jawbreaker [eyeless jack]

Two

 I've never been around this much nature before. Gage and I live in the city, always have, and I've never even left our town much. I've never walked through woods like this before.

It's not really what I expected. Sort of uncomfortable and harder than I thought to walk through so many leaves, and it's extremely loud. The leaves crunching, the sounds of laughter echoing from a cabin I couldn't see, birds and bugs. But at the same time, it's so peacefully quiet. It's odd. I like it.

After making it back to my cabin I rested onto the couch, pulling my phone out of my pocket for the first time today. I only turned it back on this morning and I wished I hadn't, I was bombarded with more missed calls and messages from him.

I should just block him. I don't know why I haven't yet. Maybe I still miss him. I shouldn't.

Just my luck, as soon as I went to actually press the button, his call notification popped up.

I have been ignoring him this whole time... Should I at least pick up once?

"Hello?" I'm an idiot.

"Alli! What the hell, why haven't you been answering me!? I've called like fifty times- where are you?"

Immediately the questions overwhelmed me, only allowing me to slowly blink as I tried to find any words to actually say to him.

"I went on a trip."

"A trip? Where?"

"None of your business."

"What the hell is your problem!? Why haven't you been answering my calls?" he automatically went back to yelling again, I only sighed aggravatedly.

"What, really? I've been trying to answer this whole time," I said, surprised.

"Really?"

"No."

"What the hell is wrong with you!? Do you not give a shit about me at all!?"

I couldn't help but cover my mouth with a silent laugh, I thought it was kind of hilarious. He's so dumb it's painful actually.

"What the hell did I do to you!?"

My laughter subsided as I quickly leaned forward, stunned he'd actually say that.

"Cheat on me? Then hit me?"

"I never cheated on you, Alli! You're so fucking-"

Immediately I ended the call, very quickly blocking his number before he had the chance to call again. I had a feeling I'd actually answer, which would've been dumb of me. I shouldn't have answered at all, all it did was make me upset again.

Dammit.

***

First day of vacation was a failure. I took an eleven AM walk then immediately after talked to my abusive cheating ex boyfriend. Then I proceeded to waste the day away with my wine, and apparently pass out in my bed still cradling the bottle.

Now that I'm awake again I'd honestly continue curling up in a ball and berating myself but it was in the nature I woke up that kept me from thinking about myself.

I woke up in the pitch dark, my window open like it's always been, allowing the wind to fly in, along with the sounds of screaming.

I heard screaming earlier today, but it sounded like children's screaming. Probably down at the lake, or playing a game. These were screams of a man, and I couldn't really tell if these were happy screams or scared screams.

I sat upwards, ignoring the throbbing in my head as I waited for any further sounds, but it was completely silent. Did I imagine it? Was I still dreaming when I heard them?

It sounded completely normal, the crickets and sound of the trees moving in the wind, and my own sigh that escaped my lips.

I guess I was just dreaming.

Plopping myself back down onto my bed, I turned onto my side, facing the open door of my bedroom and let myself drift off back into space.

Maybe me dreaming of a man screaming was because I heard Bryant screaming earlier. It wouldn't be the first time I had nightmares like that.

Speaking of, nothing good came out of Bryant. At all. Not his stupid country music taste, not the way he spoke to me, not the way he treated me, I honestly dated him because he kind of made me feel like shit for saying no the first time.

I thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe over time I'd like him more. Look where that got me. Drunk by myself in a cabin, trying to think of anything but him.

All of a sudden, the cold air of the night stopped brushing against my bare arm above the blanket, causing me to stiffen. Why did it suddenly stop? Did my window close by itself?

Before leaning up I shifted onto my back, expecting to meet the gaze of my ceiling but it was something else entirely. Instead what loomed above me made me feel like I was still dreaming, but the smell and touch of the bloody man told me otherwise.