Through The Dark

Chapter 6

Little rant about the song. This is Goodbye's the Saddest Word by Celine Dion. Honestly I am appalled. The emotions and pain in her voice and even in the lyrics. I cried so badly. Also...listen to it while reading the chapter. It may help to get the feels. Hope you enjoy!!

Nathan's POV:

"It all started as a normal day. Me and my family were supposed to go to the beach that day. My dad and my mum were packing up all the stuff that was needed and I realised that the marshmallows were missing. Now, the five year old me had this thought in my mind that marshmallows were a must to complete the beach trip and so, I persuaded my elder brother to go to the store and buy some packets. It was quite some time later that my dad got a call. At first I didn't know what happened, but as soon as he collapsed to the floor, I understood that something was wrong. I overheard my parents conversing that my brother met with an accident and that he had died on the spot."

"I was too young to know what any of that meant, but I knew that he had got an ouchie. My parents told me to stay at home and they went to the hospital in which he was. But me being...me I was curious and so I as well went to the hospital. I knew which hospital it was and also knew the directions. But when I went there and saw my brother, I wish I hadn't gone."

I closed my eyes, trying to block the picute away but it was hard. The way his lifeless eyes were empty and just so devoid of everything, blood literally pasted to his hair and the way that it was seeping all over his body, those bruises...all those memories and images came rushing to the surface. I felt a hand on top of mine and saw that it was Emerald. Though she was not facing me, I knew that she was silently supporting me. And so I continued.

"I felt so guilty. I felt as though it was because of me that he was dead. My parents did tell me that it wasn't my fault, but I didn't see honesty in their eyes and that unnerved me, it jarred me, scared me. And what could be worse, six months later my mum dies. She commited suicide. I found a letter which stated how she couldn't cope with my brother, Aiden's death. I still remember that picture so vividly..."

The grounds in front of me disappeared and my parent's room appeared. My mum's dead figure appeared in front of me. Her eyes were bulging out of her sockets and her neck was dangling. It was supported only by that red scarf that she had used. The scratches on her hands and legs were covered in blood. [(A/N) : People who commit suicide by hanging themselves, they scratch their bodies very furiously and sometimes the skin tends to tear out.] Her whole body was slumped and she wasn't breathing. That sight was something which would forever haunt me.

From somewhere in the distance I heard Emerald call out my name and suddenly I snapped out of my trance. When I looked at her I saw that she was looking at me with a concerned expression on my face. I mouthed the words "I am okay" and she gave me an incredulous expression as though saying "Don't you dare lie to me". I just chuckled and went on to finish my story.

"That's when dad lost it. He started drinking a lot and would blame me for my brother and mother's death. At first it was only an occasional shove or punch, but then it increased to more serious stuff. You may have thought why I always am so rude and arrogant. I just try to hide the real me, the tarnished me, the broken me. I just want to hide that. I don't want people to know that side of me. And the reason that I cut? I used to, and still think that my brother is dead because of me. If I hadn't asked him to go get the marshmallows, he wouldn't have been in that accident and mum would still be alive and dad would be... normal. We would be normal."

"But I am better than before now. I still do it at times, and the situation with my dad is something I can't do anything about. But I started to cut less, not stopped but definitely slowed. And it is because of one person. That person saved my life, just with a simple smile, or a laugh, or just by showing up even. And now, that person is in the dark and I want to bring her out of it. Do you know who it is? The one who saved me? The one who brought me back to life? The one who I want to so desperatly save?"

She looked at me with questioning eyes and signalled for me to tell her. And I did. I did tell her who that girl was:

"You."

Emerald's POV:

You. As soon as the word came out of his mouth, I was speechess. I had saved him? I was confused but before I could ask him anything he told me to tell my story. I took a deep breath and started.

"So that day, I and my brother Liam were at school and my mum was supposed to come and pick me. But in the way, she met with an accident. Apparently a truck had rammed into her side of the car and she had died instantly. None of us were allowed to see her because she was so... disfigured. And that's when dad started to become an alcoholic. He would first give occasional shoves. But then, just like you said, it started to get more serious."

"I didn't understand what was happening. I was just four years back then. I thought that it was a normal thing for my dad to hit me or Liam. But Liam knew better. Whenever my dad would get drunk or would approach me and Liam, he would always push me into my room and lock the door or would push me into the wardrobe. And he would always refuse to open the door. He would always get all the beatings and would protect me from him. He would protect me from dad, calm me from my nightmares would quite literally fight with dad if he would lay a hand on me. He was just two years older than me, but at times he acted much more matured than his age. And I am forever grateful that Liam is my brother."

"But then, one day, when I was 12 years, I saw a letter in Liam's room and all his clothes has vanished. He said that he couldn't take it anymore and that he was sorry that he had left me but he couldn't help it. And trust me Nathan, I completely get it as to why Li did that. I mean it's really a wonder that he even stayed for so long and the only reason he stayed was for me,to protect me. Now that he wanted an escape, how could I be angry at him? That would be unfair of me. After he left, my dad turned his anger and abuse towards me."

"The cuts...they are more than just a coping mechanism for me. Whenever my dad hits me, I always think that I deserve it and more. Like, it's because of me and Liam that mum is dead. Liam had his share of punishment, but I am still getting it. Whenever I think of mum, guilt crawls up and the only way for me to ease it down it by cutting. It eases some of that guilt and it helps. A lot."

Through all of this Nathan hadn't spoken a word. When I looked at him, I saw that he had tears streaming down his face. It broke my heart to see him like this. Maybe I shouldn't have told him about all of this. God I have hurt him,I made him cry. I think my thoughts were quite evident on my face because he slowly shook his head and spoke.

"It's not because of you that I am crying. I just wish I knew about this before. Guess we both are broken souls huh? But then again, us two broken souls are tue only ones we have got. So let's make a deal. Let's talk to each other and try to help each other. Whenever things go out of control let's speak to each other, help each other clean the wounds, help each other when we want to cut. Here let's exchange numbers and talk. Atleast then you will have me and I will have you. "

And so we exchanged numbers. After that we talked for a while before the bell rang. I thought it was signalling the end of lunch but it was for the end of school. Wow. For how long did we even talk? As we were about to part ways, Nathan gently held my shoulder and turned me around. He then opened his mouth to ask me the one question which I dreaded a lot.

"Was the assault only physical or even sexual?"

(A/N) :Hey guys. So this is the sixth chapter. Their stories... I had tears while writing them. I know... this wasn't my best chapter but please bear with me. Also don't hate on Liam. Stand in his shoes and see. I mean I think he is a great brother. What do you think of Nathan and Emerald's stories? Was it right of their dads? Was it right of Nathan's mum to commit suicide? Was it right of Liam to leave? Do tell me.

Don't be a silent reader. Vote and comment!!

Happy reading!!! :)