Warning: Language, Death, Violence and Hoplessness. You have been warned, if you cannot handle graphic violence please do not continue.
Chater ten:
Nobody's Home
Serena felt like she couldn't breathe. Her chest felt tight, her heart aching. She shut the door behind her and only paused for a second on Draco's porch.
I wont cry, she told herself. I wont cry over him.
Shaking her head at the burn in her eyes, she hurried from the porch. Jumping to the grass below, she crossed his lawn to reach her yard.
She checked to make sure the driveway was empty, as she hurried to her own porch. She could not handle dealing with Charlie, or any other of her mother's boyfriends.
Shutting her front door, Serena looked at her living room. She hardly recognized it. It had been so long since she had stepped inside her house. And even before that, she hardly spent time anywhere but in her room.
"Mom," she called, hearing her voice waver. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the front door. Why does it hurt, she wanted to know. It wasn't like she wanted to have sex. But then, it hadn't been his words that had hurt her. The look on his face had made her heart ache. The horrified stare had seared right through her soul.
He was disgusted by the thought.
Shivering in the cold house, she pushed herself away from the door. Obviously, her mother was at work, which, would make this a whole lot easier.
Slipping her soaked socks from her feet, Serena left the living room and quickly went to her bedroom. She tossed the soiled socks into her hamper, and went to grab another pair.
She pulled them on over her cold feet and grabbed an extra pair of shoes. She slipped them on, before going to her closet and grabbing another backpack. Like her other one, this one was stocked with overnight material.
She never knew when she wouldn't be able to go home.
Walking to her bed, she tossed the bag onto the mattress. Then with great reluctance, she began to pack more clothes. She made sure to stuff the bag with a couple of shirts, clean underwear and socks. She didn't bother with extra pants. She would just wear what she already had.
Rubbing at her eyes, she willed the tears away, promising herself, she would have time to cry later. When she was safe and far far away from here. Away from everyone I've ever known.
She had promised herself, three years ago, that she would escape. That she would find the right moment, when it wouldn't hurt so much to say goodbye to her mother, and she would leave. Walk away from her life that had given her grief and pain and so much sorrow.
Closing her eyes, she fought the memories that tried to surface. Memories of her spending time with Draco. She liked him a lot. More than she had expected she could. But she couldn't burden him any longer. It wasn't fair. To either of them.
Serena zipped her bag shut and went back to her closet to grab her jacket. She would miss him. But maybe when she was older, when the loss of his friendship didn't hurt so bad, she might come back.
Maybe they could start over. She wouldn't be the weak teenager next-door. She would be an adult. Maybe he would want to be her friend then.
Serena shrugged her bag over her shoulders and solemnly left her bedroom. She had planned to leave when she turned eighteen. But she could not longer wait anymore. Not with Charlie back in her mother's life.
In the living room, Serena turned to head into the kitchen. She would grab some food to last her till she got to the next city. She had a friend there who was willing to give her a room to stay. Said she would help her find a job.
Serena froze in the kitchen entranceway. She felt her heart leap to her throat and the blood drained from her face. It left her pale and weak as she stared at the body on the kitchen linoleum. "Mom," she whispered, her voice suddenly hoarse.
The woman who laid on the floor didn't move.
Serena checked the rest of the kitchen. She couldn't see any blood. Rushing to her mother's side, she fell to her knees beside the older woman. "Mom," she called out, touching her mother's shoulder. The woman didn't stir, but laid still.
She would have thought her dead, head it not been for the steady rise and fall of her chest. "Oh mom," she whispered. She could see a bruise forming on the older woman's face, below her left eye. And then there were bruises around her neck.
Getting to her feet, Serena went to look for the phone. She would have to call the police. And hopefully this time they would lock Charlie away for good.
Serena paused at where the phone was usually hung up, and found the receiver missing. Frowning, Serena left the kitchen in search of the phone.
"Looking for something," a voice inquired from the front door.
Her heart stopped. For one fleeting moment, her heart refused to beat, but as soon as the shock of hearing his voice passed, her heart slammed painfully against her ribcage.
Lifting her frightened gaze, she stared at the man who haunted her dreams. Who made her feel unsafe in her own house.
The man who had put both her and her mother in the hospital.
Taking a step back, she felt her bag slip from her shoulder and fall at her feet. The man sneered and suddenly he was lunging at her.
She gasped, her feet tripping over her bag in her haste to run away. Serena grabbed the wall next to her, steadying herself before she could fall down.
Where could she go? He was blocking the only exit. Her window!
Serena was running before her mind had even processed her escape plan. She was running down the narrow hallway, turning sharply into her bedroom.
But he was suddenly there, grabbing her hair and shoving her towards her bed. Serena cried out, tripping forward and falling against her mattress. Rolling over, Serena stared, her chest rising and falling so quickly, she could barely catch enough breath of air to fill her starving lungs. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest, she feared it would break right through her rib cage.
"You put me away for three years," Charlie said in a dead whisper as he slowly advanced on her. There was a calmness over him, that scared her. It was like that night all over again.
He hadn't been mad, he hadn't even been angry. Just calm. Calm and cool as he stabbed her with the knife.
Looking at his hands, she found them empty. No knife this time. This time, he wanted to hurt her with his bare hands.
Drawing herself up on her bed, she tried to throw herself to the other side of it. But Charlie grabbed her ankle, yanking her back toward him.
Serena tried screaming. Maybe someone would hear her. But he slammed his clenched fist against the side of her face. Her head jerked to the side so fast, she thought her head would snap off. She tasted something thick and metallic in her mouth. Spitting she watched blood spray from her lips.
Gagging, she moaned as her tongue, her cheek, her whole head throbbed.
Before she could figure out what was bleeding, she felt his hands around her throat and she was pinned to the bed with his massive body on top of her.
Panicking, Serena tried clawing at him. She raked her nails down his face, his hands, but his grip only tightened in his controlled rage.
She tried gasping for air as her lungs cried out, begging to be fed. But his hold on her didn't loosen. She felt black spots dotting the edge of her vision.
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't fight him off. No, she pleaded. I don't want to die!
Just when she thought her lungs were going to give, and her heart would stop its erratic pounding in her ears, she felt his hands leave her throat.
Serena would have cried, but she was so weak, so tired, she could do nothing but lay there and breathe. Her starving lungs filled with air, and she could feel herself drift off to sleep, despite the danger she was in.
A painful slap to the side of her face woke her up moments later. She found Charlie sitting on her stomach, his thighs pressing painfully into her ribcage that felt battered and bruised.
"Rise and shine sleepy head," he called with a sickening laugh.
Serena's vision doubled. How many, she wondered. How many times had she passed out, only to have him slap her. Bring her back to consciousness. Only to strangle her back to unconsciousness. She'd lost count.
She felt tears sting her eyes, when she felt his hands wrap around her throat, felt his thumbs digging into her jugular. Numbly, she gagged and gasped, feeling her lungs scream inside. Her heart crying out at the torture of being deprived. Of its oxygen.
No more, she begged. Let me die.
She could not go through this again. Not another one. Through blurred eyes, she stared at the wall. Could see her light from her lamp creating strange shadows.
Darkness crept at the edges of her vision. It was growing and growing. Soon she would be smothered by the darkness. Only to be rudely awakened. Or maybe this time he'll finish her off.
Serena's fingers weakened their hold on his hands. Almost there. Then suddenly her eyes saw the lamp. It sat on her nightstand. It was made of glass and metal.
With renewed strength, Serena threw her flailing arm out to the lamp, her fingers grazing the edge of it. Stretching, she felt her fingers curl around the cord. Please, she begged. Just a little longer.
Pulling the lamp closer, she grabbed the lamp by the top of the base. Looking Charlie in the eye, she used what strength she had, and slammed the bottom end of the base down on the back of his head.
His hands immediately let her go as he rolled off of her with a shout.
Serena dropped the lamp, her hands going to her neck as she dragged in air. I'm alive, she thought gratefully. She sat there panting for a moment as Charlie grunted at the side of her bed, his hands feeling the back of his head. When he pulled his hand back, she was glad to see blood there.
"You bitch," he snarled at her, his head lifting to look at her. "I'll kill you!"
Throwing herself from the bed, she toppled to the carpet floor in a heap. Groaning at her weak muscles, she scrambled back to her feet.
Serena didn't look to see where he was, but instead she ran from her room. She ran on wobbly legs, and shaking knees. She felt weak and tired. There was hardly any strength left in her.
Unable to stop, Serena slammed against the front door. Crying out, she reached up to touch her head, where it had hit the chain lock. Pulling her hand back, she was startled by the sight of her blood. Wincing from the headache that now throbbed through her entire head, she reached down for the doorknob.
It was locked. Panicking, she tired to work the bolt, but her hands were shaking so bad they wouldn't function right. Hearing Charlie laughing, she whirled around. He was standing right in front of her.
Serena tried ducking around him, but he grabbed a fist full of her hair and slammed her back against the door. She cried out at the impact, her body sagging to the floor in a heap of tingling muscles and numb legs.
Looking up at him, she half wished he would just cut her. Just stab her and get it over with. But he was going hurt her. With his bare hands he would kill her. And it was going to be slow and agonizingly painful. He had said so, many times while he choked her.
Her eyes fell away from his red face. He was still controlling his anger. Rage did not fuel him to do this. Well she wasn't going to give up, not again.
Lunging forward, she grabbed him by the leg and using her teeth, bit down into his thigh till she knew she had drawn blood. She heard his scream and he kicked her in the stomach to get her off.
Grunting, Serena rolled on the carpet of her living room. Tasting more blood in her mouth, she fought not to throw up. Instead she was crawling away. On her hands and knees she escaped into the kitchen.
Her mother was still unconscious, lying very still on the floor. It appeared he hadn't tried to do anything to her while Serena had been unconscious.
With the help of the counter, Serena reached for the knife set, and pulled free the butcher knife.
Slowly turning on her heels, she found Charlie standing in the entranceway, his lips curled in rage. Now his control was gone. But now, she was armed. She may feel weak and exhausted, but adrenaline was racing through her veins. Giving her strength when she had none of her own.
"Don't come any closer," she warned, spitting out more blood that had pooled in her mouth. She held the knife out in front of her.
Instead of listening to her, Charlie leaped at her, his hands out to grab her, the knife, whatever. Serena ducked in fear, but lashed out with the knife. She heard a chocking sound, and suddenly Charlie's weight fell on top of her.
Crying out, Serena crumbled to the floor with Charlie on top of her. Screaming and shouting, she kicked and punched him. She was not going to give up.
She managed to shove him off of her, and she scrambled to a safer distance. Sitting with her back to the countertop, Serena stared at the body that laid still on her linoleum. She watched as blood pooled beneath him. And that was when she noticed the knife sticking out of the center of his chest. It had looked like she had stabbed him in the heart, but the knife had been dragged down the middle of his rib cage, leaving his wound open and spurting blood.
Serena listened, unable to move from where she was curled up on the floor. She could hear his heart, could see each beat it took as blood squirted from the wound. Then suddenly it was quiet, leaving her in the silence of her kitchen, with her mother's unconscious form, and Charlie's dead body.
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I hope this chapter, is emotional enough that you can feel it in every word i wrote. and in every thought Serena had u could relate to the horror she felt. I do apologies fr such a tragic chapter right before Christmas, but not everyone gets a happy ending, i can only promise you, is that Serena's life does become better..
Happy Holidays
LP