Rise

Chapter 13

WARNING: intense violence/possibly sensitive material 

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Oh darling,

Monsters are real.

And they look like people.

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I almost fall to the ground as I tumble off my seat.

Him. It's him.

I suddenly hear the flames of my burning home roaring, roaring as if they're right next to my ear. Looking at him makes me feel sick, and my stomach twists into painful knots.

I hate you, I hate you, my mind is screaming. I want to yell at him, to rage at him, but I can't even form words. They don't make it past my lips, and instead they come out as choked gasps.

His smile. His smile. It's sickening as he grins at me, setting my drink along with Han's on the counter. "Hello, Ellie." Stephan purrs.

Nothing can compare to the hate, grief, and pure fear I feel as his hungry gaze lands on me. Those dark eyes have haunted my nightmares for years--they were the source of my nightmares.

As I hear his horrible, horrible voice, I want to die.

Standing there, my knees are shaking and half-bent. I'm trying not to crumple to the ground and scream. It won't be long before my flashbacks grab ahold of me and render me senseless.

Hot, burning tears are running down my face, and my heartbeat is rapid, just like my breathing.

Han's out of his seat suddenly. He runs toward me, grabbing my shoulders and coming in-between me and Stephan.

As he comes between us, I'm shaking, screaming.

"NO!" I screech, my voice cracking. "No, no, NO!" every word is a massive effort, and I'm trying not to lose it. But I think I already have.

Han's hands are gripping my shoulders, and he bends down a bit to get to my eye leve as he's shouting at me. His eyes are wide and I see fear, fear for me, in them. "Ellie! Ellie, look at me! Ellie!" his voice is the only thing that keeps me from spiraling into insanity.

"Help--no--please--" I'm blubbering as tears pour down my face, and I can't focus on anything.

Han's hands suddenly release my shoulders, and he's putting one hand on each side of my head, cupping my face as he makes me look at him. "El, calm down, I'm right here--focus on my eyes, okay!? Look at me and don't look at anything else Ellie, just listen to my voice--I won't let anyone hurt you, do you understand!?" I can feel him shaking, and see the burning worry within his gaze.

My voice, somehow, returns. "O--Okay," I rasp. I look at his eyes, finally, and am suddenly trapped in their glow. He's looking at me, and the concern I see on his face makes me realize: he'll protect me. I'm okay.

"Han." I get out past the hole in my throat.

He shakes his head. "Breathe, okay? Breathe and look at me."

Obeying, I breathe in deeply, trembling as I do so. My heart is like a panicked bird, struggling to escape. My fear is indescribable, but I lean my cheek into one of his hands and close my eyes, breathing just like he told me to. Breathing, because he told me to.

As I open my eyes again, Han removes his hands from my face, and they're gripping my shoulders again. "What did he do?"

Oh, it was such a long story. How could I tell him all of it in just a few seconds? I feel my throat beginning to close up, and fresh tears sprouted from my eyes and fell down my cheeks. "He--He--he killed my whole family--he ruined--he ruined everything." I sob.