Breaking the cycle

what would you do

if it was you

would you take everything for granted like you do?

Freddy awoke a little earlier than he usually does on school days -- he woke up at 4 - seeking an escape from his nightmares. Freddy rarely had nightmares -- even now - with Josh - he rarely dreamt about his troubles.But these nightmares, these visions and voices - they just refused to leave the poor child be. About ten minutes after he had woken up - the phone started to ring - seeing as Josh had yet to return and his mother was still asleep - he answered the phone himself.

"Freddy?" Billie's voice asked lightly. "What are you doing up?"

Freddy paused for a moment before answering. "Didn't you call here for me?"

Billie nodded tiredly. "Yeah...of course. I got this feeling you'd be up - so why not have a chat?"

"What about?" Freddy asked, as he dropped down onto the couch and covered himself back up. Their house had always been cold late at night and early in the morning.

"I did that search Sara hd insisted on," Billie began. "With my oh so smartness -- I was able to hack into police records...okay okay...so my dad used to have this friend who's still at the DA's office -- and he sorta just gave me the files. As it turns out -- the cops won't be surprised that Josh hit your mom. He has a rather massive record of hitting his women - girlfriends, wives -- he's been married like six times -- and all of his wives ended up the same way -- deceased. He's a killer, Freddy. But he ALWAYS had an alibi - one that a few cops could back up -- luckly I've got their names - so we might be able to side step them. But I advice you to get your mom out of there. I heard you're ready for the showdown -- but your mom can't be there. Invite her to Zack's alright? The moment he gets home -- because I've got a feeling that he's ready for a showdown as well. But he's ran into many many bratty kids like yourself - and he has no interest in killing you. He hit Shelby when he was attempting to change -- and that just won't do."

"Alright..." Freddy replied, staring off into space as the voices from a long lost memory refilled his head. "Where is she?" a father lost long ago asked loudly. "Dead..." an uncle replied with a grin. Then there was laughter. But she wasn't dead...she was like a phoenix -- she rose from her ashes...only to be snuffed down again.

"So this isn't the first time it's happened, huh?" Billie's understanding voice asked the statement.

"What?" Freddy snapped -- pushing the memories away.

"You act as though he's not the first guy to hit on your mom..." Billie let herself trail off.

"It's like she attracts them..." Freddy stated lamely. "This is the 5th guy to hit her. It's the 5th guy within my life to hit her. As she escapes each one it's like she leaves a part of herself with them. If she keeps going like this she'll be completely gone by the time I'm twenty."

Billie nodded. "Yeah. My mom was like that for a while there too. She hated my dad so much...but it was kinda like she liked his type."

Freddy nodded. "They've never hurt me this much. I was nearly in shock the first time Josh drew blood -- I would've...but I couldn't fight back...I'd never been in so much pain before...She's had so much trouble with all of the guys before -- I'm almost scared she won't be able to get rid of this one..."

Billie nodded - Freddy could picture her nodding the way she always did when she was trying to rearrange her message to sound almost cryptic...but still human. "So lets break the cycle, then," Billie nearly purred.

Both Freddy and Billie froze as the sound of the front door slamming open echoed throughout the house. "...What was that?" Billie asked slowly.

"It's showtime." Freddy hung up the phone and jumped off of the couch.

Billie hung up the phone quick and nearly ran into Zack's room. Zack was snoring loudly. Billie shook Zack violently. "Zack....how can you possibly be this heavy of a sleeper...Zack!"

"Five more minutes, mom..." Zack mumbled sleepily.

Billie glared down at his all too cliche line. "Josh is home, Zack...Get up -- you're going to Freddy's."

Zack was wide awake now. He spun over onto his back to stare up at Billie. "What? He told us to stay out!...Josh is back?!!!"

Billie glared harder. "You - Sara - and Justin will stay outside his house - and simply peer in through the window. Keep an eye on him -- an eye that isn't blocks away."

"What about Marta and Katie?" Zack asked seriously -- already getting out of bed. He walked toward the closet to get a clean pair of pants and t shirt.

"I'll give them a call. I have a feeling they haven't been able to sleep either," Billie answered. "I'll invite them over -- keep the door unlocked. They'll just have to settle for watching it on the digital screen - than actually being there. Get dressed - and make it fast - we don't know how long this fight can actually go on. I'll go wake Justin and Sara."

The hate you feel won't go away

you're all programmed to feel this way

to live another day within a world that loves to suffer

"What are you doing up so early?" Josh asked soberly, walking into the living room where Freddy was waiting. "I see you cleaned up the mess."

Freddy nodded calmly. Ironically Katie's words somehow resurfaced in his mind. 'Peace over anger. Honor over hate. Strength over Fear.' "The mess?" Freddy asked. "Oh right...the one you made when you were beating on my mom...ohhh...that one..."

"Now don't get your knickers in a twist -- it was one soft tap - your mother was just overreacting," Josh said calmly, dropping down onto the couch.

"A soft tap?" Freddy repeated softly. "Her cheek is already starting to bruise, Josh -- she'll probably have a black eye because of you."

Josh waved it away. "It's no more than I've done to you, Fred, now is it?" He asked tauntingly. Peace over anger. "You know you're jealous. Why did I seek you out instead of your mother. Because your mother can satisfy me. You cannot."

Freddy glared at Josh -- realizing what it exactly was that his 'father' meant. Peace was out the fucking window like a bat out of hell. "Oh... You're a big man, aren't you you fucking son-of-a-bitch. You can hit on a defenseless kid and a broken woman. Some man you are."

"Excuse me?" Josh asked seriously, giving Freddy a hard stare.

Freddy went to repeat his line -- when a defensive line from Marta popped into his head. "Did I st-stutter?" Freddy spat harshly.

Josh was on his feet and launched himself at Freddy -- knocking them both to the floor. Freddy thrashed underneath his step father -- even as Josh started throwing the punches. Freddy bit his bottom lip to keep the screams inside -- he couldn't wake his mother -- with her asleep she was protected.

"He can't do that to my Freddy!" Katie hissed loudly, covering up her face with both hands....but then still peaking through two fingers. "He's gonna kill him..."

Billie shook her head. "There will be no dead punks on my watch." Billie reached across the computer desk and picked up her phone. She dialed Freddy's number.

The phone's shrill ringing filled the tensed room. Josh slowed his punching and lifted his head to eye the phone. Freddy's hard breathing soon filled the quiet room. Josh pushed hard onto Freddy's chest and climbed to his feet -- stomping over to the phone. He snatched it up. "What?!!!"

Billie and Katie exchanged looks. Billie covered up the receiver and cleared her throat - before uncovering the receiver. "Excuse me...is this Josh..." She didn't know his last name...

Josh narrowed his eyes. "So what?" He snapped loudly. Freddy slowly climbed to his feet - wiping the blood away from his nose and praying that Zack hadn't already called the cops. Nosebleeds were far beyond common.

"Goddamnit," Zack swore loudly. "I forgot to bring a phone...now who's gonna call the cops!?"

"Chill, Dexter," Sara stated emotionlessly. "Billie, Marta and...Katie is watching this -- they'll call the cops in due time."

"There is something about that damn car I sold to you all those months ago," Billie said a deep - nearly maleish voice.

Katie stared wide-eyed at the computer screen. "We should call the cops..."

Marta shrugged. "We can't."

"Why not?!!!?" Katie nearly shouted. Billie gave her a warning look.

"We haven't got the number," Marta answered quietly.

Katie glared knives at her friend. "Marta!"

Billie covered up the receiver. "Shut it, will you?" She hissed loudly before moving the phone back to her ear.

"That's interesting an' all, Joe, but I'm in the middle of something here," Josh stated kindly into the phone -- giving Freddy a look. Freddy gave Josh a look right back -- wiping more blood away from his nose.

"Don't be stupid, Jones," Marta said to the moniter. "Attack the bastard while he isn't looking!"

"Ignore her, Freddy..." Katie thought bitterly. "Peace over anger. Honor over Hatred."

PEACE OVER ANGER. Freddy rubbed his bruised and probably broken jaw. "The hell with peace. The hell with honor," he muttered bitterly. Freddy launched himself at Josh -- knocking Josh into the counter. Freddy kicked his step father as hard as he could in his shin then brought his knee up to knee him in the nuts.

"Holy shit," Billie gasped in her regular voice into the receiver. "I...mean...Mole-i's hit...My mole...hit himself...on the cage..."

"Wow...that little guy sure can hit...once he's beaten up enough...." Justin commented quietly, shivering slightly.

Freddy pulled back his fist to punch Josh in the face again. The tables were turned and he wasn't about to waste any time trying to adjust to it. His bleeding fist smashed into Josh's bleeding face again. Josh shook away his pain. He shot out an arm and latched a hand onto Freddy's neck, before shoving the boy off of him. Freddy landed heavily on the floor beside him. "You'll be sorry for that one," Josh muttered harshly, grabbing a hold of Freddy's neck again - violently jerking Freddy to his feet.

Josh slammed Freddy into a wall. Freddy gasped loudly -- trying to recapture the air that his father had just freed from him. Josh's fists were smashing into his face again. Over and over and over and...

Katie gasped loudly - seconds from tears. She grabbed telephone from Billie's grasp and quickly dialed 911 and shoved the phone next to her ear. "What are you doing?" Marta snapped.

"Saving my baby," Katie spat angrily. "How can you two just...watch this -- like it's some kind of show. Like you don't know this kid. Billie - you said it yourself - this bastard's a killer -- I don't want my baby to be one of his victims...I'm calling for help."

Marta and Billie remained quiet for a while. "He told me to hang off on the police for as long as I could," Billie finally said. "He said Katie should break down soon enough -- but I shouldn't push it. Remember -- this is a personal battle., after all..."

"Damn," Sara exclaimed quietly. "If he keeps bleeding like this he's bound to run out of blood within the hour." Sara and Zack exchanged a pained look - but they both froze as a loud noise made it to their ears -- and both turned to look at a now sound - asleep Justin.

"I want you to beg me!" Josh declared loudly - grinning evily down at a near unconscious Freddy - who was in heap at his feet. Josh kicked him hard in the rips -- receiving a loud groan from the poor boy. "Beg me to spare you and that whore you think of as a mother. Beg me you selfish prick."

Freddy ground his teeth in frustration -- he kicked out his feet - kicking Josh hard in the shins. Josh yelped before toppling over Freddy's battered boy. Freddy tried to get away from Josh but Josh was just faster. Josh pulled himself ontop of Freddy and threw his hands around the boy's neck and started squeezing. No matter what he did -- Freddy just couldn't over power this guy.

Either way -- he would break his mother's cycle...but he'd never seem to break Josh's cycle.