The Bond We Share

Chapter 7

They're dead, Zack's voice repeated this to her. Who cares what they think? Yet, why is she filling up with so much dread an anxiety?

"You even gave your filthy and defiled body to him, like the freaking Whore of Babylon," her mother jeered. "Just how vile can a shameless girl like you be?"

"Stop..." Ray whimpers. "I'm not filthy...I'm not vile...I'm-"

"Cut the bullshit, girl," her father snapped. "This family you're making is a fucking sham. Do you really think you found happiness with a god damn killer? Men like him are beyond hope. It's obvious that the man is using you, and is enjoying the perks for as long as he can. Once your little imp is born, he'll grow tired of you, and high-tail it for sure."

Ray began to caress at her own stomach protectively, it's not true, they both wanted this. There was no way Zack would lie, then leave her all alone.

"You're wrong...!" Ray retorted. "My family isn't a sham...i-it's everything I wanted...it's perfect!"

"You're nothing but a misery bringer. A delusional freak like you would only see your family as perfect, because your husband is also a monster...and the bastard that you carry is just going to be another psychopath brought into the world. It'll only be a matter of time until they start killing people and sewing them up - just like their 'perfect parents', huh?"

Enough. They're wrong, it's all wrong. She wants to prevent all this, she wants to debunk all the false claims being thrown at her, her husband, and even her unborn child. Ray grasped the sides of her head, shaking it with disbelief. The thought of the child growing inside her eventually becoming just as mad as their parents, or even the thought of Zack leaving her side was causing her anxiety to spike. Her plaguing insecurity made her heart race, and her insides feel as if it could twist into a thousand knots.

"You'll just bring them down too, that's all you ever do..."

"Miserable girl..."

"Wake up!"

A different voice caught Rachel's attention, almost like a shock wave.

"Ray, wake up..."

Isaac leaned close to Rachel, he had noticed she was whimpering frantically, with her body starting to writhe. He knew the body language all too well, it was nightmares again, and he was going to be there to comfort her; first, she needed to wake up. He made sure to nudge her carefully, until she suddenly jumped up on her own in a panic.

Ray's eyes darted around the room, as she breathed heavily, but Zack slowly brought a hand up to carefully stroke her back.

"Hey, easy...ya' had a nightmare..."

The woman was shaking, and he could see a faint glistening of salt on her cheeks, a clear sign that she was crying in her sleep. Something must've upset her greatly during her slumber, and the best method to console her, was to wrap her up in an embrace. It always soothed her fear and worries, and he knew it. A practice made perfect for years. He pulled her close, letting his arms envelop her, and blanket her with his warmth. Rachel tightly wrapped her arms around the man in response, as more tears trickled down her cheeks. Zack lets her hold onto him to calm down, while he gently caresses her back.

"Yer' okay..." he whispers quietly. "Everything's okay..."

Rachel's heavy breaths eased a little, and she wiped the trickling tears from her eyes. Yet, the words of her parents still haunted her thoughts. "Please keep talking...I just need to hear something..."

Something to help clear out all the negative emotions overwhelming her right now, she needed to hear Zack's reassuring voice, so she can forget the taunts of her parents. Just a distraction, something, anything...