A Hater's Gamble (BxB)

TWENTY-TWO

"That's the deal, my dear."

M I L E S

I had arrived home two hours ago. It was four in the morning on a Wednesday, the day after the incident with the Eagles. For a reason unknown, I stirred awake, staring at my ceiling in the dark. Sleep was not my friend, it abandoned me this night, keeping its distance.

Was it Liam? The way he was becoming entirely unpredictable lately?

Or was my lack of sleep due to the constant looming threat of Carl?

My father?

My mother?

I held my breath at the sound of a sudden noise from downstairs.

At this hour?

I reached over and slowly opened my nightstand drawer, taking out the weighted, charcoal pistol. It was without bullets, but a weapon nonetheless. The floor was feral ice as I padded toward my door, creaking it open and straining my ears for a noise.

The sound of breaking glass caught my attention and I bounded down the steps, my weapon held in front of me.

Carl? My father? Was it Maddie being careless?

My mother was slumped on the kitchen floor, her shoulders shook slightly. As she cried, shards of glass littered the area around her. Broken vases and plates. I slowly lowered the gun in my hands and placed it on the nearby kitchen table.

I knelt down in front of her, gingerly placing my hands on either side of her shoulders. She was trembling.

"Mom?," I whispered. "What-."

She flinched away from me, but shifted her gaze to look at my face. Her eyes were glazed over, unfocused. Disoriented. Panic began to flare up in my chest at her limp form.

"Mom, what did you take?," I said, as calmly as ever.

The drugs, the drugs. She's going to die. It'll be my fault. My fault.

She scooted further away from me on the kitchen floor as her left eye twitched. She wrapped her arms around her torso protectively as she stared at me with terror.

"It's me," I pleaded lightly, reaching out my right hand. "It's Miles...your son." My voice threatened to break.

Tears started to well up in my mother's eyes, though her face held no emotion, she didn't crumple. My heart sunk, I no longer recognized her, there wasn't a shred of warmth that existed between us.

No. I wouldn't except this. I wouldn't except my entire life crumbling right in front of me.

"We're going to the hospital," I demanded, lifting her up off the floor. She was light, terribly lightly.

"No," she muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "No, no. No!"

I heard footsteps hurriedly bound down the stairs. When I turned around, my broken mother still in my arms, Maddie stared at me with wide eyes. Alarmed, petrified, and ashamed.

"Start the car," I said, voice tight.