Tainted Obligation

Chapter 1 – Blood Gets Thin

Song – 9 Crimes By Damien Rice

Which is the true nightmare, the horrific dream that you have in your sleep or the dissatisfied reality that awaits you when you awake?

-Justin Alcala

The creaking of the wooden swing attached to the tree, swung slowly back and forth. The young eight year old girl humming the nursery rhyme of 'Mary had a little lamb', while she stared up into the sky, picturing a life that was not her own.

The nightmare suddenly ended with the loud ringing of an alarm clock. Hale jolted up with urgency, frightened by the nightmare of her childhood. It seemed to be getting worse lately, Hale couldn't even concentrate without violent visions floating back from her past. She swallowed some aspirin with some cold water, hoping to calm her anxiety. Staring into the mirror, Hale's chocolate brown eyes looked tired and her muscles ached from exhaustion. Lifting her hand she traced the scar of her bottom lip, watching her hands tremble in the mirror as she remembered how it appeared there. Lately it was all she could think about, the violence, the screaming, the constant fear, it was driving her insane.

It was her first day at her new school. Hale's mother moved them around a lot, she had been extremely busy with her new book being published and all the signings she had to attend, she didn't even have time to notice Hale's cries for motherly attention.

"Fresh meat", Hale heard a muscular curly haired jock yell, as she shyly made her way to her class, Biology 101. She had only been in the grounds for an hour and already she felt a panic attack coming on. When class started, Hale began to calm down, she enjoyed Biology, she excelled in the subject, finding today's lesson to be a piece of cake. She would have even felt more relaxed, if her lab partner didn't continuously stare at her. He also looked to be a jock, he had light brown hair that appeared to fit the characteristics of that messy sexy look all stereotypical girls craved for. His eyes were light blue and calming like the ocean. Hale thought he was very attractive, but shook her head to discourage the thought.

"Hi," he finally said after what felt like years of constant staring. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Hale", Hale spoke nervously, never really have had a conversation with a teenage boy.

"Like the weather?" he asked tying to be funny. Hale was confused, as to why he found her name humorous.

"No," Hale responded shaking her head. She wasn't good at this whole communication thing.

"I'm Embury," he said breaking the awkward silence. Embury was fascinated by this new girl 'Hale' he found to be very attractive and interesting, not like all the other girls in his school. He felt this electricity, this overpowering need to be near her. Hale gave him a sweet half smile as the bell rang, packing up her books and heading out of class, Embury couldn't take his eyes off her, watching her until she was out of sight.

It was five in the afternoon and Hale noticed that her mother wasn't home yet. She had been returning home a lot later these days, she was just becoming too busy and preoccupied with other matters, forgetting to cook dinner or ask how Hale's day was. This was making Hale feel ignored and worthless, it made her feel that her mother no longer cared for her or even loved her. Knowing that her mother wasn't going to return home any time soon, she pinched one of her mothers cigarettes from her room, and headed outside her bedroom window to sit on the roof. She enjoyed the peacefulness of the outdoors, slowly inhaling the cigarette smoke, it calmed her. It took her bad thoughts away and made her feel more normal. The smoking had became a quick habitat, she was smoking three cigarettes a day, and she had a feeling that number would grow to four in a number of days. A figure in the distance caught her attention, it was her new neighbour, they had just recently moved in and her mother hadn't yet greeted the neighbours, she had a feeling her mother never would, her mother was vary weary of people, especially new people, who she didn't know anything about. The figure in the distance waved to her, she was also smoking and looked to be around Hale's age. Hale didn't wave back she felt too nervous, she quickly finished up her cigarette and headed back inside.

It was 3.04am and Hale still couldn't sleep, she had heard her mother arrive back home about two hours ago, she must have stayed back really late at the office, trying to finish her latest article. No matter how hard Hale tried to sleep she just couldn't. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a good night sleep, and craved the feeling so badly.

"Do it, Do it!" a voice kept repeating and yelling inside Hale's head over and over again. It was driving her insane. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Tears began to roll down her face, creating puddles on the cold wooden floor.

"Stop!" Hale yelled covering her ears with her hands. The voices wouldn't stop. She could hear her mother sleeping in the room next door and headed to the bathroom. She rummaged through everything in the bathroom until she found what she was looking for, a razor blade. She rolled up her arm, already tattooed in scars, and cut. She felt the blood trickle down her arm sending waves of calm through her body. The voices stopped. She collapsed onto the ground and cried, letting all of her emotions let loose.

Hale woke to the sun shining bright on her face, she looked at the time, it was twelve in the afternoon. 'Shit' she thought to herself, she was very much late for school. Her mom would kill her if she ditched school, but a part of Hale didn't care, a part of Hale wanted to see her mother get angry, to see her show some sort of emotion towards her. Hale decided to not to go to school today and instead decided to spend the day getting to know the new neighbourhood. Hale got dressed in her usual skinny jeans and band tee, followed by some really worn out converse and headed to her moms room to grab some smokes before heading out. At sixteen Hale was at a very important part of her life, a part where you have to start thinking about your future and your career, Hale could give two shits about her future. Hale liked to live in the moment, and right now in this moment, she wanted to forget the world and run away, but she couldn't.

"Hey!" a voice called out to Hale it wasn't a males voice this time, it was feminine. This caught Hale by complete surprise and she jumped as the stranger approached her.

"Is everyone in this town friendly?' Hale spoke aloud staring at the stranger.

"Nope, just really nosey," the stranger responded laughing. "I saw you yesterday, you were smoking on your roof, you looked kinda bad ass, I thought I would introduce myself," she said pulling a cigarette out from her jacket and lighting it up.

"Was that a compliment?' Hale asked confused.

"I'm Avery by the way, I'm your neighbour. So are you ditching school today?" the stranger asked offering hale a cigarette.

"Yes, I'm in a fuck you school kind of mood today," Hale said as she lit up her cigarette.

Avery found her comment funny and started to laugh. "I like you," Avery expressed smiling at Hale. "I think we are going to be best friends".

"I've never had a best friend before," Hale said confused by the whole concept of friendship.

"Well there is a first time for everything," Avery spoke leading the direction of where to go.

Hale followed Avery side by side, she barley knew this girl, but already liked her, she was outgoing and very friendly. These were good qualities Hale associated with friendship, and Avery seemed to be different just like her. Hale decided if they were to become friends, she wouldn't oppose the idea, she was becoming fond of it.

"So do you go to Madsern High?" Avery asked Hale as she almost finished her cigarette.

"Yeah, do you?" Hale asked hoping, so at least she would have one friend there.

"Unfortunately, the place is shit, I hate school," Avery responded dropping her cigarette on the ground and squishing it with her shoe.

"I don't like how they conform all students academic levels with standardised testing. It complete bullshit" Hale said finishing her cigarette.

"You're quite smart aren't you," Avery stated looking intrigued about what Hale just said.

"Yes, both of my parents are highly intelligent, so naturally I am," Hale responded grabbing a hair tie from her pocket and tied her hair into a messy ponytail. "But I will never live the legacy they did."

"What legacy is that?' Avery asked intrigued.

"If this neighbourhood is as nosy as you say it is you'll find out soon enough." Hale responded taking another cigarette from her pocket and this time offering Avery one.

"Thanks?" Avery said realising she never got Hale's name.

"Hale," hale said beating her to the question.

"That's a cool name," Avery said smiling, which in response make Hale smile. "What does it mean?" she asked.

"Hero," Hale responded taking a puff from her cigarette. "I was my mothers hero, according to her anyway."

"I think is awesome," Avery said making Hale feel comfort, the most comfort she has had in awhile. "Ever smoked anything but cigarettes?" Avery asked.

"No," Hale responded interested by what she was offering.

"Well you are in for a treat," Avery said laughing with excitement.

Lana Winters arrived home to a quiet house, it was four-thirty in the afternoon and she was home early. There was no one in sight. She has had such a hard day at the office, and tomorrow she was suppose to be flying out to New York for a television interview. She tried to think of a way to break the news, would she go alone? Lana was lost in her train of thought, she didn't realise the door opening and someone walking in. It startled her.

"Hale! For god sake you scared me" Lana spoke startled.

"You're home?" Hale asked confused, her mother wasn't normally this early.

"I wanted to talk." Lana spoke grabbing a cold glass of water. "I have to go to New York tomorrow," she began to say before Hale interrupted her.

"What a surprise, you are never here longer than five minutes any more," Hale spoke rudely.

"What does that suppose to mean?" Lana asked annoyed by her daughters statement.

"It doesn't matter," Hale said sighing and heading upstairs.

Lana followed after her daughter, grabbing her arm and stopping her from walking away. "You will stop and listen to me when I am talking," Lana spoke abruptly.

"Wow getting physical like dad are we?" Hale lightly whispered. Lana heard her comment and straight away dropped her grip.

"Did you take you allergy medication Hale?" Lana suddenly asked noticing Hale's red eyes.

"Oops forgot," Hale quickly said covering up the fact she was still currently high at the moment. "Went for a walk, must have been all the pollen."

"Okay," Lana sighed heavily, "I bet you have some homework to do, we will discuss more about New York after dinner."

The little five year old girl walked slowly towards the terrifying screams, hearing her mother cry sent waves of panic through her body. Slowly stepping one foot behind the other, hearing the old wooden floor creek below her feet, made her feel anxious. She hated hearing her parents fight, she loved them both dearly and wouldn't want anything to happen to either of them. Her father told her that her mother was very ill, and it was for her mothers safety and welfare that she was to kept in the basement. The little girl didn't know any better. She thought this was the norm. She wondered if her parents knew she was near, that they would stop and make up, at least she hoped so. She was right behind the basement door, her father had forgot to close it properly, which is why she could hear them tonight.

"Oliver please no!" the little girl heard through the crack of the basement door.

She saw her mother and father on top of each other, her fathers hands unbuttoning her mothers nightgown. In was at this point the little girl decided to open the door, curious to what was happening. She thought that her mother hurt herself, and that her father was just examining the wound, after all her father was a doctor.

"Are you okay mummy?," the young girl called out, worried about her mothers health.

Oliver as soon as he heard his daughters voice intermediately turned around, meeting her chocolate browns eyes, which were beginning to water. He jumped off his daughter's mother and ran up the staircase to hurry his daughter away. He slammed the door shut behind him and kneeled down to his daughters height, his eyes meeting hers.

"Your mother is very ill," He spoke gently and in a concerning way, trying to brainwash his daughter from what she just witnessed.

"I know," She responded, understanding what her father was telling her. "You were fixing her boo boo, like when you fixed my boo boo." She said pointing to the scar on her elbow.

Oliver chuckled slightly at his daughter's response, "Yes honey I was," he said smiling, happy knowing that his daughter didn't see him as the monster he really was. "I love you Hale," Oliver said picking her up and kissing her on the cheek, Hale giggled in response, "I love you too daddy," she said resting her head on his shoulder.