Lonely Days and Lonely Nights

Alexis woke up with a pounding headache. She didn't know where she was and she had no idea why her head was pounding.

Then it all came flooding back to her. All the blood, all the pain, all the tears.

She picked herself up off the floor and looked around. The room was black. She walked to the door and tried to turn the light on but the light didn't turn on.

Alexis felt her way back to the bed and laid down. She was exhausted and in pain. Pains were shooting through her arms and legs. She closed her eyes but every time she did she saw AJ, but they weren't nice images. She saw his blood, his abdomen ripped open, the slashes on his face.

"It's all my fault," Alexis said quietly, her voice breaking.

She held her pillow tightly against her chest and buried her face into it. She began to cry again, this time not worried about if any one heard or what any one would do.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

Laura sat in the room across from her cousin and held her hands over her ears. She had been listening to Alexis cry for hours upon hours. Every time that Alexis began crying Laura did too.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

Alexis woke up again. This time she could hear people rumbling about downstairs, as if it were a normal morning. But it wasn't a normal morning. Her room was still pitch black, her arms still full of crusted blood, her head still pounding. She rolled over on the bed and felt something soft. She tried to feel what it was without picking it up but she couldn't. So she picked it up and screamed. It was her hair. She had forgotten all about her long, beautiful brunette locks.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

It wasn't until the next day when Alexis heard the door open and saw Sarah step into the bedroom.

"Get up," Sarah instructed.

Alexis didn't have the energy or the willpower.

So this time Sarah grabbed Alexis by the arm and pulled her out of the bedroom. She roughly directed Alexis into the bathroom.

"Use the facilities," Sarah instructed.

Alexis looked at the toilet and then looked at Sarah.

"Now!" Sarah barked.

Alexis slowly pulled her skirt down and sat down on the toilet. Alexis looked at Sarah.

"What?"

"I can't go if you're watching me," Alexis said.

"Too bad," Sarah answered. "Now go."

It took Alexis a little while to relax but she finally did.

"Now get into the shower."

"Why do you have to be in here?" Alexis asked.

"So you don't run away again," Sarah replied and motioned to the window. "Do you want a shower or not?"

"Not if you're going to be watching me," Alexis said.

"Good, get back to your room," Sarah said.

Alexis did as she was told.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

This went on for days. The only contact that Alexis had was with Sarah. It wasn't until days later that there was a knock on the door.

"What?" Alexis asked weakly.

"It's me," Laura whispered. "Come to the door."

Alexis took her time and crawled towards to the door.

"What do you want?" Alexis asked leaning on the door for support.

"How are you?" Laura asked.

Alexis grunted.

"How are you holding up?" Laura asked rephrasing her question.

"How am I holding up?" Alexis asked laughing. "I haven't eaten or drank anything in days. I can't sleep because every time I do I see blood. When I go to the bathroom I have to be watched. I lost all of my hair. I haven't showered since the before I was left to die in here."

Laura didn't have a response.

"That's what I thought," Alexis said. "You're just like them. You could care less."

"That's not true," Laura hissed. "I've been risking my ass for you lately."

"And what exactly have you done?" Alexis asked. "For all I know it was you who put me in this predicament."

"So you're blaming me?" Laura asked. She could hear Alexis moving back towards the bed. "I guess you could care less about AJ."

Alexis stopped.

"What do you know?"

"Take it back Lexi," Laura said. "You know damn well that I didn't rat you out."

"Fine, it's not your fault," Alexis said. "How's AJ?"

"AJ's out of the hospital," Laura said hugging herself. "But my dad's making him go back to work."

"Surprise surprise," Alexis replied. "Have you seen him?"

"No I haven't, but I was talking to Petey," Laura answered. "Petey said not to worry about him and that he's a tough guy."

Alexis felt the tears running down her cheeks and Laura could hear her crying again.

"How can you possibly sit there and tell me not to worry about him?" Alexis asked wiping her eyes. "Especially when I know that he's like that because of me."

"I was just trying to make you feel better," Laura said.

"Whatever," Alexis said. "Go to sleep, you have school tomorrow."

¥¥¥¥¥¥

After Sarah had taken Alexis to the bathroom Alexis was shocked when Sarah gave her a piece of toast and bottle of water.

"Make that last the entire day," Sarah said and left Alexis alone in the darkness.

Alexis has happy for the food and water but she didn't eat. She couldn't. She still felt nauseous all the time.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

Laura talked to Alexis every third night for the next two months. Alexis still only got a piece of toast and a bottle of water every day. She was still supervised when she went to the bathroom and had showers.

As if that all wasn't bad enough Alexis was sinking faster and faster into a depression. She was only eating half a piece of toast every second day, drinking as little as possible, sleeping whenever she could and thinking disheartening thoughts the rest of the day.

Most of her thoughts were about AJ. It had been two months and AJ had begun avoid Petey and Laura all the time. AJ rarely asked how Alexis was and it broke Alexis' heart to know that he didn't care anymore. He obviously thought that she wasn't worth all the punishment.

The strange part was that Jeff and Jerry still wanted an answer to whether the two of them had slept together. AJ still never answered and he would get a beating every time. If they asked Alexis she also refused to answer, not for herself, but so that AJ didn't get hurt anymore.

¥¥¥¥¥¥

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Laura asked one night. "Maybe he thinks that you gave up."

"Don't bother," Alexis replied. "He's probably happier this way."

"Then why don't you give my dad an answer?" Laura asked.

"Because I still love AJ and I don't want anything bad to happen to him," Alexis answered.

"What happens if you say yes?"

"If I say yes," Alexis started, "then both AJ and I get hurt."

"And if you say no?"

"Then they only go after AJ," Alexis replied. "So you see? I can't give them an answer."

¥¥¥¥¥¥