The next morning I woke up to a loud thumping noise. I sighed and sat up in my bed. "... What is that…?" I mumbled to myself and drearily rubbed my eyes. It sounded like a mammoth stomping up the stairs. Suddenly, my door swung open. The noise it made when it bounced off the wall was enough to scare away my drowsiness. My foster father leaned against the door holding a bottle of cheap whiskey. He took a swig of the liquor and tried to keep himself balanced. He licked his lips and stared at me. I was too terrified to move, instead I settled with shakingly pulling the covers up passed the bridge of my nose. I hid from him like a child would hide from a monster under the bed.

"Shion…" His raspy voice called out to me. "Shion, put that goddamn blanket down…" He was stumbling his way closer to me now. That only made me tighten my grip. I was afraid. I shut my eyes tight and shook my head. Nothing good ever happened when my foster father was wasted like this. "No… No, please…" Then I felt his presence at the foot of my bed. His large, fat fingers gripped the blanket and tore it from my grasp. Tears slid down my face as he threw it across the room and began crawling up the bed. I pressed my back into the headboard and redirected my grip on to my sheets. "Please, don't…" I whispered as he ungracefully slid closer to me, the whiskey spilling droplets onto my bed. I pulled my knees up to my chest and clenched my eyes as tight as I could. Then I felt an unexpected force knock the wind out of me. My cheek burned in the shape of a handmark.

"Don't talk back to me, Shion!" More tears made their way down my face, some soothing the burn. "I own you…"

His chubby fingers grabbed a chunk of the hair on my scalp and pulled my head back, warningly. "You should feel lucky I'd ever want to f*ck a stupid kid like you." He took a swig of whiskey as he pulled my hair again. Some of the alcohol dripped down his double chin. He smirked as I clenched my teeth, trying to ignore the pain from my scalp and face.

"Shion." My name sounded disgusting in his voice. I opened my eyes, full of tears and looked up at my foster father. "...Open your mouth." My eyes widened and I shook my head, trying to beg him to stop. My voice wouldn't come out. I just wanted this to be done. If he was going to rape me, then so be it. I just want to get ready for school.

"... Fine." Then he finished off the bottle, releasing his grip on my hair. He gripped the bottle in his right hand and broke the bottle against the side of the headboard. I flinched and covered my face with my arms. I sobbed quietly, the sound of broken glass only frightening me more.

"What the f*ck are these, Shion?"

I felt a large hand trap my wrist and pull one of my arms closer to him.

"Did you do this to yourself? You're f*cking sick, Shion!" He laughed maniacally. "Is this how you make yourself happy? You're so stupid, Shion."

Every word hit me like a punch. He twisted my arm so he could see my slit wrists and forearms. "Maybe I can make you even happier…" His eyes gestured towards the broken bottle.

"Please, father… I don't want this!" I sobbed loudly, tears pouring over my face. "Stop it, please!" My words were slurred and uneven at this point. He inched the bottle closer to my pale skin.

"No! Stop it! Father stop!" The words belted out of me, as loud as they could. "Please, don't!"

"Shut the f*ck up, Shion!" and a loud crunch were the last things I heard before everything went black.

It felt like seconds had passed when I woke up.

"What happened to you, Shion?" The school nurse asked.

"... Nothing." I avoided her question. I stared at the spinal cord graph next to me. There were arrows and circles littering the page. I squinted my eyes, I couldn't remember my eyesight being this bad. In fact, I don't even remember how I got here...

"Shion, please… You have a broken nose and scars all over your body. You can trust me. I just want to help-"

"How can I trust you?! Who do you think you are?" I interrupted her. "You can't help me. I don't need your help…" My eyes watered, threatening to betray me.

"Shion… You couldn't have broken your own nose..." I looked into her light blue eyes, full of hope. "Please trust me." I shook my head and let a tear trace a path down my cheek and drip onto my pant leg. I stared down and watched my jeans soak up the salty droplet. I shakily sighed and let my heavy eyelids close.

"I c-can't… I can't trust you… I-I'm sorry…" With every word, I felt another tear fall. "I'm s-sorry…"

I felt a soft hand on my cheek. I flinched, remembering this morning in full detail. But I couldn't tell her. If I ever told anybody, my foster father would get me back somehow. He'd find me. I knew he would.

"Shion…" Her soft voice whispered. "You're safe here…" She really was a beautiful nurse. She had long, brown hair. I've seen her before, and her hair was always braided. I stared at her face. She had really light, cute freckles and flawless skin. She wore glasses too, but they only dulled her wide blue eyes.

"Shion, how about you stay in my office for today? You can take a rest on the bed here." She smoothed out the papery bedspread I was sitting on.

"I'll let your teachers know, okay?" She smiled and wiped her thumb across the top of my cheeks, drying my tears. I nodded.

"Alright. Well I'll leave you alone." She stood and stroked my hair, lovingly. "Make sure you get some sleep. Let me know if you need anything at all." She pet my head one last time before wheeling her office chair across the small room under a white, sterile desk where it belonged.

She walked towards the door, her footsteps quiet. For a moment she stood in the doorway, holding the medical curtain (normally used in hospitals to separate the patient's rooms) as if she was thinking. She averted her eyes toward me, opening her mouth as if to say something, then decided not to. Her expression was full of worry.

"I'll be okay," I spoke. "I'll be fine."

She nodded, chewing her bottom lip nervously. "Alright…" I could tell in her voice she didn't believe my consoling lie. "Good night, Shion." Then she disappeared past the curtain.

Haphazardly, I glanced around the room. I saw mostly anatomically correct posters of the body systems and their functions. I noticed a few elementary school drawings taped above the nurse's desk; she probably has children. Most of the wall-space was occupied by cabinets though, making the room look smaller than it actually is. Then my eye caught something. My reflection…

I pushed myself up off the bed, nearly falling in the process. I felt light headed… Almost like I'd faint, but I caught myself. I held myself steady against the wall. I slowly made my way across the room, the mirror coming into focus. Before I knew it, I was close enough to see everything, clear as crystal. I saw a big purple bruise on the side of my face. I had a bandage across my nose. I saw a pair of maroon colored eyes staring back at me, full of pity. I touched the bandage on my nose, hoping it wasn't real.

"Ouch!" I whispered.

It was definitely real. I saw dried blood under my nostrils. My face was slightly swollen. I looked at my wrists, fearing the worse. Large bruises marked the path where my foster father had grabbed me. Then in the reflection I saw something sparkle beneath my hoodie. I reached for it and pulled out the golden locket. I smiled and watched it shine as my head filled with thoughts of Rat. My chest felt warm and cozy, he gave me a little bit of strength in that moment. I made my way back to the bed. I laid down, the locket in my tight grasp, held against my heart.

"Thank you, Rat."

And drifted off to sleep.