, helpless, her hands bound. The man in front slaps her across the face, and except for a little whimper, she doesn't react. 

"Run." The guys behind the leader, silence her, and slit her throat after the word, but she looked me dead in the eye. Following her final command, I take off, without looking back.  

I knew my parents were dead. 

I knew if I didn't run, I would be dead too. 

I hear them behind me, boots thumping on the hardwood floor. I run until I can't anymore, until I've run into a dead end. Turning around, they're standing over me, devilish grins showing their yellow, monster like teeth. 

"Please don't hurt me. I didn't do anything." I cry, huddling into the corner as much as possible. 

Looking at each other, they snicker, and one snake arm, reaches out and grabs me by the hair. Starting to shriek, them man slaps his hand over my mouth, and utters the words that will truly screw me up; "If you talk, you will die."

From then on, I am silent. Simply, mute. 

The men continue you to rape my innocent self, and I don't say a word, don't whimper in pain and agony, I stay silent, like they told me to. 

By the time they're finished with me, satisfied, I feel like I'm going to die. They kick me in the corner, high five each other, and leave. 

Laying there, I know my parents are dead, know that there's nothing left for me in my life. For the first time, and not the last, I wanted to die. 

I don't recall what happens next, I just recall waking up in a hospital, and the men telling me what happened. That I was raped, and my parents are dead. 

Old information. 

They kept me in that hospital until after my hearing at court, to try and find the predators that did this to us. All the men they showed me wasn't it, and eventually the police force had to admit they were at a dead end. 

When they were done using me as their information, they threw me into the foster care system.  

All the houses were a blur; different states, different names, but the three things stayed the same. I never talked, I would freak and go back to my day of devirginizing every single time I was touched, and I was always haunted by those eyes. They never left me; they were the only thing that would lead me to giving my parents, and my virginity justice, at least, today I still believe that. 

Around the age of thirteen I had been to countless homes, and had been cutting for five years. 

Then I met Carol, and right off the bat, I knew I would like this home. 

-------------------------- 

"And that's my story." She finishes up, and I notice the tears in her eyes. That must've been hard, and all I really want to do is to hold her forever, but I can't. I can't for her own sake. 

I don't know what to do; as a matter of fact, the only thing I do know is that I might possibly love this girl.

*So, I hope you guys liked me, and Silently Screaming is my official entry for NaNoWriMo this year. I changed my username too, I am now TheNowhereKid