Unfortunately, I'm a bit tight on time right now and unable to go through the reviews to reply to them. Though I can tell you all that I whispered profanities the whole I time I wrote this chapter. I know it's a bit short, but the next chapter is a lot longer.
The good news is the poll is closed and the winning fic is Kick-Ass (check previous chapter for fic summary or check profile).
~CWA
Chapter 51
Mother drives me home with her, or at least she and I are riding in the same limo as we go home. I can tell that she wanted to make me walk home, but because of people watching us, she begrudgingly allowed me into the limo with her. Though I would much rather walk home. The tension is so thick I could cut it. It's just so uncomfortable being in the same vehicle as her as she sits across from me, grumbling under her breath. She's so frazzled. Upset. It's… I don't like it. I just haven't seen this type of anger from her before. Normally she lashes out first thing, cursing and becoming vulgar. This anger is something different. She's more dazed and is so angery that she can't help but keep cursing under her breathe while trying not to do anything brash in public.
The second we get home, I all but run toward my house frantically. I don't want to stay in that vehicle any longer than I have to. I slide and glide across the grass as I throw open my door before slamming it shut, breathing heavily and vaguely aware that Mother is calmly following behind me. I'm almost tempted to lock the door but just as I look through the peak hole to see how far away she is from the house, I find myself staring straight at her. Letting out a yelp, I run off, not having the time to lock the door even if I decided that I want to. I continue my run toward my room. My room is possibly the safest place. The emptiest, but the safest. I don't feel safe anywhere else, partially because of the incidents with the sna-cock-rat.
I trip and stumble over my feet, but I do eventually manage to get to the top of the stairs before Mother grabs me. Her icy grip is tight on my arm, causing me to yelp at the sudden pain. I look over my shoulder at her, my eyes wide as my heart pounds rapidly in my chest. Her nails dig into my arm harshly.
"You absolute disgrace," Mother hisses, the words barely even coming out in a way I can understand them because of how raspy her tone of voice is, "Making noises so shrill is unladylike and embarrassing to myself and the Shibata name. Not only that but you had the nerve to say no to me. I am your mother, you whore!"
I wince at her words, tears bristling in my eyes as I tug. I'm desperate to get out of her grip and fear is clouding my judgment. I need to get out. I need to do something. Her nails are breaking skin and starting to cause drops of blood to run down my arm. Yet she doesn't seem disturbed. I keep trying to tug free, even going as far as trying to pry her hand off my arm with my free hand, but it doesn't work. Nothing seems to work and her grip just tightens. God this hurts. It feels like she's hitting something important in my arm. Or maybe I'm just sensitive. But it doesn't change the fact that there is a sheering pain shooting up my arm.
"Please, just let me go," my voice cracks, "P-please."
"You have been walking on thin ice for a while," Mother continues, her voice harsh and cold, "And you have caused my last nerve to snap."
Her eyes are locked on my face, burning with so much fury that eventually my pleas come to a stop as I hang limp in her grip. Tears running down my hot cheeks. Everything seems so… hopeless. Mother snarls at me, her teeth baring like a predator. It's then I realize something. I know she's always been a predator and I the prey, but… But now I realize just what predators do to their prey. They tear them up. Kill them. I can see the murder flaring in her eyes, burning brightly like the very fires of Hell itself. A new fear settles in my heart as I feel my body tense up.
"You will learn your lesson even if I have to beat into you myself," Mother hisses, "But you will not run away from me."
No. Not Mother. She is nothing but Ursula. Nothing but a demon. Nothing but Akane Shibata. We share the same name, but she is not a mother. She never was and she doesn't deserve that name. She tugs on my arm harshly and I suddenly find myself tumbling forward as she side steps to dodge me. I'm vaguely aware of the pain shooting all over my body as I tumble down the stairs. I frantically grab for the railing on the stairs, but that only seems to make it worse as if my body kept moving and left it behind. The pain shoots in my wrist and hand, causing me to let go as I continue to tumble.
Her scream of anguish and pure anger is barely even heard over my own cries. As I reach the end of the stairs, desperately I put my hands out trying to catch myself. But it does little to help.
The pain is shooting through my veins like a hot fire and in a few places, I can't feel anything at all. My fingertips and It's getting hard to breath because of the way my chest feels. I think I broke something. Maybe even punctured it. Everything's blurry, but I can still see the blood that's dripping on my hands and wrist, a result of me trying to catch myself. My head is spinning and it's getting harder and harder to notice what's going on, nevertheless actually stay awake. I try desperately to stay awake. I have to stay awake. I know what happens if I fall asleep. If I close my eyes, bad things will happen. Who knows what Mother will do with me if I black out? Drag me away and leave me on the streets half-beaten-to-death? And I've seen the movies. Every time someone gets hurt, they're told to stay awake because if they black out… They die.
I don't want to die. I can't die. I'm too young. I'm just now starting to really live my life- writing a romance novel, gaining confidence and strength, having lots of friends, having a boyfriend whom I love too much to die now. I just can't die. I sob violently, but it causes my chest and ribs to flare with pain and it ends with me coughing. I feel like I'm hacking up my very lung as the coughs cause my body to hurt and shake. It gets worse when I feel Mo-… Ursula's heel digging into my back as she steps on me, gently at first before there's just a bit more pressure applied.
"Don't get up," Mother whispers harshly before she continues walking, leaving me to writhe in agony by myself.
I can hear the door shut as she leaves. I'm sure her heel alone is going to leave a bruise on my back, but I doubt it will be the only bruise. Oh God. I let out another series of coughs as I try to move, but it only causes the pain to worsen. I don't care. I can't just sit here. I cannot just wallop in pity and I cannot just submit.
Because damn it, I am Riko Shibata and I have people who care about me even if my mother isn't one of them. And I cannot just give up now. I have to continue for them. For Takashi. For Haruhi. For my friends. I promised them that I will take care of myself and so I am. If I try hard enough, maybe I can walk back up the stairs and to my room. Pack my stuff and then just leave. I cannot stay here, not with the demon that lives in the mansion. But I doubt I can go too much farther in my state even if I do make it outside. And even if I did, where would I go?
I promised Takashi that I would call him if Ursula went over the line. And she did this time. She went so far over the line that she's practically in space. But I can't call him in this state. I just can't. I'm terrified of what he would do to Ursula. Not that she wouldn't deserve it, but I don't want him getting in trouble or arrested because he wants to protect me. So instead of calling him, I manage to dig out my phone and send a quick text to Haruhi. I don't trust my voice enough to speak over the phone because, especially knowing her, she would know something is wrong.
Thankfully, she sends me a reply pretty quick, letting me know that both she and Ranka would be happy if I come over. That's a relief though I didn't doubt that they would say yes. It also answers my question on where to go if I make it out...
