This is originally a comic I made for a studio class. I decided to make it into a oneshot because i love these characters a lot
My name is Jess. Everyone tells me you have to love your family because, well, they're your family. But they're wrong. You don't have to love your family! If someone abuses you, you still have to love them? No! My family is just like that. Well, my step dad is. But enough about that. It's time for you to witness my family for real now. Introooduciiing: A Not So Common Family!
Here I was. Arguing with my mother. Again.
"Why can't I ever hang out with Josh? What do you have against him?" I asked my mom, still kinda confused on why she wasn't fond of my only friend.
"You know why! It's way too dangerous to go out this late anyways. You could get lost!" She countered. Typical mom.
I held up my phone. "I have a map and a flashlight on my phone."
"And phone batteries die. You are not going out."
I guess she wants me to take like, a paper map or something? I can do that.
She had ended the discussion by walking out of my room and closing the door. I plopped down heavily on my back on my bed and sighed. I felt my phone vibrate in my hand and turned to look. It was Josh. With tears in my eyes, I texted him back, and ended the night with my face under my pillow.
"Hey dude, you able to come over?"
"Take a wild guess"
";-;"
I can't say the next morning was like any other, but it was definitely a normal morning. I woke with a tarantula on my face. Obviously fake.
"Mornin' wuss puss!"
I don't get what I did to deserve this. Here comes my stepdad, George. I should be used to these mornings, but I'm not. It's hard going from a nice, single parent family, to this. But, the good news is that he'll be gone soon to hang with a friend. That means I can play my cello, Chase, and no one can tell me I'm too loud. I mean, it gets lonely with everyone gone, but at least I can play.
"I'm sure he's glad I don't own an electric guitar!" I paused. No sound.
"That's how I know he's gone."
Now, this was a real shocker for me that came way too fast. It was like, 7pm, and I had resorted to YouTube to pass up the time alone. I heard the door shut through my video.
"Jess! We're home!"
"It was my mom. Her name's Lily. I probably should have said that earlier. I put my phone down and hung my headphones around my neck to greet ̶h̶e̶r̶ them.
"Hey." I said simply.
"Honey, I have something to tell you." My mom smiled, accompanied by George. Imagine that. She looked happier than I have ever seen her. And I was happy for that. She gets really stressed out with her job. The only thing was, my happiness for her left my soul when she reached out her hand to show me a sparkling ring. On. Her. Finger.
"We're engaged!"
Emotions built up. I felt as if I would faint, get a panic attack, or both. My heart stopped. But for the first time in like, forever, I became angry. Extremely, angry.
"So, I was never apart of this?" I blurted out.
"What do you mean, honey?" her face broke my heart, but George's glare alone frightened me. I kept on anyways.
"You know exactly what I mean! You think maybe you could ask me how I like the guy first? How do you know what he's like around me?" Tears began in my eyes. Not only because I was ruining the moment, but it seemed that my mom had forgotten.
George's expression became sterner. (Is that a word?)
"Don't worry, Jess, I-"
I cut her off. "Don't you 'Jess' me! All you are is a gold digger!" With that, I left. I know I hurt her, but it's the truth. We live fine, but we don't have a lot. George has a lot.
I quickly shut the door to my bedroom and as I slid down the door to the ground, I regretted every word I said.
"I'm dead." I muttered to myself. Before I could get comfortable in the ball I formed with myself, I heard loud footsteps coming down the hall towards my room. I quickly got up away from the door and while drying my face of the small amount of tears and clicked my lamp on. A small amount of light flooded my room as George walked in. I gasped at the shadow my light put on his angered face.
"Your mother is crying because of you!" he yelled. Have I ever mentioned how much this man terrified me?
"I'm sorry! I-I didn't-" I stammered and got interrupted.
"Sorry doesn't cut it this time! She was so excited to tell you the news and you ruined it! You're grounded."
"What?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Yeah! And only I get ti decide when you're off."
"That's not fair! I'm already practically grounded."
"Then I guess it's a double grounding. No T.V, no music, and I'll need your phone with pass code." It really was the end for me.
"I'm not giving you my pass code!" I tried to fight back but he did something that absolutely terrified me. He shoved his arm into my neck in order to attempt to choke me. He pushed me into the wall as he did this.
"Pass code. Now." He hissed.
"O-okay, okay!" I sputtered out. "It'- it's my birthday." He let go instantly.
"Thank you." He unlocked it. "If you tell anyone about this," he came closer to me. "I WILL kill you." With that, he left and slammed the door, leaving me in the dimly lit room. I dropped my forehead onto the door and sighed shakily. I heard George on the other side of the door.
"Welcome to Hell, kid."
I moved away from my door. "I've been there my whole life." I muttered to myself, feeling a small attack coming on.
"I talked to him and he is very unstable." George told my mom.
"I just don't know what to do for them.." My mom whispered to herself. George sat on the couch and sprawled out.
"I dunno, but I think a military school would be good for 'im. Make him more of a man."
I heard everything. Especially with my ear pressed up against my door. "'Military school'?" I repeated quietly to myself. I was more than scared. I was more than terrified. I was petrified. My mom couldn't possibly let this happen to me, right? After all I've been through?
I felt a cold rush of air blow in my direction, perfect to set the mood. I turned to my open window, hearing a storm starting to brew. It was a perfect setting for what I was about to do.
"Either way, I'm dead no matter what." I muttered and hoisted myself out the window. I grabbed onto the branch of a tree that grew perfectly by my window. The rain that had started to poor made my windowsill slippery and my shoes slipped. As I hung onto the branch letting out a small cry, I felt a sharp pain in my arms as I scratched them on the tree. Once on the ground, I unrolled my sleeves, hugged myself against the cold, and began walking. Far, far away from my house.
I begun to question myself. Why me? What did I do? All I wanted was to live in peace with a caring family. I came across a bridge and at that point, I had no idea where I was let alone who I was. I was too stuck in my thoughts to care.
Meanwhile, my mom and George were talking about military school. How great is that?
"Are you sure about this?" my mom asked.
"Of course!" George said. "It'll help him become an independent, strong man. Don't you want that?"
"Of course, but-"
"Then it's settled! I'll go tell him."
"No, I'll go tell them. I feel they'll be better off if I do it."
"Mmm, whatever." George shrugged.
"Jess?" She slowly opened my door. "Sweetie?" One look at my open window sent sheer terror through her.
"Jess!" In which she ran back to George, who was just casually watching T.V.
"Jess is gone! We have to hurry!" My mom cried out.
As George 'raced' out onto the road and hit the streets, my mom had gone crazy. She looked everywhere and called out the window.
"There they are!" My mom suddenly screamed and George hit the brakes.
Yes, There I was. Hanging onto a lamp post. In the pouring rain. Up above the bridge. I heard the car and saw the lights, but I didn't dare look. I was just grateful the rain hid my tears.
"It was when I heard her voice. It was so full of pain and worry. The way she had called out my name as if she was gripped with the fear that I would get stabbed in a few seconds. That made me look. I cared about my mom more than you would know, and hearing her like this made me feel sick that I had done and said all those things to her.
"Get down from there! Please! Please!" I looked at her. Soaking wet from the rain. I glanced up at George. perfectly dry under an umbrella. Did I mention he was also glaring at me? I looked away, not wanting to make eye contact. I wasn't sure if he was angry at the fact I had dragged him out here, or if he didn't want me to tell about all he's done. My mom realized I had quickly looked away from George.
"Honey, can you wait in the car a moment?" She asked, turning to George.
"The way George's face completely changed to a calmer state scared me. "Sure." He shrugged and walked back to the car.
"Honey, come down. Let's talk." Her voice was so soothing.
I hesitated, thinking of all the possibilities of this. "I can't."
"Why? Jess, let me help you."
Help. That's what I desperately needed. Maybe if I told her what George had done she'd do something. She had told me long ago she'd always protect me. Her smile made me give in. I carefully stepped down and just told her everything. Through sobs. Little did I know, George had his window cracked.
On the way home, I refused to look at George, at all. The look on his face in the mirror told me he heard. I positioned myself to where the seat belt acted as a pillow, (I know everyone out there has done this at least once in their life) and sat in silence.
"So, when we get home, Jess, George will give you back your phone." Hearing my mom say this, nearly almost made me faint, no joke. I've been prone to faint at things that scared me to death. This scared me. but what scared me most was how calm George became with his answer.
"Sure thing."
I wanted to open the car door and jump out. I couldn't believe my mom had said that! I had told her not to say anything about my phone. Did she want me killed? I know I say this a lot, but this time, I knew I was dead.
Once George pulled into the driveway, my mom turned around to me. "Now go change, Jess. you could get sick."
I didn't say anything. I just got out and hurried to the house.
"I have to get to work soon. Can you make sure Jess is okay every now and then?" My mom asked. She didn't even have time to change. She just brushed her hair. Yes, I was just in a suicide position few moments ago. Leave me with my attacker.
"Oh yeah, sure. Of course I can."
"I mean it, George." She had put on her jacket. "They're not usually like this."
"Believe me, cupcake. I'll make sure he's fine."
"I'll be back in the morning. Bye, sweetie." She called.
"Bye, honey!" George called back.
I was in my room, tuning Chase. I had changed and finally felt nice and warm, and I hoped playing a little would keep my thoughts positive. Not the case. George burst in through my door.
"I don't know what the hell you told her but it better not be something bad. Catch." He had my phone and decided to throw it at me. In order to catch it, I had to let go of Chase. Bad move. George caught him and took him away.
"Please be careful with that!" I cried out.
"Did you really just tell me to be careful," George smiled, but not the good type. He then proceeded to slam my cello on the ground. "with your stuff?"
"No!" I screamed. I stared at the pieces on the floor of my friend. The noise he made was sickening to me.
"Did I not tell you that you were dead if you tell?" George yelled. "You had better tell your mom you dropped it. I know your weakness. I know, how to make you break."
Ever since then I have been very frustrated with many things. I haven't even been doing a good job on taking care of myself. What was the point? I'd take showers, but not often. I haven't brushed my hair in a while and that was a mess. I've been feeling so low lately and I didn't know how to bring myself higher. I was stuck. And my mom had to bring up my 'issue' again one morning.
"Jess, were you speaking with Joshua again last night?" Here it comes.
"...Yeah, why?"
"Jess, how many times have I told you?"
"Apparently one too many.." I rested my hand on my cheek. This morning I was so exhausted and I looked almost pathetic.
"Exactly!"
"I can't help it though. He's the only friend I have!"
"Sweetie, you can't rely on him all the time."
I wanted to tell her I couldn't rely on her either, especially in my situation, but I decided not. I had no energy. "Even if I can't, he's the only one I can talk to." Now I was getting angry and frustrated. So what if I hang with than being alone! Right?
"And you can't talk to me? Your mother?"
That hurt me a little. "No, I can't. You don't understand." I really couldn't. She came up behind me.
"I would understand if you told me."
"Just, never mind." I've had enough of this. She tried to protest, but I cut her off.
"I said never mind!" I headed for my room, giving George, who walked past with a cup of coffee, a glare.
"Do you know what's wrong?" My mom asked him.
He just shrugged while taking a sip. "Nope."
I curled up in my bed and hugged my pillow. "How am I supposed to survive this? I can't do this anymore." I buried my face into my pillow and rolled into a ball.
A few weeks went by, not much had happened, other than George and my mom planning the wedding. I tried to stay out of it as much as I could. I was busy writing a piece of music I had started long ago late one night and I heard a yell in the kitchen that made me freeze. I peeked out into the dark hallway to the dim kitchen and saw two figures. One was George and one was my mom. But the movement of George told me to run, get out of there. I gasped, and saw George peek at me. I quickly shut my door and fixed a chair under the handle.
"Open this door!" George shrieked all of a sudden. He pounded on it. I fumbled for my phone in my pocket with shaky hands and quickly called the police.
"Don't ignore me!" Came another scream.
Before the operator even finished their sentence, I yelled, "My stepdad's trying to kill me!" right into the phone. George had finally slammed the door open and before I could tell them my address, George raised his hand above his head and threw a broken bottle at me. Before I knew it, Joshua was in front of me and I blacked out.
I was awake in a hospital bed, a bandage around my right eye. My mom was sitting next to me in a chair, covered with scratches, bruises, and a black eye. We were silent until she spoke up.
"I'm so sorry, Jess."
I didn't answer. I never felt so alone in my life. "He didn't save me. He couldn't." was all I managed to choke out in a hoarse voice.
"Come here, Jess." I looked over and my mom was standing by me with her arms open wide. I hugged back without hesitation and buried my pained eye into the hug.
"It's okay now." She soothed. "You're safe forevermore."
So I guess there it is. I mean the ending was good, but also not good. I started taking care of myself again and my mom and I have been recovering. But I also got a new cello! His name is fous-toi, which is French for 'fuck you', I think. So then I can tell people I'm going to play my cello, fuck you.
But no, George is now in jail. I believe he got ten years. I dunno. I was too focused on staying away. My mom also said it will be a while before she goes out again, for my sake! It's gonna be really hard to trust another guy again though. But yeah, my family is definitely not a 50's sitcom. It's just a very small, messed up thing. Even though it's just mom and I, I love it just as it is. I hope it never changes. I just hope the only change is that we move.
Epilogue-
I hung onto the lamp post for dear life. Thoughts ran through my head as quickly as the rain hit my face. One thought, more like memory, shot into my head and I couldn't get it to go away. I remember the darkness and the chill of the room. I remembered the slow footsteps. I remembered that I couldn't move, and struggled to get out from the binds. Tears streamed down my face as I stared at the post, remembering the creak of the metal door opening. "No.." I whispered almost inaudibly. I remember seeing the hand, slide from behind the door and turn the light on. The lamp on the ceiling crackled and buzzed to life, illuminating my 7 year old self, strapped onto a table. "Go, away!" I let out a small cry, and hugged the lamp post tighter.
"Time to have some fun, William."
The rough voice echoed in my head. The sheer terror that ran through my mind and body as my biological father came forwards and had his way with me.