AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’s hurt, Walter. She can’t keep going like this. Let me take care of her.”
Why can’t I tell him not to let me go? Why won’t my mouth open?
The world turns black until a piercing light breaks through the ether.
“Take them. I don’t want to hear another word about it.” My bedroom rushes in around me, falling into place like a puzzle. She thrusts the pills toward me. I back, trying to keep space between me and her request, but she won’t let up.
“Now. Be a good girl for once. Take the pills.”
“I’ll be okay,” I tell her. “I’ll make it through.”
“Take them or it’ll never stop hurting. You know it’s true.”
The world swirls, colors melding into a hazy fog. Did I take them? Is that what happened? I shake my head, but I don’t feel connected.
“You’re ungrateful!” His voice bounces off the high walls. “I gave you the world, and what do you do? You throw it in my face.”
My voice follows, but it’s not me saying it. It bounces off the high walls like it’s playing over the speakers.
“I want freedom! Why can’t you see that this is my prison, not my palace.”
“Then go! I won’t stop you! I won’t support you either.”
“Fine! I don’t need you, and I certainly don’t need her!”
I run down the hall, checking doors along the way. They’re locked. Why is everything locked? Where’s Dad?
“Like you’ll survive in the real world. You wouldn’t last a day.”
My feet carry me to the end of the hall, stepping down the slick steps that lead to his office. The room tips. Hands grip my shoulders. I fling them off, terrified. Someone is chasing me, or was I chasing them? The thoughts won’t gel. Someone pulls me from the floor. A gunshot rings out. I scream. I can’t stay on my feet. My hands slap the marble. Sticky red film coats my palms. The room shifts top for bottom, inside out, I feel sick. Why did I let her give them to me again? I don’t know who I become when I’m under their spell. I lift my head. A gun rests in my bloody hand.
“No, no, please no.” I scramble in the pool of blood, backing away, trembling at the sight. “No!”
Hands grip my shoulders, peeling me from the floor. Tucker stares at me, wide eyed and terrified.
“Sunny, wake up.”
Rhett
Her eyes snap open, but I doubt she knows what’s going on. Sweat coats not just her brow but her whole frame. Mom watches with wide eyes from the corner. She tried to wake her up, but when the screaming started, she sent Carl to find me outside. I keep a hold of her shoulders while her hands tremble. Whatever she saw, it wasn’t kind to her. Those inner demons she’s kept at bay, it looks like they fought back, and for a minute, they won.
“You’re safe, Sunny.” Mom takes a seat on the edge of my bed. Reaching out with the soft hands that comforted me more than once in my life, she rubs Sunny’s bare arm. “Nothing can hurt you now.”
Sunny’s breathing shakes almost as hard as her hands. Tears well in her eyes. Without another word, Mom pulls her into a hug, wrapping her tight. Sunny returns the motion, gripping my mother with all her strength. I sit back, watching, wishing there were something I could do to help.
After a full minute, Mom pulls back and cups Sunny’s face in her hands. “You’re looking better.” I’ve never heard her tell such an outright lie. “Cookie sent over some food. I think a little bit might help you feel more normal. What’d you think?”
Sunny barely nods, but Mom smiles like she gave the perfect answer. Without another word, she leaves to do exactly as she promised. Looking weak, Sunny leans forward, drawing her knees into her chest and resting her arms and head against them. I don’t know what to say. I can’t make it better. I can’t fix whatever she’s facing. She won’t let me in, and without her story, I don’t know what to do.
“How bad was it?” She asks after a second.
“Pretty bad, I think.” I try to smile. “Dad slept through it though, so not horrible.”
“Here’s to not being horrible.” Her weak smile buoys up my heart a bit. “I’m sorry for everything. I haven’t had a migraine since I got here.”
“Do you get them a lot?”
She shakes her head but frowns. “About a year and a half ago, I was thrown while riding. They started after that.”
