Broken

• Chapter 34 •

I wake up to screaming voices. What's going on? I hazily sit up and rub my eyes, blinking several times to adjust my sight. The screaming doesn't stop. Panic sets in, what if there's a robber? Is someone hurt? Where's mommy? My eyes grow wide in fear and I pull the sheets on top of my head.

My heart is pounding so hard against my chest and tears well in my eyes. What's happening? My heart sinks into my stomach when I hear mom yell out Derek's name. I automatically get up and rush out of my room. I peek into mommy's room, but no one's there.

The screaming starts again, but it's coming from the basement. My heart drums violently against my chest as I tiptoe down the stairs with shaky legs. I glance around and find that the kitchen lights are open. I stumble towards the door with wobbly knees and peek in hesitantly.

My heart stops when I see Derek covered in blood, a sharp object in his hands. My face pales as I notice Sugar hanging upside down beside him, pools of blood ooze from her body. Mommy is screaming for him to stop, I find the strength to shift my gaze to her.

She is paler than I have ever seen her, and she's tied up to a chair. She doesn't notice me standing by the door. My legs don't move and my eyes grow wide as Derek's eyes meet mine. He smiles at me, and I have never been more terrified in my life. He looks back at my mom before slitting Sugar's throat.

I run.

I slam my bedroom door behind me and jump into bed, hiding beneath the covers. It's just a dream. It's just a dream. A really really really bad dream. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly as I hug my legs and rock myself beneath the sheets. Tears spill down my cheeks at the horrifying image in my head. It's just a dream, it's just a—

My heart stops when I hear my bedroom door opening, I scream. Someone pulls the covers off of me and I scramble to the backboard, hugging my knees tightly and refusing to open my eyes.

"It's just a dream, it's just a dream," I whisper to myself over and over again.

"It is just a dream," Derek's voice pierces through my ears, making me cry even harder.

"Look at me," he orders.

I shake my head to myself and shut my eyes even tighter, this is just a dream. It's just a dream! Rough hands sturdily grip my arms and I let out another scream, immediately opening my eyes to come face-to-face with Derek's bloody gaze.

"You saw nothing, tonight. Got it?" he holds the sharp object to my cheek, I shake and cry even harder.

"I will fucking kill your mom if you keep fucking crying," he spits.

I press my lips together into a tight line, staring at him through glassy eyes. I'm still crying, but I try to stop making any noise. He's going to kill mom. My heart drums inside my chest as he runs the sharp object along my face. I inhale deeply, trying to calm myself.

My chest rises and sets with every breath I take. He stares at me dead in the eyes and simpers, backing off when I nod my head profusely.

"Good girl," he pats my head with his blood-stained hand and makes his way out my door.

I lose it.

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He has found me. I'm stuck in a little room, I'm defeated. Two blurry figures stand outside. I'm trying to scream out for help, but no words come out of my mouth.

I'm stuck here forever.

I wake up shaking and sobbing, absolutely enraged that this still happens, and I have absolutely no control over it. It has been years, Clementine. Move the fuck on. I look down to see that my hair, back, and bed are drenched in sweat. My heart is beating ferociously. I wipe my cheeks, pull off the sheets and walk into my bathroom to take a shower.

I rip my clothes off, still shaking and step into the shower. I can't shake off this feeling. I keep remembering him, and I keep wanting to kill him. And I hate myself for it, but I keep hating mom for bringing him into her life in the first place.

The nightmares were a lot less frequent in New York. Maybe once every couple of months, years even. They're starting again, and I have a feeling they're going to be persistent.

I step out of the bathroom and get ready to meet Ashton at the library. I hope for his sake, he's not a dick today.