Never Again Will There Be Another Chance

Chapter 9

My blood is pounding in my ears. I can't hear, I can't see. Oh my God

A tall man is standing over a skinning, bony lady. And there is blood, oh so much blood.

No, not this, not this again. I'm back at home watching as my father punches mother in the face and then proceeds to wrap his hand around her neck, I don't think the finger marks ever disappeared. I think I'm screaming but I'm not sure, I'm not sure of anything anymore.

Someone then came and wrapped their arms around me, blocking my view of the bodies. I'm going to die, they're going to kill me for seeing this, at least my grandmother can leave this house that she hates, the house she told me reminded her of my grandfather.

Oh why, why, why did I come? Why was I so foolish?

I'm screaming, definitely screaming, it's piercing my ears, but I can't stop. OH MY GOD!

My scream is suddenly muffled, I'm screaming into someone's shirt against their chest. They're saying something, I yell at myself, where no one can hear me to stop screaming so I can hear what they're saying.

"Everylei-" "Please stop screa-" Elijah?

I stop screaming and I'm suddenly mad at myself for making my ears hurt like hell.

I think I'm still crying though, but suddenly I feel happy. Elijah's going to save me, but then, he is the reason why I'm here. But he doesn't know that. Is this why he never invited me to his house, it all makes so much sense now.

"Elijah? Is that you?" I whisper

"Ev, are you okay? '' He says, releasing a big breath "y-yea, I was just shocked, that's all." I say while looking around. He must have seen me look cause he loosens his grip on me and says "I walked us over to my side yard so we wouldn't attract the neighbor's attention"

"I'm sorry Everyleigh, you shouldn't have seen that" He muttered while shaking his head.

He then rested chin on the top of my head and released a breath. We didn't talk for a long time, both lost in thought.

Finally after a while I said "I'm sorry I reacted that way, it was just that blood reminded me of something" One teardrop spills.

"It's not your fault, I should have told you about my dad" He said, pulling away from me, holding onto my shoulders to study my eyes.

I do the same, studying his ocean calm dark blue eyes, they betray absolutely zero emotions, I can't help but frown. I really want to know what he is thinking right now, maybe if I find a genie I can wish to read minds and the name would be an invader. I like that.

Elijah takes a deep breath and says "My d-dad would get drunk and abuse me and my mom when he gets home from work." Those 17 words might have been the hardest for him to say, I can see by the constant pauses.

"Oh." Is all I say cause I don't know what else to do. And then I remembered why I went to his house in the first place. "I got you a gift, I think I might have dropped it at your house"

"You mean this?" Elijah says, taking a golden box from behind him. "You got it?" I was surprised. " Yea I saw you drop it on the floor, and I figured that's why you came" he said shrugging "Did you open it?" I said gapping at him. "Not yet" He said then in one swift motion opened the box and staring at the watch Chloe helped me pick out for him this morning.

His jaw dropped and for a moment he was staring at the watch and I was staring at him staring at the watch looking for any hint of emotion. But of course there was none.

I was about to make a bunch of assumptions in my head when, he lifts his head from the watch and looked me straight in the eye and said two words that made my heart ache

"Thank you"

That was probably one of the most sincere thank-you's I ever received.