Floating in the Abyss ✔️

Chapter 40

We had shepherd's pie for dinner, which was another new meal for me. I didn't mind it, but I liked the white more than the brown. It was a bit slimy for my liking, but I was grateful to have a full stomach anyway.

"Can we do a game tonight?" River asked, enthusiastic as always.

"Maybe tomorrow. I have some more work to do so I can't play, and you're not allowed to without me." Laura winked.

"Do you guys want to watch a movie instead?" Chris asked. I was exhausted and felt like a movie would require very little energy. I could probably just sleep through it anyway.

Everyone seemed to agree on watching a movie, so we all got up. Everyone started to put their dishes in the dishwasher, so I followed.

"I'll take it." Ryan told me.

"It's okay, I can."

"Ash, go get a spot on the couch, we can do this."

"I want to help though."

"You don't need to help."

"But I want to."

"Too bad."

"No."

"What do you mean no? That's not an answer." Ryan laughed. He took my plate anyway, so I went back to the table and attempted to grab a large stack of other bowls and plates. The only problem was that I knew I wasn't coordinated enough to hold it, and for sure, with my luck I would drop it everywhere. "Ash! Just go sit down." Ryan huffed, rolling his eyes at me. He reached straight over the top of me and grabbed all the plates, taking them away. I pouted but gave up. I went to my room and grabbed my new blanket from my bed, then went into the lounge. Somehow, Ryan beat me there, so I took the seat furthest away from him as I could.

"What was that for?" He smirked. I didn't respond. "Ash?" Before I knew it, he had jumped up, scooped me and my blanket up into his arms and moved back to where he was sitting previously. "Much better."

"Ryan!" I groaned.

"What?" He grinned.

"I was trying to be grumpy." I mumbled.

"It doesn't work when you say that, bubs. Try to be a bit more subtle, you know." He laughed. I just huffed and moved off his lap to next to him.

Everyone else quickly came to get their seats in the lounge room, then they discussed the movie options. I told them early on that I didn't care, and they were all fine with that.

After a solid ten minutes of discussion, they finally settled on a movie that Laura approved of. I kept hearing her say no, even though she wasn't watching it.

The movie played and I could feel my eyes getting heavier and heavier. I stretched myself out a bit more and laid my head in Ryan's lap. He gently brushed my hair out of my face, making me even more sleepy. I accidentally stretched out a bit too far and kicked Jonah.

"Sorry." I told him quietly, as to not disturb everyone. He just smiled and put my feet into his lap, massaging my ankles. I hadn't really had anything to do with him, so his kindness was nice.

Before long, I was fast asleep and dead to the world.

"Anna," She slurred, walking closer towards me. "Where is your father?"

Don't reply and she will forget. I had learnt the hard way.

"Who took my cigarettes?" She screeched, her face scrunching up tightly as she stormed drunkenly around the room. I tried to creep away, but even through her blurred vision she managed to notice me.

"Ash..."

"Ash! Wake up!" Someone whispered in my ear. I jolted awake, shaking slightly from the shock. "Bad dream?" Asked Ryan. Everyone was looking at me and the movie was paused.

"Uh, yeah." I shook myself out of it. Everyone looked concerned, still. "I'm fine, keep watching the movie. I didn't know how long I'd been asleep, but it couldn't have been much.

"I'm going to go back to my room." I whispered to Ryan.

"Stay, please." He said, pulling me closer into his arms. "I can make sure you wake up if there's another dream." I deliberated for a bit then nodded, resting my head on his chest. It didn't take long before I was sleeping again.

I kicked the gravel beneath my feet as I walked home. Friday nights were always bad. It was guest night. Host night. Trauma night.

I listened to the staticky music playing out of my headphones to try and calm my anxiety as I approached my street. A loud whistle interrupted me. My head shot up to see a bashed-up car with two guys in the front seats, one of the being the one that whistled, presumably at me. I ignored it and continued walking. As I turned down the street, I instantly saw that the same bashed-up car had pulled into the driveway, along with another van. I thought about turning and running, getting away, but I thought about what my father said would happen if I ever tried. It was enough to make me shudder at the thought.

I approached the house and could hear laughter and yelling. Instead of going through the front door, easily attracting everyone's attention, I went around the side and slid through a hole in the garage door. I put the tarp sheet back over it so no animals would crawl in later.

"Anna!" She yelled. I mustn't have been as quiet as I thought.

AUSTIN'S POV

I went downstairs to refill my water bottle when I could hear panting and voices. Mum and Dad were in their offices planning more things whilst the house was quiet, so I knew it wasn't them. I went towards Ash's room and the sound got louder.

Without hesitating, I pushed the door open. She was tangled in the sheets sweating and jolting in every direction. I could see her gripping her own arm, so tight it had lost all colour.

"Mum!" I yelled. 

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I've just gone into stage 4 lockdown and can only leave my house for an hour a day. 

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