"You look discouraged," whispered Jonathan.I inaled deeply, bored, and an explosion of sweet odors invaded my nostrils.”"I'm just thinking about what your plan was when you came to me.”Jonathan tilted his head slightly, and the silky strands of his brown hair slipped subtly over his forehead. He had the same dark locks as his mother, from whom he also inherited his smile. But although he had never seen his father for something other than a photograph, it was clear that the height was the point at which he inherited. Jonathan was bothered by my height, but it wasn't even that big. Maybe it was a kind of inferiority complex."My plan was to apologize. "I looked back, and Jonathan laughed. "No, not that kind of excuses. I mean in general, Suzy. I am sorry for all the problems and discussions we have had in recent months. I'm sorry for diverting my anger to a person as sensitive as you, and I'm sorry, from my heart, for all the evil you brought into your life. I really regret it. You a
"What sound is that? "I asked hoarsely for the excessive use of the voice."There is a gallon of water loose in the trunk," Jonathan replied, increasing the volume again. He looked through the rearview mirror, momentarily fixing his brown eyes on the rear seats. "I need to stop at a station to solve this problem.”We went down the interstate with the voice of an opera singer screaming in our ears. The traffic was a mess, which contributed even more to our delay and the pain in my head. Going through the expressway at a pace similar to that of a slug, when we arrived at the nearest gas station it was already early in the morning. There was no gas station attendant, so Jonathan fueled the car alone and entered the small convenience store.Taking advantage of the minutes of peace, I lowered the volume again, and leaned back, closing my eyes. I didn't have time to reflect on the relief I felt inside me seeing that Jonathan had not prevented me from ending what we had, because the blow was
From the way we were parked, between two fuel pumps, I was not impressed that no one had noticed any strange activity yet. I didn't know if I was dragging the woman or myself, since my legs were trembling and the few meters that separated me from the sidewalk seemed so far away. I was just sure that we both shared the same despair and survival instinct.My bag stayed in the car, and I wouldn't risk coming back in search of my cell phone. It seemed more logical to call help from those who were closer, so I kept pulling the woman, stumbling, and taking away any source of hesitation. I've always been very careful about offering help to someone. My instinct has always been, and will always be, to protect me. But I couldn't help thinking about what Jonathan was capable of when he was nervous, and there was a woman bleeding next to me to prove how far he had already come.The stranger was thin and trembling, but she clung to me so tightly that her nails would leave marks on me if they were
"What the fuck did you do this time, Jonathan?”A long soft and slippery upholstery touched my back when my body "or what was left under the bruises that certainly colored my skin" was rested on what I thought was a sofa. A soft and unknown aroma of incense aroused my sense of smell, and I knew I was not in a safe place. I wasn't at home.I didn't open my eyes to confirm my suspicions. I couldn't. They were sore like never before, and my left eyeball seemed to throb below my heavy eyelids. In addition to the pain and panic, there was my hatred. Hate because if I hadn't been so weak I could have saved someone's life. It could have saved me.I knew the damage before that unknown voice could express surprise. It was the result of the fury that Jonathan had poured on me in what I imagined to have been a few hours before we got there. I should have imagined that he wouldn't take me home that night. That the excuse of a tour would really be my end point. Because if I didn't give in to him,
"At least I'm doing something! “Jonathan got agitated, getting even closer to where I was. With all the effort I could make, I managed to open a small crack in my eyes, seeing nothing but figures and lights. Still, when Jonathan screamed again, it was the silhouette of Jon Maxwell that I saw in front of him. "You waste your time recruiting these filthy people and forget that your daughter is the same age as half of those bastards! Every time you ask me to steal someone's life, I lose my mind. You have no right to blame me for being the monster you created!”Among them, I didn't hear anything else. Although in the background, a few steps far from where I was, a small snap caught my attention. My ears buzzed, my hearing partially blocked by acute pain, but I was able to identify the unmistakable tiir of projectiles being counted. When the snap was repeated, I knew it was a weapon being reloaded."Where did you leave the right girl? "Asked the mocking voice, with a small air of insolence
The boy got up and my head slipped to the side. With my hair covering my face, I could force my eyes to open without fear that they would see. First I noticed the weapon held by someone's hands, then the black robes and the predatory walk of the one who approached. But the boy came back close, blocking my sight."Do you want me to do it now, boss?”"No... this will only delay us even more. She's already dead, anyway.”The fight stopped immediately, and, rushing close again, Jonathan shouted:"She's not dead! Are you playing with my face? She didn't die! It's not even the first time this has happened. She just needs a doctor, for God's sake! I just came for help to have a doctor.”"Are you telling me that you beat a teenager often? A teenager, Jonathan? It is already wrong that you have related! She is too young," said Jon, grabbing her son by the arm. "In what part of your creation did I teach you how to do this?”Jonathan tried to let go, but despite his age, his father still seemed
"Suzy, if you want to take some of these trinkets that every teenager has in the room, you can put them in one of the boxes I brought," said Gabby, opening a travel bag on my bed. “Do you have a lot of clothes? Your father said we should take everything at once. No second trips. Vegas is amazing, but he hates this place with all his strength.”"It must be because of my mother," I said, shaking my hand against my throat. It was the only way to speak without feeling that a knife was cutting my vocal cords. I wasn't fully recovered yet. "I don't need boxes.”"You're the one who knows.”Gabby removed each of the drawers from my dresser and turned all the contents on the bed. She separated clothes and accessories while throwing my belongings inside the bag. When he opened my closet, he made a face, but didn't joke about my terrible taste of fashion and didn't even scold me. My stepmother and newest friend was the one who was most strictly following all the medical recommendation I received
Gabby got up and combed my hair with her fingers. The sound was like sliding your nails against a smooth surface. Uncomfortable, unpleasant and sharp. I held her hand so that she would stop and closed my eyes.Sometimes I didn't necessarily need to be sleeping to have a nightmare. Right there, with the sun entering through the window and crawling on the floor as the world outside turned, and with the hands of someone else within reach of mine, I felt a strong smell of blood and heard a soft whisper that came from inside my mind.They said it was just a defense mechanism of my brain. A way to stifle repressed memories. But that voice has never been like the one we heard when reading a book in silence. It was something real, a request for help, a cry for help... Something real and disturbing."You don't need makeup, Suzy. You’re a survivor "she said, pulling my hand out of yours. He touched my hair again, but decided to make a braid with messy strands. "I know it's not cool that your fa