All yours // Billy Hargrove

\\ Chapter 12 // Billy //

{Billy flashback ]

Billy couldn't sleep. He clasped at the girl's body, afraid of letting go. Afraid of what would happen if he let go, releasing her into the dark world, out of his grip. Into the world that had been so cruel to him. The world that didn't deserve her. He had never met anyone like her, she cared for others like no one else, expecting nothing in return. Not that billy had anything to give her.

He tried to sleep, fastening his eyes shut in concentration. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, but his mind was awake. His head whizzing around on a racetrack of emotions. He stared up at the ceiling, listening intensely to Eris' deep breaths.

She comforted him. Without doing anything. Just her being there was enough. Even if she was asleep, even if she was awake. She was like oxygen.

As the dark sky began to brighten Billy finally drifted off. But it was not a peaceful slumber.

He was trapped on an infinite beach. A beach he had visited with his mother. A beach that was filled with happy memories. The sand-covered earth was his home, where all his childhood bliss rested.

But the beach was dark—all the joy it usually preserved, gone.

His mother stood pale and boney in front of him. Her jawline was bruised, and the same marks that were scattered on the boy's face reflected on her fragile features. He had seen her like this before, this was not a new image to him. It was his dad, he felt stupid to ask but just to make sure,

"Mum...what...happened?"

the boy stumbled over his words struggling to get them out in the first place, he took a step forward. She flinched in response. The boy's heart shattered there and then, as the woman broke down in tears in front of him.

"Mum... it's okay... I here..no ones going to harm you'

"William...you...you..don't...understand..."

she blurted through the sobs

"This is what is going to happen to her!"

she hissed, tears trickling down her face

"Mum? what are you talking about?"

his voice was strained as he edged closer to the woman

"Mum... you're scaring me what are you talking about?"

Finally, the woman streaming puffy eyes stared up, he tried desperately to meet her gaze, still cautious of touching her, he inched closer inspecting her quivering jaw.

His stomach dropped.

There was something behind him. The woman's despair was staring over the boy's weak shoulder.

The sadness he had felt curled into immense fear as he slowly turned his head.

It was Eris.

She was covered from head to toe in purple bruises. Her pale skin dripped with agony . Her big innocent eyes were black with sorrow. Blood drooling out her nostrils. Her tormented body was crushed. She looked powerless. So Fragile. She was like cracked glass.

Billy's stomach churned. He couldn't move. He tried to speak, shout, scream but his mouth was zipped shut. He could barely breathe.

What the fuck? who did this to her?

She was Like a ghost, she stood looking ahead of her, a small smile smudged across her crumpled face, but it wants a happy smile, it was forced, strapped on like a muzzle.