I Am A Monster (David Escamilla A.U.) (#Wattys2015)

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"This Is For The Kids With The Beaten In Lips Whose Parents Try To Shut Them Up Using Their Fists; Keep Living Loud And Proud, They Never Can Hold You Down. This Is For The Kids With A Soul Like Mine, When People Tell You Living Is A Waste Of Your Time; Keep Living Loud And Proud, They Never Can Hold You Down, Listen To The Sound Of Your Children Revolting; Listen To The Sound Of The Lives You're Ruining" - Beaten In Lips ~ Beartooth

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David had hit me.

It surprised me more than anyone else. Lynn (who I never saw as a someone who would be caring and motherly) stayed by my side through the whole thing. She had taken Andy's emergency credit card and sent him home in a cab. She said she was only going to use it to pay for the medical bills, but already, she had ordered a pizza to be delivered to the room. I wasn't even in there long. They just put me in a room to be wrapped up. I was only there for 4 hours, max.

"Charlotte Vogelman?" A doctor knocked on the door while he entered. I looked up, placing my hand on my already wrapped up side. The doctor glanced from the pizza that Lynn was busily scarfing down to me, a look of amusement on his face. "Hi, I'm Dr. Urie. I'm just going to ask you a few questions then prescribe you for some painkillers to help you breathe without feeling like you're being stabbed." Dr. Urie held up a clipboard and smiled, sitting in a roll-ey chair. He wheeled his way over to sit in front of me, smiling the whole way. "Please lift both of your arms for me."

I did as I was told, feeling the searing pain rip through my whole body. Dr. Urie looked sympathetic. He gently touched along the sides of my ribcage and I winced.

"Charlotte, how did this happen?" Dr. Urie asked, his brow furrowing as he led both of my arms down to rest at my sides. I glanced over at Lynn who was wiping her fingers on her pants. Dr. Urie followed my gaze and he raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Miss..."

"Gunnulfsen." Lynn finished for him.

"Miss Gunnulfsen, could you give me and Charlotte here a few minutes alone?"

"No problem." Lynn jumped up from her chair and took the box of pizza with her. Once the door closed behind her, I felt insanely uncomfortable. Dr. Urie looked back at me.

"Charlotte, I can't help you if you're not honest with me." Dr. Urie smiled easily. I must say, his smile was quite contagious. "These bruises aren't normal for someone who 'fell', and I'm pretty sure you know that too. Not to mention, you fractured a fair amount of your ribs and you broke two. You must've fallen down at least a story and a half and landed perfectly on your ribcage, which is nearly impossible." Dr. Urie went to his clipboard and frowned. "It says here that you live with your older brothers, Bennett and Daniel?"

I nodded slowly, biting at my lips.

"Don't get mad at me for asking," Dr. Urie warned, "but are either of them responsible for what happened to you?"

I shook my head quickly, making a face. "No, Benn and Danny wouldn't ever hurt me."

"Okay, it's just procedure to ask." Dr. Urie smiled again. "Are you in a relationship? Or a deep friendship? Are they the one that hit you?"

I pursed my lips, thinking hard about what I should tell him. David was 19 years old. Since I was technically still a minor, he would be in a lot of trouble for hitting me: a minor. Even if it wasn't on purpose.

"I-it was an accident." I started, mentally slapping myself for my stupidity. "Please don't tell anyone! I don't want them to get in trouble."

Dr. Urie's expression went a little cold. "Is this the first time they physically harmed you?"