Perfect Situation

Chapter 1

…..

Blinding lights….blurry vision…Eli could only focus on this as he walked the dark silent streets at night. Alone…no one could help him or understand. All he knew was that he had to keep fighting to stay away…get away.

To get away from the drunkard Tom...his foster dad. Degrading Eli was his main goal. He wanted to break him down…take everything he had. Tom wanted to destroy any relationship he had with people.

Limping on the sidewalk, he slowly breathed. In….out….in….out. He felt the bruise on his stomach worsen. Clenching himself, he winced. He prayed to God that he would save him…Yes…to God.

God was not there for him as he watched his mother get raped by "clients" When he was 5 years old. God was not there when He took her from him. He watched her slowly die as she was on the respirators. The pain she must had suffered. He couldn't live it down, even to this day. God wasn't there when his dad abandoned him 3 years later. Perhaps if he asked God to take him away from this world, his wish would be granted.

Tears of agony flowed. Why didn't he stop them from hurting her? Why is he constantly fighting against other people? Why does he keep bouncing from one home to the next?

Wearing all black, he kept walking…limping. Maybe he chose to wear this because he wanted cars to hit him. He wanted to be a stranger to the world. He had not impacted anyone's life.

Dizziness erupted in his mind. Trying to brace himself, he fell…hard. This was good. He was not in pain anymore. Maybe God fulfilled his wish.

….

Clare wondered in the bathroom as she gathered gauze pads, peroxide, and bandages for the peculiar teen on her living-room sofa. Lying there…dead to world…she couldn't ignore his distress. Something about him told her he needed someone.

She knew it was crazy, taking in a stranger…as many missing girls and homicides these days. But, something told her that he wouldn't hurt her. Setting the supplies on the coffee table, she went to the kitchen to get some ice for his wounds.

Her mom would freak out if she saw this. But her mother knew that her daughter had a kind, giving heart.

Putting the ice in a zip lock, she heard the dark-haired boy grunt.

Sitting up from the couch, Eli waited for his eyes to adjust as he examined his surroundings. This was not home. Not that he knew the true meaning of home, but he knew this didn't belong to him.

Clare said nothing. She didn't know how awkward it would be when he woke up. Giving him the ice, she spoke.

"Hi…you must have had a bad night." She said. Eli just stared at the girl. Who was she? Why was she helping him? She was either a saint or crazy.

Eli nodded as he accepted the ice. Cautious of the blue eyed red head as she got up to make him some tea.

He didn't say anything, but she couldn't blame him. He did not know her. She did not know him.

"Here…take this. It should relax you." Eli looked at her hard. "Don't worry. It's not drugged…just tea." She sipped from the cup to gain his trust. Taking it from her hand he drank it.

"I hope you don't mind, I hung your jacket up and I cleaned up your wounds." Eli was still trying to grasp the concept of this. Why would one girl waste her time dragging a stranger home to bandage him?

"Can I get a name?" She asked. "My name is Clare." He decided to answer her since she did go out of her way for him.

"Eli." He said.

"Well Eli you are welcome to stay here for the night. My mom is working overtime at the hospital." Without saying a word, Eli laid back down on the couch, closing his eyes.

He better take advantage of this. For this was the quietest night he had in a while.

…

Alli walked in the house, thankful Ms. Edwards was working late. She was so distraught; she didn't notice the stranger on the couch. Running to her bathroom, turned on the hot water.

She wanted to cleanse herself of shame. Looking in the mirror, she hated what she saw. She hated what she allowed herself to become.

Sex was supposed to be beautiful, sacred between two people. Then why did she feel used? Why did she feel like an object…a toy for amusement?

Crying she replayed the past relationships in her head. All the verbal abuse…physical abuse she withstood. All the abuse she hid and denied.

It was times like these where she wished her mother, father, and brother were here. But they were gone…and they weren't coming back. They left her. How could they do that to her?

That's why she clings to things in the present because they could be gone in the future. She clung because she had nothing left.

Clare was her best friend, but she didn't want to be a burden to her. He and her mother offered their home to her without question. They gave her the support and love she needed…yet…it was not enough.

Intimacy…boyfriends…..that's what she needed to dull the pain…the emptiness of life as she knew it. Walking in the hot shower she hoped the water would burn away her troubles.

…

Adam lay in bed praying that Eli was safe. He wanted to search for him, but he was scared. Scared of the drunken Tom. He didn't have the courage to fight back like Eli. He didn't have the strength.

Him and Eli were only foster brothers for 2 years, but they were the only family they knew. They understood each other, then they didn't. But that was alright because at the end of the day all they had were each other.

Flashback

Tom stood at the door looking at the two boys as he gulped liquor down his throat. Adam grew scared. He didn't want to go through this again. That's why the system took him away from his biological parents.

Eli stood headstrong. He was not going to be beaten again out of drunken fury. He was not going to be used to make Tom feel stronger about himself. They shouldn't have ever let their guard down. They were usually careful…always moving a drawer infront of the door to guard them.

"Tom, what do you want." Eli stood up.

"Nothing."Tom burped. "Just came to tell my favorite sons "hi."

"That's good….hi…bye." Eli said.

"You don't rush me boy." Tom said liquor on his breath. "You respect me." Eli ducked his punch punching Tom in the jaw.

"Please just leave." Adam said.

"You don't tell me to leave my own house." He said drunkenly, aggressively as he staggered towards Adam. Eli wasn't going to allow that to happen.

As Eli kicked him, Tom turned around and kicked him between the legs.

"That ought to teach you two what happens when you mess with me." He walked outside.

"Eli, are you ok?" Adam asked.

"What do you think?" Eli tried to hold his breath.

…

Adam closed his eyes, wishing he was strong enough.