Broken

Problem

"What are you reading?" I ask Mika ask I sit on her bed. "Pillars of the Earth," she says without looking up from the book. "It's a good book," I say, she nods. "Good night," Mika says, closing the book. 

"Good night," I say back. I press a kiss to her blonde hair before I wonder off to my room. It feels so strange to be in there now. 

Carl's not in bed yet. 

I get undressed and redressed in some pajamas. 

A loud crash wakes me up from my half sleeping state. I hear a scream from Julia, "Mommy!" she yells out. I get out of bed in an instant. 

"Julia!" I yell as I run down the hall and down the stairs. 

"Fuck!" Carl groans out, I light the gas lamp after flicking the switch to the big kitchen light.

I pick Julia up, she's sobbing and I can see why. Carl punched a hole through the glass of the front door. 

"Mommy?" Mika questions from the top of the stairs, "What's going on?" she asks as she walks down them. I press Julia's head against my shoulder so she doesn't have to see the state of her father.

"Jesus, Carl," I say. 

Mika screams when she sees what Carl did, all the blood on the floor, I grab her and pull her close to me. She rests her own head against my other shoulder.

"Damn it!" the man yells as he slams the door. The glass that remained after him punching a hole in it shatters. I jump, Mika is crying too. 

"Carl!" I shout, Julia is crying loudly now, "Mika, take her upstairs," I say as I hand the little girl to Mika, she rushes up the stairs.

The window in the front door is shattered and Carl's right hand and arm is bleeding profusely.

I hear people coming this way, "Elaine, are you okay?" Michonne is on the porch, looking from me to her son. 

"Carl," Michonne says firmly, Alex is with her, "We need to get him to the infirmary," I say. 

"I'll get Alyssa," Alex says. I close my eyes, Michonne is still staring. She opens the door, steps into the house and grabs Carl by the ear. 

She yanks him down the street. I follow after her, "Michonne wait!" I call out, Carl is yelling the whole way there. He struggles against her but I know he would never try and hit his mother. 

"You need to get your shit together," Michonne says as she grabs the back of his neck. I gasp as she shoves his head into the water trough for the horses.

The woman yanks his head out before dunking him in again, "Are you done?" she asks. Carl nods as he coughs up water, "Get to the infirmary," she says. 

The woman grabs my arm now and I brace myself for the cold water. 

"Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" she asks.

"He hasn't gotten drunk before, not like this anyway," I say, "He's never been violent."

Michonne nods, "Has he ever hit you, the girls?" Michonne asks, I shake my head, "No, he never has," I say. 

"You know you can come to me any time. He may be my son but he's not excused for his behavior," Michonne says. 

"Can you stay with me?" I ask. I feel like a child asking their mother to stay in their bedroom until they're fully asleep. 

"I wasn't planning on leaving," she says. "Thank you," I say. I can't help but cry, the tears fall and I cover my mouth. 

"Honey," she whispers as she wraps her arms around me, "I'm here," she whispers. I snuggle against her.