Kim's House

Banging on the door demanding to be let in, Carl's voice was heard mocking me on the other side and I punched the door.
"Dammit Carl you asshole, release Kim this instant!"

"She's my child, I can do whatever I damn well please!" He was drunk while yelling at me and I backed up to look at Kim's window. She was locked inside with bars and looking at me desperately.

"This is in no way how you treat your child Carl! Let Kim out!" I demanded again.

"Shut up you foster bitch!" he yelled. "Or maybe family murderer is more appropriate!" Cackling beyond the door and getting me pissed off to the highest level, I rammed my shoulder into the door repeatedly and heard the door moan. "KNOCK THAT OFF!"

"I'm getting Kim out of this house if it's the last thing I do!"

"GO AHEAD AND TRY!" He retorted. Clenching my fist again and punching the door, I gave the damn wood a few good kicks and roundhouses before hearing him start to bar the door down. I began grinding my teeth and turned to a window to break through when all windows on the first floor were boarded up. He was prepared for me to show up!

"You won't get away with this for long Carl! I will have you put behind bars for all the years you've placed Kim in!" He didn't hold back his laughter as I backed up to look at Kim again through her barred window. "Kim, Kim just hang on a little longer, I'm calling the cops on him tomorrow morning with everything I need to get you out of this!" she didn't answer. That worried me so much and I clenched my chest to see her this way. "I'm coming back for you Kim!" I reached out for her in hopes she would do the same, but she sat their motionless and stared like a zombie. "Dammit…this can't wait out till morning…she's practically dead in there," shaking to seeing this turnout, I grabbed out my cell and looked at the number I dialed.
Being the last person I talked to with connections to the police force, I swallowed my pride and dialed.

"…hello," his voice weary from being asleep, I began crying. "Kasumi," he questioned.

"I need your help…please…please call your best men to get Kim away from this place." I cried.

"Kasumi, calm down, what's happened?" He asked.
So disoriented and unable to answer properly, I wiped away the tears streaming down my face and asked him again and again to save her.
"I'll get my best to come to you, just stay where you are." He hung up and I collapsed to my knees shaking. So angry at myself being able to do nothing for Kim when she needed me most, I was hating myself and loathing the way I turned out. If I still had the power I once had I could have easily rid Carl from her life and have her with me. But because of my weakness…because I threw everything away to be normal…Kim is like this.

Perhaps it was minutes… maybe an hour or so before I felt a pair of hands reach under my arms and carry me off the ground to a car. I wasn't coherent in my surroundings before me and couldn't make out what was all happening. All I knew was I hated myself for being this weak and pathetic. I'm not even capable of saving my own best friend from such a miserable life.
"Kasumi," hearing my name being spoken; I gazed at whoever it was and tried comprehending him.
"Kasumi can you hear me," he asked me. I barely managed to nod my head when I felt broad arms wrap themselves around me and put my face into a chest. "If I had known it was this bad I would have done something sooner," he says.

"…Kyoya…" I managed to say.

"I'm here," he soothed. "Everything is alright now…Kim is safe and we have that man in custody. Everything will be alright." Patting my head gently and cradling me in his arms, this was another part of myself I hated. The fact remains that Kyoya has helped me twice now without asking for much in return. Showing this weak side to him after putting up such a strong front is shattering me inside.
"Kasumi…" his voice close to my ear, I buried into his chest and refused to look at him. "I'll be sure Kim is treated in my hospital with the best care. That man will not see the light of day again," he says.

"….." gripping his clothes with my fingers and nodding once, I stayed in his arms for a while before the hour was late and everything settled. I was taken home by Kyoya, but being in that house alone now was only going to upset me and I refused to get out of the car.

"Isn't this your house," he asked me.

"Yeah…it is…" looking at the mansion and seeing how desolate the place looked with only me living there and maintaining it, the feelings of dread and self-loathing bubbled back up. "Sorry… just a moment to gather my thoughts;" Holding the handle to the door, I swallowed and prepared to go inside that dark house on my own once more.

"Kasumi," Kyoya tugged my shirt and had me look back at him with great concern showing in his eyes. "Are you not wanting to go in there alone," he asked.

"I'll be fine," I choked. "It's always been like this…I can handle the silence." Giving my bravest front and opening the door, he wanted to say something else but I had closed the door and began walking the cobblestoned path. "I'm strong…" repeating this mantra out loud, I walked into the house once more and had the silence overtake me.