The Forgotten Child

Chapter 11

"Will you just-" Alyson started to say but Hayden's wilted deminer stopped her from saying anything more. She swallowed tears that threatened to leak. 

The two sat in uncomfortable silence as Hayden cleaned and wrapped her arm. Alyson chewed lightly on the thumbnail her stomach queasy at the memory of what was happening to her in the shower. Her own anger starting to boil up, but it wasn't really anger, it was hurt. She was hurt that Hayden would think that of her and not even let her explain herself.

When he finished wrapping her arm. He left the bathroom his body was tight and uneasy.

"Hayden, will you please just stop and hear me out?" Alyson said gripping the towel around her to make sure it didn't fall down.

Hayden stopped his hand about to open the door to their room.

"Hayden, I know what it looks like," Alyson says.

"Yeah, it looks like you were self-harming again," Hayden bites at her.

"I know it does," Alyson said crossing the room towards him.

"But it's not. I swear, just hear me out okay?" Alyson's eyes shined with unshed tears her stomach was in her knees. Her heart was beating uncontrollably.

"I've been clean for so long. You know that! I haven't had the urge to do that since I met you. I couldn't even do it when you left me all that time. I was so mad at you at myself. But every time I tried to it would make my heart hurt at the thought of you seeing it. I wouldn't ever want to put you through that kind of hurt," Alyson pleaded with him, tears were slipping down her face as she grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.

"The only problem is that you got caught, huh?" Hayden said his words were sharp as he pulled his arm from her grip. Guilt spread through her. Though she hadn't meant to do this she'd still done it. Though it wasn't her fault she didn't know she was doing it. She was caught up in an illusion, but Hayden would hear none of that, because before she could tell him that. He threw open the door. Alyson flinched as the door slammed shut.

Her worst fear now a reality. She sank to the floor tears streaming down her face Kai whined softly from next to her. She petted the fur on his head.

Alyson sat there sobbing for a while until the sobbing turned into crying that turned into hiccups, that turned into numbness. Kai sat with her the whole time his presence keeping her somewhat stable. She patted him one last time before kissing the top of his forehead. She then realized she was still only in a towel.

She mustered up some strength and got dressed. She put on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She didn't bother with her hair as she tied it into a bun. She then sat down on her bed and sighed heavily. Kai sat next to her his warmth keeping her content. Alyson looked at the rest of her dad's letters and decided they weren't worth the effort right now. 

She held Kai as she laid in her bed. Her stomach twisted with guilt. She didn't mean to do it but the blood covered her and wouldn't come off. So she panicked. She knew that imagery probably had some meaning behind it, but she couldn't bring herself to care about it right now. 

She felt like she wanted to cry but no tears would come out so she lay there while the familiar numbness took over. It was like she was back to her old life. The constant feeling of numbness that echoed through her body. She lay like that for a while.

She heard a knock on the bedroom door she didn't bother to open it instead she gave a soft, "It's open."

At that, the door squeaked open and Juila's voice chimed in.

"Hey do, you have a ponytail holder I can borrow?" She asks coming through the door. Her footsteps freeze suddenly. Alyson doesn't pay attention to it.