MagicAnimalClub: Happenings

34: Civil War

Davids POV

When I eventually got all the way down to the new house, it was dark. It was about 7 o'clock and I was exhausted. But before running to Joes house I went to see my family. Nicole and the kids were sitting on the ground eating a pizza that the must have ordered. The dogs lay fast asleep.
"Hi guys." I said, sitting down beside them, "mind if I have a bite?"
I took a slice of pizza, feeling a sense of satiety.
"Are we near Joe and Beth?" James asked,
"Yes.. Yes we are." I replied with annoyance. Remembering Joe.
"How was your journey?" Nicole asked, leaning against me,
"Oh.. Lonely. Got a phone call from Joe, he's being a bit weird.." I told her. She looked at me in a confused way, "I'll tell you later.."
I didn't want to tell her about my dad yet. I just felt too upset to even comment.
"Anyway- I'll get all the beds set up." I gave the dogs a scratch and fed them some left over pizza before giving them their food.
Nicole and I helped each other lift the beds into the house. The two children still shared a bedroom but would move out later on, they told us that they enjoyed sharing a room.
Nicole and I had the master bedroom upstairs, it had one stone wall and the rest were white. It also had a balcony, a bathroom and a closet. Once we got the beds sorted out we just lay in them, I lay beside Nicole after the kids had gone to their new beds.
"I should probably go and see if Joe is alright." I said, scratching my head,
"But it's almost 10 o'clock." Nicole looked into my eyes,
"I'll just walk over, I'll be home before midnight." I said.
"Alright, don't be drinking too much." She said,
"I won't drink at all." I promised. Before walking outside into the dark night, it felt quite mild despite the blackness.
It took about five minutes to get to their house, fortunately they were in. I knocked the door. It was Beth who answered.
"Hi Beth." I said, giving her a hug. Trying to look happy.
"Hello! How are you?" She asked,
"it's been a long day.." I sighed.
I sat down in the kitchen beside her,
"Is Joe alright?" I asked.
She stared at me, before sitting back down beside me,
"He is just getting angry at everything it seems, he won't speak, not even to me. He's just sitting in his office all day clutching a pillow. You can go up and try to get a word out of him." I looked at her,
"I'll go and see. You alright?" I asked her, rubbing her shoulder as I looked towards the staircase.
"Yeh.. I guess so. I'm just confused."

I walked up the stairs into his office, I took a deep breath then knocked on the door.
"What?!" Joe shouted.
Is this the way he treats Beth?!
I barged in through the door.
"Joe what the hell is going on with you?!"
He sat on his bed, his eyes were blood shot and darkened underneath.
I looked into those, dishevelled eyes. I sat beside him.
"Joe? What is it." I sat close to him.
He ground his teeth and narrowed his eyes as he shook his head before he put his hands on my neck and started to squeeze slightly. I felt like I was chocking, Joe was.. Was he trying to kill me?!
"Joe!" I gasped. "Joe what are you doing?!"
He started to harden his grip around me.
"This isn't because i-" I gasped for air, "because I hung up on you?!"
This didn't stop him squeezing me, I started to feel light headed and my vision started to block, I immediately thought of my kids.
"Beth! Help!" I shouted with all the air in my lungs that I could possibly get to.
Beth came running in, he took his grip off my neck and punched me in the face. I fell to the ground, unconscious and limp.

Beth's POV

"David?! David!" I smacked Joe in the face before running to David, putting my hands against his cheeks, cursing to myself.
After a short period of time David made a wheezing noise and his eyes opened, straight to face Joe. Joe started to swipe but I screamed no, and David caught both of his wrists.
This fight had started.

Davids POV

"Joe." I said, trying to keep my balance, "what is going on inside your head?" I asked him, "you're mad!"
"Yes.." He whispered to me, "I am insane!"
Fear was my only emotion, what was happening to him?
Joe managed to get a hand loose of my grip and punched my stomach. I felt sick.
I put an arm in front of Joes chest and held him down against the wall.
"Joe I want you to stop and think about what your doing. I'm your friend. Remember what we did together? Joe we went to war together!"
"It's your fault they all died! It's all your fault!" He hissed. This time I slapped him.
He stared at me in offence as I bit my lip, a tear just fell out. I was thinking about my dad in the middle of this fight.
Joe kicked me in the leg, I fell down in the ground, but I pulled Joe down beside me and gave him a menacing glare. "Joe stop. Just stop."
Joe stood up and I pushed him towards the next wall, "I will kill you!" He yelled.
"Go on then." I breathed, more tears streaming from my eyes as I thought about dad.
Pushing his computer down, Joe jumped on top of me, punching me several times in the jaw and arms. Smacking him back I started to twist his arm giving him a burn.
Joe stood up, and I was left beneath him on my knees. He kicked my face. I shouted with pain and annoyance.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" I yelled blood spilling from my mouth.
"I- I've got a-" Joe looked into my eyes, before he completely fell to his knees and collapsed onto the floor.
I didn't even try to break his fall.
He was lying still on the ground. His eyes were closed.
"Beth call an ambulance or something." I muttered, my pounding head lying on the ground. I couldn't focus. I was in so much shock, from Joe and from my dad.
"Are you alright?" She asked me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Y..yeh.." I lied. Blood was dripping from my mouth and nose and tears still settled in my eyes while I looked up at the plain white ceiling, catching my breath before standing up slowly, and leaving. I needed to get back to my family.