BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

74: Companionship

offensive content about god and satan. lovers of god and satanists you've been warned beforehand :) ;)

Sleep evaded me all night and while I was forced to play hide and go seek I was accompanied by an unwanted companion; misery. Mercilessly, it taunted me of my loss and I was too weak to fight off the bully. I cowered, tins of my past tied to my feet, clanging loudly with every forward step I tried to take.

The sun mounted the sky and with the premature day brought unconsciousness, welcoming me with open arms and I, gladly, took a step back off the edge of the cliff and fell into the sleeping pit. It threw off its disguise; maliciously crackling as I tried evading the sizzling lava – to no avail. As I burned, the nightmares held me prisoner, spraying salt onto my wounds.

I woke up dreading the day.

+ + +

I shoved the clothes to a corner of the room, going to the private bathroom and quickly washing myself. I wasn't clean but having the water wash away the grime was a blessing I'd never take for granted again.

I left Mum in the hospital, calling a taxi and finally headed home to face the monsters.

+ + +

My vision blurred from the back of the yellow taxi cab and my hands shook like maracas that were about to explode in a burst of plastic and beads. I grasped the edge of the seat, holding on tightly for the moment everything would be snatched away from me and I would be thrown back into the hell I had been breathing in for what seemed to be an eternity and a day.

I was thrown forwards as the taxi pulled to a stop. "That's £7.90," the driver said.

I slipped the note Sandra had given me through the gap, waited for my change before jumping out. The "For Sale" sign was hard to miss, gloating in my face gleefully. Contempt splashed over my face, dragging my facial expression down and I glowered at it. I walked up the path to my house that stood eerily, beckoning me forth like it was desperate for companionship. It was only when I got to the front door that I realised I had long ago lost my house keys and there was the probability that the locks might've been changed, too. My head thudded against the door.

A long minute passed.

I heard a gasp, and snapped my neck at the offending person. I could recognise the red-head anywhere even with her large belly. She danced up the path, her flowery dress inviting me to sway with them and I blinked. She smacked me to her body, hugging me hard. “I can’t believe it, Bea! Oh, my God! Where have you been? How’s your Mum? Why did you leave school? Or reply to my Facebook messages?”

"I... I didn't quit school..." I answered the least complicated question with uncertainty wrapped around my words.

"You haven't been seen since November. It'sJanuary! Hello?! Where have you been all this time? Every time I ask Ellie she murmurs something about you visiting an aunt. I didn't know you had an aunt!"