Care.

-Prologue-

''D-dad.. I'm so sorry..'' I stuttered. I could feel my father staring me straight in the face, his pale blue eyes boring into me like chips of ice. They narrowed into slits. ''Your fatass ate lunch today again, didn't you.'' It barely even sounded like a question. His voice seemed to burn through me like acid. I swallowed, bracing myself. ''I was so hungry.....'' My voice trailed off and sharpened into a gasp as quicker than I could distinguish, his cold hands wrapped forcefully around my neck, shoving me against the cold brick wall. "It's been the third time this week, you pathetic pile of shit. Get it together." His rough voice faded out slowly as he threw me down to the sidewalk. I felt the world slowly fall out of focus, every part of my body accepting the cold, harsh night that my ruthless father brought upon me, over, and over, and over. I closed my eyes, accepting the darkness that was swallowing my consciousness.

As I fell into a deep sleep, my deceased brother, Russel, came into my head. ''Chasity, I swear. You need to get away from him, or you'll end up like me. Dead.'' He started. Of course he'd start another lecture about our dad. I nearly groaned out loud as he continued. ''Listen, I love you. As much as I wish you could be with me, I can't have you get here the way I did. Live your life to the fullest, don't let that wretched man control you.''

''Stay strong, sis.''

His voice faded away into a soft, dark haze. I knew I was fully unconscious, but I was just dreaming of darkness. It happens every time Russel comes to talk to me in my sleep, and I often thank him privately because on occasions like this, it's him treading in my dreams, and not my- well, our- father, hiding within every crevice in my head and just waiting for an opportunity to scare the living shit out of me. Sometimes it feels like he hurts me in my sleep just as much as he does in real life. I lay in the dark, waiting for the blood to rush back to my brain.

It'll be better tomorrow.