The Existence I Crave

8

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Going to work."

"Is that normal?" my mom asked, a concerned look etched onto her face.

"It's not uncommon," he said.

"What happened to me?" I asked.

"You were attacked last night."

"I was?"

"You were," Doctor James confirmed, right as two cops walked into the room.

"We were told he was awake, we need to ask him a few questions," one officer said.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that right now, he's experiencing some amnesia at the moment, it should pass soon, but right now he doesn't even remember being attacked," Doctor James said.

"Nothing at all?"

The doctor shook his head, confirming his question.

"I see," the officer said.

The door opened revealing an exhausted Mark.

"Mark?" I asked.

"Oh thank god you're awake," Mark said, rushing over to my bed.

"I'm so sorry, I feel so bad, if I hadn't asked you to do my job then this could've been prevented."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember I had asked you to take the trash out for me?"

That one simple question felt like a wall of bricks had just fell onto me, everything from last night came rushing back to me.

"Hey, Alex do you mind taking out the trash for me? I hate asking but we're really swamped out front," Mark asked, Mark was a waiter at the restaurant I work at, he's only a few years older than I am.

"Yeah sure I don't mind," I said, rinsing the plate I washed before drying my hands on the apron I had to wear.

"Thank you so much," he said before going back to the front of the restaurant.

I walked over to the back door, opening it to see two trash bags sitting against the wall. Grabbing the bags, I carried them over to the dumpster, setting one bag down, I slung the bag into the dumpster before doing the same with the other one.

Right when I was about to turn to go back to the restaurant, I was grabbed by someone, panic set over me as I started to fear the worse. Was I going to get killed? Or kidnapped?

I was spun around only to be met face to face with Brent.

Wait what? Why was Brent here?

"I warned you to stay away from her," Brent spat at me before his knee made contact with my stomach, causing all of the air in my lungs to leave my body.

My body crumbled to the ground, as Brent kept delivering blows to me, I couldn't keep up with his kicks and punches, he was relentless, he was like a mad man. My eyes grew heavy as I was starting to lose consciousness, the last thing I can remember hearing is someone tackling Brent off of me, and the sound of someone's voice begging me to stay awake.

"I remember now," my voice barely over a whisper.

"Brent attack me last night when I was taking the trash out," I said, causing the two cops to exchange a look.

"Sir we're going to have to ask you to leave," the officer said to Mark.

"But I just got here," Mark protested.

"You can come back later, but right now I need you to go with my partner."

"Yes sir," Mark said as he and the other cop left the room, leaving the four of us behind.

"My name is Officer Jackson, but you can just call me Kaine. I would like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind?"

"Ok," I said.

"Good, could the two of you please leave the room, I'd like to talk to him alone," Kaine said.

"I'm not leaving my son," my mom said.

"Ma'am-," Kaine started before I interrupted him.

"It's fine mom," I said, as she gave me a hesitant look.

"Really, it's fine."

"Fine," she said before she and Doctor James left the room.

I was expecting him to ask me about what happened with Brent last night, but what came out of his mouth, shook me.

"How long has Kevin Price been abusing you?" he asked once the door closed.

"W-What?" I stuttered out as my body tensed.

"The doctor found already existing bruises, and poorly healed bones from being fractured. Doctor James said that the only thing that could have wounds like that is from being physically attacked or something," Kaine said.

My body was lightly trembling as I eased myself into a sitting position.

"Brent said that he hadn't physically touched you until last night," he added, as he awaited my answer.

"Why do you think Kevin did it then?" I asked.

"Your mother said that when she came to see you the other night that you had bruises on your face and that you were limping around like you had been injured recently," he said as the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

The air was getting thick in the room, I felt like if I moved or said something wrong then I'd get in trouble.

"She also said when she asked you about where you got the bruises, that Mr. Price was acting very strange and so were you."

I was gripping the blanket tightly, causing my knuckles to turn white. Tears slid down my cheeks as I tried to hold back the sobs, I couldn't say anything, if I did then Kevin would go ballistic.

"Thomas?"

"I'm scared," I sobbed out.

I could hear him stand from his seat before walking over to the door. He opened the door, saying something that I couldn't make out before the door shut, a few seconds later a pair of arms wrapped themselves around me.

"Tom Tom, what's wrong?" My mom asked as I tightly wrapped my arms around her.

"Please don't make me go back, I don't want to go back," I cried out as her arms tightened around me.

"Please don't leave me again, please."

"God what did I do," she cried out, as she held me tightly.

I think at some point Kaine left the room, but I honestly couldn't tell you for sure, all I knew was that at that moment I felt safe.