Dangerously In a Heartbeat

Chapter 01: Hollow and Void

"What do we have here, a brave soldier." I sneered, getting off my bike. I took a few steps toward him, he takes a step back.

"Don't move. If you want to live, you have to surrender and come with me." His hand shakes as he tightened the grip on the gun he pointed towards me. Such poor aim. I shrugged, relaxing. He was frightened by me. My eyes remained on the tattoo on his forearm.

"Shoot me if you can. He sent you again, right? He'll kill you if you hurt me." I cautiously reached my left hand behind my back, taking my gun. Taking a step forward, I took the gun out, aiming and shooting at the hand he held the gun. He screamed as the gun fell from his hand. I shoved the gun into my jacket and took the pocket knife, walking up to him and sitting beside him as he cried in utter pain. Low pain tolerance. Wonderful.

"I'm sure your boss and his men wonder what happened to everyone that came to take me to him. Let me recreate it for you, I'll personally make sure you get the full experience." A loud chuckle escaped my lips and he paled.

"You're crazy. Please, no. Stop!"He shrieks in agony as I slowly dragged the blade of my knife across his wound, cutting his skin, right where I shot him.

"I carved their hands and cut their fingertips, just like this." He screeched as I continued stabbing his fingertips. "Shut up, someone might think I'm murdering you. Oh wait, I am." My crazed laugh echoed. I pressed the knife harder, blood oozes down his hand. My eyes met his petrified ones as I slashed his neck.

His fresh blood dripped down my hands, and I stared at his lifeless body. Art. This is true art. However, It reminded me of terrible things. Things I would rather keep sealed.

Sighing, I dialed a number. "Dayo, I need you to clear something up. I'll send you the location. Yeah" Without giving another glance at the dead body, I walked to the motorcycle. Leaving a cold sigh, I drove off to god knows where. Cold breezes whipped through the trees. The wind was icy and withering. It was going to rain soon.

The night's cold wind kisses my face as I drove, and I wished to completely disappear into the gentle wind and be free. I was running, resisting being shattered and broken. I have been running for four years, from the shadows of the gut-wrenching past that somehow managed to imprison me for eternity, and I allowed myself to be confined. I stopped running.

I can never break free anyway.

I was lost in my thoughts and I didn't realize my clothes were getting wet from the rain that poured heavily. I sped up, heading to my favorite spot. I stopped near a cliff that people barely visit. It was an abandoned place. Perhaps that's why I prefer the company of this place, I was also abandoned. I stood near the cliff as my thoughts went all over the place.

The rain came down so hard it almost hurt. The raindrops attacked me with such force as if they wanted to cling to me and as if they wanted to hold onto me for dear life. It gave me a wretched sense of comfort. It was as if the cloud couldn't bear the heaviness it was carrying, so it finally decided to let it all go. To let it all fall, furiously.

It was something I couldn't do for fourteen years.

I wish I was like the rain, fierce, perhaps like the wind, free. I longed for once that my demons would stop chasing after me as I attempted to run away. Yet, they always find their way back to me. I was tied with no place to escape or to take refuge in. I was bound to be tormented until death hugs me.

Is my sister okay with our brothers? Is she safe? We would've been together if they fought for us.

I decided to head home. Mother would be so angry at me for coming home late, but I couldn't care less. She is a cold-blooded brute. She was always too drunk or high to care for me or to care for herself.

It has been me alone, dancing in the delicate thin line of surviving and escaping.

After a ten-minute drive, I parked my motorcycle a block away from home. Wearily, I walked home knowing I'm going to get more bruises carved on my body from my drunk mother and her boyfriend. As soon as I opened the door, I was pulled inside as a hand made contact with my stomach. I stumbled a bit and gazed up only to find my mother, Sarah, and her boyfriend Smith, staring at me with disgust. I chuckled, humorously. What a great pathetic match they are.

Hours later, I decided to go home. Parking my bike from a street away, I casually made my way to the house. I knew I was late, and they are waiting for me. As I opened the door, I was pulled inside as a hand made contact with my stomach. I stumbled a bit and gazed up only to find Sarah and her boyfriend Smith, staring at me with disgust. I chuckled, humorously.

"You ungrateful little brat! How dare you laugh at me? I'm your mother!" Sarah sneered at me. She was high, again. She spits on me before yanking me by the hair. She grabbed my cheeks roughly before whispering. "Maybe if Shawn was here, you would be trembling with fear." My body froze at the mention of his name. My whole body shook as sudden images flashed before my eyes.

I came back to reality as Sarah started to laugh. The hatred I had for my mother deepened. I detest her. I wanted to fight her but I can't. I promised my sister that I won't hurt her mother before I left her in the hands of my brothers.

Hailie probably hates me for abandoning her, but it was better than letting her go through this horrifying nightmare. I would do anything to keep her safe and sound.

"Shut up." I snapped at her. I knew I was going to get a rough beating as Sarah and Smith glared at me. They don't tolerate any form of misbehavior.

My vision blurred a bit, the hits getting numb as darkness took over my consciousness. My eyelids closed, and darkness welcomed me.

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