The Unwanted Promise (New Cover, Same Story)

22. Walking Nightmare

"Sorry, I had to grab a cup," the whispers said before I was free again.

I was quietly reading in my little library when a figure forms at the doorway. He smiled at me, and said, "You know, it feels good to be here, with you. Ever since I laid eyes on you, all I ever wanted was to live with you."

Wordlessly I get up, looked him in the eye and shut the door, making sure to lock it. I could hear his chuckles as he walked away.

It was a quiet morning while I was cutting some vegetables up for breakfast. And as I sliced away, hands wrapped themselves around me.

"Let me help you?" he said into my ear.

I stopped, frozen. I wouldn't let him get away with it so easily though. With the arm, not holding the knife, I jabbed him in his ribs to make him let go of me.

"No thanks. While we're at it, you can make your own breakfast."

Dropping the knife down on the cutting board, I walked away from the kitchen.

What was happening? Why was it happening? Fear ran through me. For the first time in years, I was scared of what would happen. Nothing was safe anymore. Thinking of every possible outcome, each scenario ended badly.

"Bee, we need to talk," I said. After gaining enough courage, I was finally going to approach him about the topic.

"Okay. What's going on?" Bee said from the couch he sat in.

We were in our bedroom, late at night already. I had finished writing a part to my story, and Bee was reading in the corner of the room.

"It's just that. I need to tell you something," without it even coming out of my mouth, I was already crying and blubbering, "Something weird is happening and I don't know what to do."

Bee bookmarked his page and moved over to me on the bed. He moved next to me and placed me in his arms.

"It's okay," he soothes me, "Take it slow. Tell me slowly. What's been going on?"

"You have to believe, that I would never ever, in my craziest imaginations, would I ever make something like this up."

"Luna, what is going on? You're scaring me."

"It's your brother. He's been harassing me. Verbally, sexually, and it's messing with my mind. I'm scared something is going to happen if it doesn't stop."

Bee looks me in the eye, "Are you serious?"

"Bee, you know I would never say anything unless I thought I needed your help. He is your brother, I know how this sounds. I'm just so scared everyday. I don't know where it is going to stop. It's either he is going to kill me on accident, or I am going to kill myself."

"Tell me. Tell me everything that has been going on. I want to know, before I go and talk to him."

We got little sleep that night, as I recount everything that had been happening.

Within the next week, he was moved out. After three months of living with us, he was already out of our house.

We never really went back to our normal routine though. There was a weird presence around Bee and I. We were scared to bring it up.

And once again, something was happening in our lives we couldn't control.

"Can we talk about it?" I ask one morning, while we quietly ate breakfast.

Bee looks up at me, "What is there to talk about?"

"You know what I mean, Bee. We can't avoid it, as if it will go away."