Cut the Wound

Dependent on my Pain

After the yelling from downstairs had stopped, my aunt left the ice pack with me and exited the room silently. I sat there for who knows how long, then I heard the front door slam, then my uncles' deep voice booming from the kitchen "Theres something wrong with that boy!!!!! Goddamn fucking idiot!" His voice faded and the house fell silent. That terrible silence when you realise that no ones going to talk for a while. I sighed and glanced at the digital alarm clock on my night stand, 7:30am. This early and the fighting already began. I ignored my acheing side and got dressed then got my stuff read for school. Another place were the fighting never stopped. I took my bag and went downstairs, didnt look at anyone and no one looked at me. I put the icepack back in the freezer and walked out the door.

The high school was only a few blocks away from my house so I usually walked. I took shortcuts through alleys to avoid gangs of kids that stood out on the street, looking scary. I scuffed around a tight alley that smelled like garbage and then I heard voices laughed. Then....the last thing I wanted to hear, my name. "Hey Marcus! Where you going?" I looked up and at the end of the alley stood Sam. A big, bulky senior from the school. He was hispanic and had short black hair, he had tattoos on his arms and he held a baseball bat. The rest of the gang laughed behind me and pushed me against the brick wall. Sam laughed deeply and came closer, I swallowed and choked out "Leave me alone...." He laughed again and struck my head with the bat, I cried out and landed on the ground. Hot, red blood gushed down the side of my head. "Well, you fucking idiot? You gonna get up and fight? Or you gonna lay there and LET me beat the fuck out of you?" I coughed and got up to my feet, my head spinning. He chuckled then shit me again and again. The other guys laughed hard then when he was done they left. Left me in the cold alley, bleeding and shivering. I stayed there for a while, or maybe a few mintues, I couldnt tell. I heard foot steps and flinched, waiting for more painful hits from Sam. But instead I saw Kevin standing over me. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked. I looked at the ground then slowly tried to get up. I leaned against the wall, as I felt a hand on my shoulder, I flinched as Kevin lifted me to my feet and whisper "Your so fucking weak, seriously." I smiled lightly and let him slip his arm under my shoulder and half drag, half lead me home.

When we got home, we found it empty. Aunt and uncle probably went to work. Kevin dropped me on the couch and sent upstairs. I blinked, suprised my consiousness hadn't slipped yet. I just sat on the couch silently, the blood stopped flowing from my head and it clung wet to my hair. I winced as I tried to turn my head. Kevin came back downstairs with a first aid kit in his hands, he set it on the table and opened it then looked at me "Turn your head idiot." I did and he took a wet rag and started cleaning the blood off my head. I blinked and looked down, I coudnt see his face but I could feel him frowning and I could hear him swearing beneath his breath. Kevin fixed the hole in my head and pushed me over on the couch. I laid there, smileing slightly. He sat it uncles recliner and stared at me then frowned "What the hell are you smiling at, shithead?" I shoke my head and whispered "Thank you." He rolled his eyes and said "Whatever, if I left you there uncle would give me shit again..." He looked away and got up, then dissapeared upstairs. I lay still on the couch smileing, knowing that however many punches and kicks Kevin put me through, I knew that he loved me. Or, at least thats what I hoped. I shrugged the thought away and fell asleep, kind of happy for missing school.