And here is the next chapter...I've got the rest of it written but I'l probably post once a day...or at least week depending on how busy my schedule gets...lol

buglegirl1899-hehe Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies..hehe...I agree poor Spot. I was almost in tears writing this

Ducky-you're just awesome!


I skipped along a path of yellow flowers and purple clouds. Everything was happy and shiny. I had just gone past a lollipop tree and a lake of soup when a bulldog started chasing me. I started running and it turned into a snake.

I woke up screaming and panting for breath, which only made my rib hurt worse. Spot sleepily stumbled into the living room and asked, "Ah ya okay Angel?"

"Wha-yeah…at least I think…yeah I'm okay." I said still panting and looking around.

"What happened?"

"I had a dream, I was skipping down a path of yellow flowers and purple clouds and everything was happy, then this bulldog turned into a snake and started chasing me."

"Was dat a dream or an LSD trip?"

"It was a dream, but do you know what I did with my meds?"

"Ya ate dem?"

"I mean the bottle."

"I can look around foh ya."

"Thank you."

"I said I can, it don't mean I will. Nah, I'se just playin, I will."

"Thank you." I said wincing at the sharp pain shooting through my chest. Spot went in search of my meds as I tried to catch my breath. He returned a few minutes later with the bottle and a glass of water.

"Thank you." I tried to say, but it kind of came out as a cry/moan.

"Ya welcome?"

"It hurts." I said starting to cry.

"Aight, heah ya go, don't wohhy."

"You're such a good brother."

"Dat's cause I'm ya only bruddah."

"I meant, oh never mind."

"If ya gonna say sumptin, den say it."

"Because you're giving up your free time to make sure that I'm okay."

"Oh. Well yeah."

"If you want to have Ace come over so that you're not stuck with me all day, you can."

"Aight, but I think I'se gonna go back ta bed foist."

"Night."

"Night."

I drifted back to sleep and awoke to the low murmur of voices.

"It smells funny." Ace said.

"It's still good." Spot told her.

"I don't even know what that is." Ace said as I heard her poke something. "Ew get it off!!!"

"Aw, dat colah looks good on ya."

"I would smell better without it on me."

"Aight, den wash it off."

"Fine…uh you're out of soap in here."

"Den use Angel's bathroom, just not da toilet, cause it's messed up."

"Okay."

I groaned and rolled over, trying to go back to sleep, only to have my ribs remind me that one of them was cracked.

"Ya awake Angel?"

"I'm not trying to be."

"Okay."

"I'm tired of sleeping on my back."

"Did ya try ya stomach?"

"That involves putting pressure on my wrist."

"Sucks ta be you."

"Yup."

"Ace and I ah gonna go get breakfast, do ya want sumptin?"

"Oh Chocolate sprinkle doughnut."

"Ya such a goil."

"It's good!"

"Aight."

"Okay it's off." Ace said walking out into the living room.

"Good, let's go."

"Hi Angel, bye Angel."

"Hi Ace." I said grabbing the remote and flicking the TV on. I surfed around looking for something to watch and was unsuccessful in the end. I was pondering whether to get up and put in a DVD or stare out the window when Spot and Ace came back.

"Angel, we'se back!" Spot said walking in.

"I can see that."

"Heah's ya goil snack." He said handing me a bag.

"Yay!"

"How's it goin Angel?" Ace asked.

"Uh, good."

"Oh crap."

"What?" Spot asked.

"Your stereo system, the one I'm giving you is in the trunk of my car."

"Why's dat a problem?"

"Because it's really heavy and I can't carry it."

"Gimme ya keys and I'll get it."

"Okay." Spot went outside and Ace sat down next to me.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"You know the fountain a couple blocks away?"

"Yeah"

"Well Spot and I always used to jump in and run away before we got in trouble, but he doesn't want to anymore."

"When did that start?"

"Um, a couple of months ago."

"I see, and how does that make you feel?" I asked.

"Are you being serious or just playing?"

"Half and Half."

"Ah, it's annoying because I KNOW there's a reason behind it, but he won't tell me why."

"Hm, have you noticed any other strange behavior?"

"His moods are more extreme, he's either really happy or mad."

"Did that start before or after the fountain thing?"

"A little before."

"Okay, were you guys fighting around that time?"

"No, things seemed good."

"I need you to think, were there any other significant events that happened around this time?"

"Angel what's going on?"

"Well, I think he's struggling with some things right now, and he's using a method that he thinks is helping him but is actually hurting him."

"Angel, you're starting to scare me."

"Trust me, I'm working on it."

"What?"

"Have you been in his bathroom lately?"

"Yeah it's clean."

"When were you in it?"

"This morning while you were sleeping."

"He's making everything clean and then he's gonna kill himself!"

"Because he cleaned his bathroom?"

"No, he got rid of the evidence!"

"What evidence?"

"Of what he's been doing!"

"WHICH IS!?"

"He-he's been cutting himself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Dang it."

"Dang it? Why do you say dang it?"

"Because I didn't want to be right."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when he started acting strange I had my suspicions but I never had any solid proof."

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because you would have screamed at me like you are now!"

"I'M NOT-ahem, I am not screaming."

"Okay so what do we do?"

"Media said to just give him time."

"How does Media know?"

"She's my cousin and a shrink."

"Oh, how long has she known?"

"A couple days."

"Okay so we give him time and…?"

"To reassure him, let him know he's loved, but not to smother or yell at him."

"Alright. Hey Angel."

"Yeah?"

"It's nice to have someone to talk to about it."

"You can also talk to Jack or Media if you need to."

"Oh is that all?"

"CoughMush cough."

"Okay."

"Yeah. Does he think we know?"

"Well, he may think I'm on to him but not for sure because I wasn't, I don't know about you."

"Hmm."

"DOH!" Spot yelled from the other side of the door.

"Coming!" Ace called as she hurried to the door and let Spot in. He carried the stereo into his room and came back out.

"Dat was heavy." He said.

"Which is why she couldn't carry it." I said.

"Cleahly." Ace and Spot went out again later but brought me food when they would come back. After Ace left, Spot tried to teach me to play Halo. After an hour of little success he said he was going to bed but went into the bathroom instead. I didn't want to smother or yell at him but I needed to make sure he was okay.

"Spot? Spot!" I yelled.

"What!"

"Can you get me some water?"

"Ya sound like Dodgah."

"It hurts to move."

"Just a sec."

"Okay." I whimpered. Crap, it didn't work. Just then Spot appeared and went into the kitchen. He returned with a glass of cold water and handed it to me.

"Thank you."

"Ya welcome. Now why I'se out heah is dere anyting else ya need?"

"Um, I can't think of anything at the moment."

"Aight den." He said walking back into the bathroom. Geh. I called Media not knowing what else to do.

"Hello?" a sleepy sounding Media answered.

"He's locked himself in his bathroom again."

"Uhm, tell him you have to use it."

"Who is it?" I heard Mush ask.

"It's Acorn, Spot's tryin to do it again."

"Let me talk to him."

"Spot phone!" I yelled.

"What?" he called back.

"Mush wants to talk to you!"

"Why?"

"What should I tell him?" I hissed into the phone.

"Tell him I want to talk to him about the bricks, he'll know what I mean."

"He said he wants to talk to you about the bricks."

"What?"

"Are you deaf! He wants to talk to you about the bricks!"

"Aight, I'se comin." Spot yelled as he came out and snatched the phone out of my hand.

"Hey Spot."

"Hi."

"Did I disturb you?"

"I was just tryin to sleep, but whad's up?"

"Ah I dunno, it just sounds good to go back to it."

"Don't do it."

"It's easy for you to say."

"Tink a evryting ya got, and what would happen if ya went back."

"I'm trying but I can still taste it."

"Go brush ya teeth or sumptin."

"I don't feel good!" I said suddenly getting up and going into the bathroom.

"Angel, don't, gah!" Spot muttered.

"What's wrong Spot?"

"I tink Angel's reactin ta da meds."

"Ew."

"Yeah. Uh I probably ottah see if she needs help."

"Yeah you probably should."

"Ya doin okay?"

"I'll just stay put."

"Okay. Bye."

"See ya."

"Angel you okay?"

"No!"

"Do ya need help?"

"No."

"Ah ya gonna puke?"

"Already did."

"Ah ya done?'

I made a puking sound to convince him that I wasn't. "No."

"Uh, do ya want me ta wait foh ya out heah."

"No, you're tired, I'll be okay…in a bit."

"Would ya mind if I came in and got sumptin?"

"Yes, I don't want you to see me!"

"Angel, I'se ya bruddah, ya don't hafta impress me."

"Still."

"How long do ya tink ya'll be in dere?"

"I don't…know."

(((side note: … denotes hacking/ puking sound)))

"But, geh, call if ya need anyting."

"Okay…"

I heard Spot go in his room and close the door. Waiting for a little while longer, I crept into the living room, grabbed the phone and went back into the bathroom to call Media.

"Hello?" Media answered groggily.

"Sorry about that, he's out of the bathroom now."

"Good."

"What do I do?!"

"What are you doing right now?"

"Sitting on the floor in the bathroom." Media let out a frustrated sigh.

"Stay there for a while, and hope he falls asleep so that you can fall asleep and let me go to sleep."

"Should I look for anything while I'm in here?"

"You could look for bandages, but most people have those so it's not that suspicious."

"Oh, I didn't tell you, he cleaned it, it's spotless."

"What is?"

"The whole bathroom."

"Then don't bother looking because he'll probably have something in his room."

"You aren't helping."

"What do you want Mush to talk to him again?"

"No, I don't think that would help either."

"Yeah because now I CAN taste it!" Mush said in the background.

"Sorry." I said.

"You start drinking again, I'm out of here!"

"And it's gone!"

"Good."

"Hehe." I giggled.

"Um, how did he act today?"

"Ace was over so just his normal moodiness."

"Did you tell Ace?"

"She actually asked me about it."

"Ah"

"Yeah, we've got to do something."

"Okay, if you do force his hand, it needs to be somewhere that he can't run away."

"Like where?"

"Like, um,"

"Like a bathroom." Mush said.

"What?"

"Jack trapped me in a bathroom one time, it works well."

"Didn't need to know that."

"Oh grow up."

"Whatever."

"Okay, stop fighting because you're both on either side of me." Media said.

"How am I going to trap him in a bathroom, he could throw me across the room."

"Well, you could ask him to come look at your toilet and then call someone and let them know your plans and they can let you out."

"What?"

"Just ask him why he does it!" Mush said.

"Would that work?"

"Or you could trap him in a phone booth, oh that might work."

"A phone booth, do they even make those anymore? But it would work?"

"Yes they make phone booths. And yes it could work just being up front about it."

"I'll try that. Night."

"Do not lose your temper or at least try not to."

"Okay Media."

"All right call me tomorrow, later."

"Bye."

"Bye." I hung up the phone, went back out to the couch and sat down.

"SPOT!!!" I called.

"Whaddaya want?"

"Come here."

"Why?"

"I need you!"

"Gah, fine!" he said coming out. "What?"

"Have a seat."

"I had one in my bed."

"On the couch or coffee table."

"Aight." He said sitting on the couch next to me.

"You know that you are the best brother a girl could ask for."

"Uh huh."

"And you're needed a lot."

"Okay."

"And we all love you a lot."

"I know."

"And I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Aight."

"I just thought you should know."

"Um, thanks Angel, was dat all?"

"No."

"Well, den…"

"Uh, if I was doing something that was un…safe, would you want me to tell you?"

"It was an LSD trip wadn't it?"

"No."

"Oh, yes I'd want ya ta tell me."

"Why?"

"Because ya me sistah and I wanna make shoh ya okay."

"What if I wasn't okay?"

"Den I'd wanna help ya. Did Jack do sumptin, cause I'll kill him."

"No he didn't do anything!"

"Den what's wrong wid ya?"

"Just curious, if you had something wrong would you tell me?"

"Sumptin wrong wid me?"

"That's what I said."

"Uh, well, yeah ya definition of wrong might be different dan mine."

"Would you consider inflicting self injury wrong?"

"Dat uh it could, hm…"

"Hmm?"

"Why da ya ask."

"Just curious."

"Ya suddenly vehy cuhious bout a lotta tings Angel."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I think dere's sumptin on ya mind and you don't wanna tell me what it is."

"Well, you would be right, why?"

"Why am I right?"

"No."

"Why what?"

"Look, I may play dumb sometimes but I know that you've been cutting yourself, and I would like to know why?"

"I just do."

"WHY?"

"I dunno."

"There has to be a reason."

"It helps it ain't a bad ting."

"Yes it is."

"No it ain't ya skin heals."

"You still carry the reminders though."

"Yeah, ya also carry da remindahs in ya brain too."

"Of what?"

"Life."

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"Like of everyting."

"Everything is a broad subject. We're worried about you."

"A lot has happened. And who is we?"

"Me, Ace, Media, Mush and Jack."

"Dey all know?!"

"Yeah."

"Geez Angel, why didn't ya just post it online?"

"I had to talk to someone so I told Jack and he suggest Media and Mush just happened to be there. Ace figured it out on her own."

"She wadn't s'posed ta know, none a ya were."

"Well you've got a smart family."

"Aight, so ya know."

"Yeah."

"So?"

"Is it because of anything I've done?"

"No."

"Ace?"

"No."

"Mom, Dad, Spades, Skittery, Dodger, Blink, Jack, Media, Mush?"

"No Angel it ain't any of dem."

"Then what is it?"

"It's da garage, da alley, da wheahhouse, da house, dat stupid beah, it's da freakin woild."

"Pulizer?"

"Yes him too!"

"There are better ways to release your anger!"

"It ain't all angah."

"What else is it?"

"Responsibility."

"For what?"

"Foh dose around me."

"Such as…"

"Such as Ace, You, Media, everybody."

"Spot, don't worry about us."

"Ya coulda gotten eaten by a beah or beaten ta death or raped or Ace could a got jumped by that gas station dohk."

"Spot, you can't defend everybody!"

"Yeah, but I should be able to defend somebody!"

He wasn't getting it, why wasn't he getting it! Just then a thought struck me, reverse psychology, Dear God please don't let this kill him! I prayed.

"You're right you should be able to defend SOMEBODY."

"Yeah."

"So why don't you?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"If you should be able to, then why don't you, you let me almost get raped, and eaten by a bear, and almost beaten to death."

"I dunno, I didn't know!"

"But you know how I am, you should know that I can't be trusted to be alone!"

"Yeah but I can't hold ya hand fohevah!"

"Why not? Isn't that why you hate Jack, because he's taking me away from you!"

"I don't hate Jack!"

"Sure seems like you do…everytime something goes good for me and him you run off and do something like this!"

"Like what?"

"Cutting yourself, lying to him, you know what I mean."

"I don't cut because ya happy."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah oh really."

"Then why do you?"

"We'se been ovah dis."

"But does it really help you?"

"N-ge Yes!"

"No?"

"No."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Because I have control ovah dat."

"One faulty move, one small twitch and your life would be over."

"Nah Angel, I cut me legs, dere ain't any majah blood vessels down dere."

"Oh so it makes it okay to cut your feet."

"Legs not feet."

"There's no major veins in your nose, or your fingers or your knees, why don't you cut those?"

"Aight I get it, cuttin's bad."

"Do you?"

"Yeah but I still like doin it."

"So if you liked playing in traffic even though you know it's bad, you'd still do it?"

"Oh come on Angel."

"No, you come on."

"Dat's diffahent!"

"No it's not!" He sat quietly for a moment.

"Yeah well I don't know what ta do about it."

"Take up boxing, something to get it out."

"I dunno."

"What don't you know?"

"If anyting'll help."

"Can't keep it held up inside."

"I know dat, which is why I tried cuttin but it ain't woiken neiddah."

"Then stop."

"Yeah and I'll just move on ta sumptin else!"

"Find some outlet."

"Outlet foh what?"

"For whatever it is that's making you do this!"

"Hmm."

"What?"

"I, could…try dat I guess."

"Please do. Spot you're my brother and I love you and it kills me to see you do this to yourself." I said tears starting to flow.

"I didn't mean ta hoit nobody."

"Which is why you have to stop."

"But what if I do and I do good den I staht again?"

"Then talk to somebody, me, Media, Mush, Jack, Ace."

"Aight, I'll try it Angel."

"I'm glad."

"I ain't promisin but I'll try."

"That's a start." We sat in silence for a bit.

"So uh, ya didn't actually need all dat stuff ya been whinin about did ya?"

"Some of it."

"Punk."

"Butt."

"Whateveh."

"Night Spot."

"Night Angel."