The Girl in the Hooded Jacket

Sweet Dreams

I peeked through the rails of the staircase. My father staggered through the doorway, I could smell his breath from where I was crouching.

"Gabriel, again?" My mother's voice was laced with concern.

His face was blank. Expressionless. He took a long swig from his whiskey bottle.

"Gabriel!" My mother exclaimed, rushing across the room to pry the bottle out of his hands. "That's enough!"

He slapped her. She stumbled backwards, the white mark on her face beginning to fade. The whiskey bottle fell to the ground, breaking into a thousand pieces.

"You bitch!" My father shouted, pacing towards her. He punched her square in the jaw, knocking her to the floor.

He grabbed a fistful of hair, forcing her up. He threw a punch at her face, then seven others, until she was on the floor, crimson blood dripping from her cheek.

She took a deep breath in, muttered a silent prayer. Then she pulled out a gun, aiming it at him.

How long has she been carrying that around?

"Don't come any closer." She said, lip quivering, arms trembling. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

There was a long silence. I held my breath.

"I can't do this." She whispered.

Her hands were shaking as she turned the gun towards herself, pressing it into her own skull.

"Mom!" I yelled, running down the stairs. "Mom, don't—" tears began to flood down my cheeks. I swallowed painfully. "Don't do it."

She gave me a sad smile. "I love you." She whispered.

Then she pulled the trigger.

I screamed.

"Hey, man, you okay?" Gabriel asked. He didn't sound the same.

Someone was shaking me. "Carter! You okay?"

I sat up, gasping. Sweat was dripping down my forehead. Cameron's hands were on my shoulders, his green eyes staring intensely into mine. Violet stood next to him, her eyes wide with concern.

"I'm fine." I said, raking my hands through my hair. "It was just a bad dream, that's all."

Cameron nodded, looking uncertain.

Violet laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go back to sleep, Cam." She said gently.

Reluctantly, he climbed back into bed.

Violet stayed, taking a seat near the edge of my bed.

She frowned. "It was your mother, wasn't it?"

I bit my lip, nodded slowly.

Violet looked at me, her blue eyes wide with sympathy. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted her before she could. "Listen, I really don't want to talk about it." I said. "I'm fine."

She didn't look convinced.

"I'm fine, Violet."

There was a long pause, before she finally said, "Okay."