Destroying Love

Eighteen

"Dad, stop!"

Tears are spilling down my cheeks. It doesn't stop him.

"Daddy!" I cry, hugging my doll.

This time, he looks up, a murderous look on his face. His eyes are red. I'm scared.

"Go away! This is between your mother and I!"

He's hurting her. My mom glances at me, strands of her brown hair falling in her face.

"Run, Sophia!" she screams, her own eyes blurry with tears.

The next second, she lets out a strangled sound, looks one last time at me, her mouth opens to say 'I love you', and I run.

I run, hearing my father's screams. I run, hearing my mother's screams of pain, and then I scream, too, because her pain is my pain.

I think I reach the road. Where do I go? What do I do? Mommy! I need you!

My head spins. My eyes are blurry. I look up and notice a man. His figure is also blurry, but he's walking in my direction, and I have to look up when he's in front of me.

He kneels down and frowns.

"What are you doing alone here, my little?" he asks, pushing his glasses up his bridge with a concerned look.

"My daddy... mommy... why?" I stutter, crying even more.

The man looks behind me. He won't be able to see my house. Daddy chose this house in the forest. Narrowing his eyes, the man stands up and only then do I realize the two men with him.

I don't know what is going on. I just want to go home. I want my mom.

The men start to run in the direction of my house. They can't do that! He'll hurt them!

"Are you hurt?" the man asks me in a gentle tone, kneeling in front of me again.

I shake my head, sniffing. "No, but mommy—"

We hear a loud sound. I let out a scream and hide my face in the man's chest. I want this to stop.

The man strokes my hair.

"It's okay. You'll be fine." He pauses, and I try to stop crying to listen to him. "He won't hurt you anymore."

"Sophia!"

He'll hurt her. He'll hurt her.

"Sophia, wake up. It's a nightmare."

I gasp, my eyes opening. Then I look around me wide-awake, sitting up in my bed.

My eyes fall on Brandon in my dorm room, and I narrow my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here? What's going on?" I look at the pistol in his hands.

He walks towards my nightstand and put down the weapon, still eyeing me with a concerned look. I don't get it. I rub my eyes tiredly, then realize that my heartbeat is faster than usual.

Brandon sits down at the end of my bed. He doesn't ask for permission, and for unknown reasons, I don't bother telling him to stand up and go away. The black t-shirt he's wearing looks old and tight on him, and his gray sweatpants tells me it's still the night.