Running

Chapter Ten: Broken

Iris's POV:

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I cooked a meal equivalent to a Thanksgiving feast. Ribs, mashed potatoes, pie, and corn. Not that I would be having any of it. I might have an apple.

I was trying to soften Aunt Gillian up a little so she might not hurt me. Considering how happy she was when she ate food, I thought it might work.

I hear her and Terra come in through the from door. They are talking about some dance I will never be able to go to.

"Hi," I say tentatively. "I cooked---"

"Where were you last night?!"

My aunt is glaring at me with fury in her eyes.

"I hit my head," I explain softly. "My friend found me and took me to the hospital."

You can see the fear in her eyes, her terror that someone might have seen my scars.

"Did---"

"No," I lie. "No one."

She breathes a little bit. "Okay. But the food better be good, or you'll regret it."

I lead them to the dinner table, where their plates are loaded with heaps of food.

Terra looks at me with no emotion. "You're not eating?"

"I'm not hungry," I fib. I haven't eaten in two days, but I've had much worse. I don't complain.

"Okay," she shrugs, turning around loftily and daintily eating her food, piece by piece.

I go to my room, but not before my aunt announces, "We're not done talking about last night." I know what her version of talking is.

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Terra's POV:

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I've never felt this way before. Usually, I just turn my back on my mother beating the crap out if my cousin, but something's changed.

Right now, I can hear the loud thumps and shrill cries of another cruel beating. I feel the undeniable urge to rush upstairs and rip my mother off of Iris.

"Stop!" Iris screams from up above. "Please, stop!"

I grit my teeth and endure another night full of shrieks and groans.

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Iris's POV:

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She's done. Finally. After hours of pain and torture, she's done hurting me.

"Next time, think twice before you don't come home," my aunt spits at me, "or you won't have a home."

With that statement, she whips around and and exits my room, taking my heart and soul with her.

I think I have finally broken. I believe my heart has swiftly left the room, leaving me with an empty chest and a gaping wound.

My mind turns, spins, swirls. Colors, my bed, voices, all white, pills, no turning back, swallow, five, maybe, death, Aaron, wake up, please, mate, wolf, love.

Darkness.

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