Defect

San-Shi-Liu

My head was pounding. I pressed my eyes closed tighter. There was a strong ache on my neck and it felt like I had something dried on my face.

What happened?

I lifted my head to find myself on the floor to my bedroom, my head resting on Nick's lap. He was knocked out with his head lolled to his shoulders and his back up against the wall. There was a towel pressed to my neck. I moved it away and touched my fingertips to my neck—it was caked in blood.

Removing my hand, flakes of dried blood fell along with it.

I looked towards the bedroom door. My door as well as dresser had been pushed up against the door. You could tell a grand struggled had gone down on the other end.

I stood up, stretching my body as I remembered everything on my walk to my bathroom.

Henry biting me,

Me kicking out, and screaming while fighting through the tears as I tried to hold all the blood in my neck.

"Henry! Stop, stop! Stop, Henry!"

The feral look on Henry's face when Brady was holding him back and down to the floor.

The way Nick had to carry me up the stairs and into my bed.

Nick barricaded us in.

There was pounding, howling and ferocious growling at the door but Nick didn't move from my side.

"Shh, shh, you're going to be alright. I got you. I got you."

He was patting down my hair but I could hardly see him through my tears, or the pain.

I couldn't even hear him through all the growling.

I walked into the bathroom and rubbed at scar on my neck. The dried blood flaked away, flittering to the floor. I couldn't keep my eyes away from my own reflection. She didn't even look like me. Pale face and dark swollen eyes. The dried bits flicked and flaked until all that was left was the ugly mark and red irritated skin.

I pulled a disgusted face-Goddess why would he do this to me?

I stared at the girl in the mirror; she had the water from the bathtub running. It was quickly overflowing and spreading across the floor. Then it seemed like the water was flowing in from the small bathroom window.

It was like I was drowning.

The water overtook me, but I felt the fire licking up from my stomach, engulfing my very being.

Why did he do this to me?

The flames threatened to eat me up. I felt as though I couldn't move. I could only curl my fist tighter, tighter, and tighter.

The pressure from the water was the only thing keeping me together.

How dare he do this to me?

How dare he mark me against my will?

To tie me to him because what? He was angry?

Traitorous tears escaped my eyes, and I angrily wiped them away. A realization dawned on me.

I won't be able to leave now.

I'm stuck here? Forever?

I felt the sadness overtake me like a tidal wave. I couldn't get it under control. I couldn't cage my emotions no matter how badly I wanted to. But I had to.

I could see my inner hand reaching out against the roaring waters, fighting against the current to close the faucet. But this time, there was just so much of it.